VAVP

The Virginia Anti-Violence Project

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Black Queer Love

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The big news out of VAVP this week is the announcement of our Black Queer Love series! This series focuses on love, queerness, representation and a greater sense of belonging as people of color, and will consist of four events. The first event is an informational Zoom session covering the above topics, featuring open conversations, speakers and information to take home. This info session will take place on September 7 at 6 PM. Following the Zoom session there will be three in-person events in the month of September meant to engage the community, facilitate open discussion, meet others and most importantly have fun and celebrate each other and ourselves. There will be:

  • Movie Night: September 9 at 8 PM
  • Karaoke: September 16 at 8 PM
  • Drag Show: September 30 at 8 PM

All of these events will be hosted by our good friends at The HEALing Hub and there will be some vendors and refreshments available. 

Sign ups for the entire series can be found here, as well as volunteer opportunities for those who feel called to serve here. However you choose to participate, we are excited to have you celebrate, learn and grow with us.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

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– written by Serena Truong, VAVP communications intern

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault includes any unwanted sexual contact, use of sexual images, or words. It is never the victim’s fault, no matter what they were doing or wearing.

In a statewide survey of adults in Virginia, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men said they had been sexually victimized as children. Over half (51%) of women experienced sexual assault before the age of 13, as did 39% of men, according to a brochure by Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance Child Advocacy Task Force. LGBTQ survivors are often mistreated or misunderstood by law enforcement if they try to report, & are often turned away from services meant to assist the survivor. Oftentimes the perpetrator was someone the survivor knew beforehand. 

Some common reactions after sexual assault include self-blame, denial, substance abuse, and nightmares/flashbacks of the incident. Any and all reactions are a valid part of a survivor’s healing journey.  

Green flags when discussing SA with healthcare/service providers, family, and friends:
– Listening and showing compassion without judgment
– Directing the survivor to local resources
– Allowing the survivor autonomy & control over what happens next
– Maintaining the survivor’s confidentiality
– Validating a survivor’s gender identity and pronouns

Red flags when discussing SA with healthcare/service providers, family, and friends:
– Asking about the survivor’s victimization when others are around
– Using the term “rape,” as some survivors may not label their experience as such
– Only asking about specific types of violence or recent violence
– Expressing value judgments
– Misgendering or belittling one’s gender identity during the course of the discussion

There is no wrong way to heal after sexual trauma. Survivors are never at fault, and are not obligated to report to the police, especially those who’ve had previous negative experiences with law enforcement.  

National resources for people of color:
https://sisterslead.org/ – National organization serving to end sexual assault for BIPOC survivors.

VAVP’s LGBTQ resources and info: https://virginiaavp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LGBTQ-Sexual-Assault-Awareness-1.pdf 

Other resources: https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications/2020-04/friends_and_family_guide_final.pdf 

Fashion for a Cause

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Serena Truong, Intern

A Better Day Than Yesterday Initiative Program hosted A New Me Fashion Show on October 9 in Richmond, Virginia. A Better Day helps bring incarcerated individuals back to society. The fashion show gave makeovers to returning citizens and their families as a form of empowerment. It was an intimate gathering with lively music and all around joyous energy in the small room in the Queen Bee & Co. lounge (21 W Main St, Richmond, VA 23220).

Founder LeTeisha Gordon created the organization in 2016 after her own experience struggling to communicate with her incarcerated father. Now she gets to share her story and help others.

Thomas Mundy, a returning citizen, was incarcerated for 13 years. Since his release, he has worked as a peer support specialist and now is a small business owner. He works to change the public’s perception of incarcerated people.

“The public needs to view us as non-threatening and I feel like this goes a long way to normalize us,” Mundy said.

Visit their website to keep updated with other events they do.

VAVP Supply Drive at the 8/6 Safe Space Market RVA

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On Friday, August 8th, VAVP was invited by the folx at Safe Space Market RVA to participate in their weekly Farmers Market by holding a supply drive! The event ran from 5-8 p.m., and was located at the Lakeside Farmers Market pavilion. We were honored to share the space with numerous local vendors focused around the values of Queer/BIPOC liberation, sustainability, and community organizing!

