Sexual Assault Awareness Month Events:

April 2nd, 2013: SAAM Kick-Off at the Capitol
12:00p-1:00p
Old Supreme Court Chambers (2nd floor, North end)
Capitol Building
201 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80203

Join us for the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Kick-off at the Capitol! Featuring Keynote speaker, Debbie Ortega, Denver Council At Large.

April 9th – “Boys & Men Healing” Film Screening & Discussion
6:00p-8:00p
Boulder Public Library – 1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder

Boys & Men healing documents the impact that sexual abuse has on individuals & society. The film screening will be follewed by a Q&A session with Daniel Blausey & Howard Franklin. Space is limited, so register today at www.movingtoendsexualassault.org. Suggested donation of $10

April 12th – Circles of Strength
6:00p-8:00p
Mercury Cafe – 2199 California St, Denver, CO 80205

Circles of Strength is a social event hosted by the Survivor’s Task Force (STF). Come learn about STF, support survivors, and enjoy an evening of celebration during SAAM! This event will feature The Eye of Survivors Art Exhibit!

April 20th – Jefferson County’s Courage Walk
10:00a-12:00p
Jefferson County DA’s office – 500 Jefferson County Pkwy, Golden CO 80401

The Courage Walk is a time to honor the strength and courage of survivors. It is also a time to speak in unison for victims’ rights and services, today and in the future.

April 22nd – Adam’s County Annual Releasing of the Doves
9:00a-11:00a
Adams County Government Center – 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy, Brighton, CO

The Releasing of the Doves event celebrates the Colorado Constitutional Amendment Regarding Victims Rights 20th anniversary and the start of this year’s Victim Rights Week in the 17th Judicial District!

April 22nd – Quiz for a Cause – WINGS’ Fundraising Event
8:00pm
Ernie’s Bar & Pizza – 2914 W. 44th Ave, Denver CO 80211

WINGS is excited to partner with Geeks Who Drink to host a Quiz for a Cause bar trivia fundraiser! Each player pays $5 to play and proceeds go directly to supporting WINGS! Come with a team (up to 6) or as an individual (we’ll help you form a team!) and join us for great food, drinks and trivia. Spread the word and come join WINGS for an incredibly fun benefit!

April 23rd – Fairness, Respect, & Dignity… 20 Years of Victims’ Rights
11:30a-1:00p
Wellington Webb Building – 201 W. Colfax Ave, Denver CO 80203

An event honoring and celebrating Colorado Victims and Victim Advocates.

Additional events throughout the state!

For more information: https://employment.coloradocollege.edu/postings/975

Spoken English & American Sign Language version of the Vagina Monologues to be held by D.O.V.E in Northglenn, CO

Estimated Annual Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect

Our 2013 trainings will include:

• Shifting History: Men Who Were Sexually Abused as Boys & Art Therapy ,  presented by Daniel Blausey, MA, LCAT, ATR-BC

  • Training Information: This training will focus on the recovery and healing process, the ramifications of myths regarding childhood sexual abuse of boys, the role of the art therapist/psychotherapist, and therapeutic interventions for men seeking treatment. Interventions include integrating creative arts therapy techniques and mindfulness exercises to further enhance the healing process.
  • Training Details:
    • Friday, March 29th – 8:30am to 1:00pm
    • Denver District 1 Community Room – 1311 W. 46th Ave, Denver, CO  80211
    • $60 fee for registration, breakfast and 4 CEUs

• Applied Existential Psychotherapy Approach to Body & Trauma

  • Friday, May 3rd – 10:00am to 5:30pm
  • Location and fee TBD – stay tuned!

• Adult Survivors of Ritual Childhood Sexual Abuse

  • Details forthcoming!

• Neurofeedback & Adult Survivors

  • Details forthcoming!

Mea Maxima Culpa features SNAP members and other survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The film follows the secret crimes of Milwaukee priest Fr. Murphy, who abused more than 200 deaf children. The heart of the film is about the courageous survivors of Fr. Murphy, who set out to expose the priest and protect other children. The film also shows the secret Vatican archive that shows the Pope as responsible for these horrendous crimes against children.

For more information or to learn more about SNAP (Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests), visit their website at www.snapnetwork.org

Miss America Mallory Hagan: Why I’m Fighting Against Sexual Abuse

Counselor Sentenced to 103 Years for Sexual Abuse

I recently attended Laura Davis’s (www.lauradavis.net) “Memory to Memoir” Retreat.  We read the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brian.  At the retreat we were given several writing prompts.  Among them was “The things I carry.”  This is what came out.  As I wrote I became overwhelmed with gratitude for you, my fellow survivors.  I dedicate this piece to all of you.  Thank you for understanding, thank you for keeping me from sitting all alone.  Thank you for helping me bear the burden of The Things I Carry.  -Shanah Madaff Zucker

The Things I Carry

I carry my pain with me everywhere I go.  I sit with that gaping hole in my chest and hope that no one can see it, or maybe hope that they can.  I carry the ugliness, the shame, the guilt.  I carry memories and fault.  I carry my heart in my arms wishing I could put it back in my chest, close it up and be renewed, a whole person.  I carry my ugliness wishing I could pull it out, put it on the dinner table while out with friends and say, “Look, this is me, this is the real me, all the secrets, all the lies and I want you to accept it.  Accept me.”  They won’t.  They don’t want to know.  They don’t want to see. They don’t know how to hear. Then when I am with the people who know, really know, my sister-survivors, my male survivor friends whom I cannot call “brothers” because the word is so tainted for me, with them I am free.  But with that relief comes more intense pain, pain I am able to hide from myself in the necessity to hide it from others.

I WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.  I want to put it all down.  I want to take a shower and be clean like the other 2/3s of the population.  No matter how much I wash, though, I will never be clean.  I can never undo the past.  I can never get another chance to love that little girl and protect her, to tell her that she does deserve to be safe, she does deserve to love herself.  Never, never, never.

So I carry it.  I carry all of it—the history, the guilt, the shame, the ugliness—I live it; I own it.  I’m with strangers: I pack it in tight, hide it from the world.  It is my fault, my burden, my problem, not theirs.  I am with friends: I pack it in again, just not as tight.  They know but they do not truly understand, so I must protect them.  I am with survivors: so I let it spill out and hurt me.  I sit before them bleeding and raw but honest.  They tell me it’s not my fault and I tell them I believe them.  Then I remember to be honest, so I tell them the truth: “It feels like it’s my fault.  It feels like I deserved it.”

“I know,” a fellow survivor says and the others nod in agreement.   “It’s okay to have those feelings.  Just let me say it for now, just hear me and let it in when you can.”

“Alright,” I concede.  “Go on.  Say what I cannot hear and I’ll do my best to take it in.”

Then the conversation reverses. “It’s my fault,” she says.

“No, it’s not,” I say and the others nod in agreement.

“It feels like it’s my fault.  It feels like I deserved it,” she responds and I beg her to remember what I’ve said and take it in when she can.

So I carry it, all of it, but then I find I am carrying something new, something beautiful.  I am carrying hope; I am carrying peace.  I am carrying love and faith from the people who understand, the people who believe me and don’t need any proof.

They believe me and they don’t need any proof.

This is peace, this is beauty and I add it to the things that I carry.

However, in order for WINGS to receive a permanent membership and reach that wider audience, we need your help! WINGS has the goal of raising $10,000 from at least 50 individual donors in the month of September through our Global Giving website: Taking-Flight-Against-Sexual-Abuse.

Donate now and help WINGS soar!