Pictured above is but a small fraction of the various goods and supplies that members of the community gave to us. Donations ranged from hygiene & menstrual products, pre-packaged and non-perishable food, gift cards and GRTC Bus Cards, socks, toys, self-care items, cash, and more. We were truly humbled by the turnout and generosity of the community! All donations and proceeds will be distributed out to our current and future clients, vital work that would not be possible if not for the support you all show for VAVP and our mission.

Missed us the first time but would still like to donate supplies/just hang out with us? Good news! The supply drive with Safe Space Market RVA has a part 2, which will be held once again at Lakeside Farmers Market on the 20th of August, 5-8 p.m. We would love to see you there. Thank you again to everyone who turned out and donated!

VAVP at Black Pride RVA 2021

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VAVP was at Black Pride RVA’s Day of Purpose Event on July 17th!

On July 17th, 2021, members of our staff (including our pictured Survivor Support Team, Cat Lamb and Tasha Smith, our Communications Coordinator Austin Laingen, and our ED Ebony Clark) tabled at Black Pride RVA’s Day of Purpose Event! This event was a great opportunity for local groups to get exposure while supporting Black Queer Virginians, and we were more than excited to participate.

It was so refreshing to be in community with y’all again, and even the heat couldn’t stop everyone from having a blast! We spoke with members of the community, connected with other local organizations & small businesses, and handed out pamphlets/resource cards. We were also blown away by the number of people who signed up to be potential volunteers for VAVP in the future – we can’t thank you all enough for your support as we continue to fight for an end to violence across the state of Virginia.

Keep an eye out for VAVP at future community events!

We’re hiring!

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Do you or someone you know want to respond to and prevent various forms of violence committed against Transgender, Nonbinary, and LGBQ+ communities in Virginia? Do you want to engage with culturally diverse communities, provide support to survivors of violence and create community informed movement building strategies? If so, we need you!

  • The Virginia Anti-Violence Project seeks to hire a Survivor Community Coordinator (temporarily a COVID-19 remote position), who will focus on providing quality and informed case management, direct services and advocacy for Trans, Nonbinary, and LGBQ+ survivors of violence. Candidates applying for this position should be bi-lingual (English & Spanish) and bicultural. 
  • The Virginia Anti-Violence Project seeks to hire a Survivor Community Specialist (temporary COVID-19 remote position), who will focus on providing quality and informed case management, direct services and advocacy for Trans, Nonbinary, and LGBQ+ survivors of violence. We strongly desire a candidate that is bi-lingual (English & Spanish) and bi-cultural. VAVP is committed to providing accessibility of services for Trans, Nonbinary, and LGBQ+ Latinx survivors of violence. 
LEARN MORE & APPLY

¿Tu o alguien que conoces quieres prevenir y erradicar diversas formas de violencia cometidas contra las comunidades transgénero, no binarias y LGBQ en Virginia? ¿Tú quieres o ellos involucrarse con comunidades culturalmente diversas, apoyar a sobrevivientes de violencia y crear estrategias de respuesta informadas por la comunidad? Si es así, ¡te necesitamos!

  • El Proyecto Contra la Violencia de Virginia busca contratar a un Coordinador de la Comunidad de Sobrevivientes (posición remota temporal de COVID-19) en que se enfocará proveer una gestión de casos informada y de calidad, servicios directos y defensa para trans, no binarios y LGBQ sobrevivientes de violencia. Candidatos a este puesto deben ser bilingües (inglés y español) y bicultural. Los residentes de Virginia tendrán la consideración de prioridad para esta posición.
  • El Proyecto Contra la Violencia de Virginia busca contratar a un Especialista de la comunidad de sobrevivientes (posición remota temporal de COVID-19) en que se enfocará proveer una gestión de casos informada y de calidad, servicios directos y defensa para trans, no binarios y LGBQ sobrevivientes de violencia. Deseamos fuertemente a un candidato que sea bilingüe (inglés y español) y bicultural.  Los residentes de Virginia tendrán la consideración de prioridad para esta posición.
Apóyate más y aplica