Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence

Code #22, What is the Oregon Charitable Checkoff?

2012-02-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

Code #22 - What is the Oregon Charitable Checkoff? And How Can It Benefit CARDV?

Through Oregon's Charitable Checkoff campaign, individual taxpayers have an opportunity to donate a portion of their state income tax refund to the OCADSV's member programs that provide direct services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. As a member agency, CARDV will receive a portion of the refund donations.

Please take the time while filing your personal state income tax include the code #22 for Domestic and Sexual Violence on the Charitable Checkoff portion of your tax form. If tax professionals prepare your Oregon tax forms, inform them that you would like a portion of your refund to go to domestic and sexual violence services, code #22.

How do I donate?

In order to donate a portion of your refund to the domestic and sexual violence services, simply locate the "other charity" option of your tax form (Long form, line 69 and Short form, line 39). Then enter code # 22 for domestic and sexual violence services. That's it! You're done. The Oregon Department of Revenue takes care of the rest.

If you have any questions about the Charitable Checkoff campaign, you can call the Oregon Department of Revenue at 503-378-4988 or contact Debbie Fox at OCADSV at 503-230-1951 x 4 or via email at debbie (at) ocadsv (dot) org.

Information adapted from Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV), http://www.ocadsv.org/.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

2012-02-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

February is nationally recognized as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAPM). During the month, people around the nation participate in activities that promote education and awareness about teen dating abuse. It is vital to talk openly with teens about healthy and unhealthy relationships, warning signs and what we can do to lessen the frequency of dating abuse.

According to the CDC, one in four teens experiences dating abuse each year. Education, awareness and intervention are keys to stopping dating abuse.

If the signs of dating abuse are known it may be easier to recognize it when someone we know may be experiencing dating abuse. If we feel comfortable talking about healthy relationships, then we will be empowered to be respectful partners and speak out when things aren’t right. If we know what resources are available, then we can guide a friend or even ourselves to help if and when we need it.

Warning Signs of an Abusive Relationship--Does the boyfriend/girlfriend of someone you care about...

Call them names and put them down in front of others?
Act extremely jealous of others who pay attention to them?
Think or tell them that you, his/her parent(s), don't like them?
Control his/her behavior, check up constantly, call or text, and demand to know who he/she has been with?

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, we are here to listen and support you. Please call CARDV's 24-hour hotline (541) 754-0110 or (800) 927-0197. Confidential. 24/7. Local.

Why does CARDV spend a whole month talking about teen dating abuse?
Teens may not have very much dating experience and so they base their ideas of dating norms on examples from pop-culture which are rarely good examples. Most teens attend the same school or live in the same area as their abusive partner which means that it is difficult for them to avoid seeing them. It is also difficult for teens to speak out about abusive relationships because they may feel reluctant or embarrassed. For most teens, the first people they will turn to when they are being abused are their friends.

　
Who participates in Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month?
Anyone! Students, teachers, community members, business owners, local, state and even national government officials can all do their part to end dating abuse.

Speak Up! Characteristics of Healthy Relationship.
Sexting and Texting--learn what is inappropriate and what to do about it.
Practice and Promote Good Communication (even if you are upset).
Am I a Good Partner? Take the quiz.
Take Action in Your Community.
Download Your Digital Toolkit.

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Information from CARDV, Love Is Respect, Let Your Heart Rule, Respect Works, That's Not Cool, and Love is Not Abuse.

CARDV mourns the loss of Ellen Pence-Mother of Domestic Violence Intervention

2012-01-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

In Memory of Ellen Pence

by Family Violence Coordinating Council, Multnomah County

Ellen Pence, co-founder of Duluth's (Minnesota) world-renowned Domestic Abuse Intervention Project and considered the "mother" of domestic violence intervention, passed away January 6, 2012, in her home surrounded by loved ones and the company of close family and friends.

She has had an immeasurable impact on the anti-violence movement. Her contributions will be felt for many generations. She was the co-creator of the Power and Control Wheel, founded Praxis International in 1998, and was the chief author and architect of the Praxis Institutional Audit, a method of identifying, analyzing and correcting institutional failures to protect people drawn into legal and human service systems because of violence and poverty.

Ellen dedicated her life to ending violence against women. She led, supported and enlisted so many of us in that struggle. We will miss so much her confident guidance, her keen wit, and her relentless vision that such violence could and will be ended.

To learn more about Ellen Pence and her contributions to the domestic violence movement, visit Praxis International.

Advocates Not Surprised by Recent Survey Results

2011-12-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

Most people reading the survey results in the Corvallis Gazette Times' front page article, Survey: 1 in 4 women attacked by intimate partner, on December 15 were probably shocked. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found that 1 in 4 women reported being violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends. 1 in 5 women reported surviving rape or attempted rape. About half of those cases involved intimate partners. Oregon ranked within the top three states for rape and attempted rape.

Advocates at the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) were saddened by the article, but not surprised. Last fiscal year CARDV received 4,281 crisis line calls from Linn and Benton Counties. Domestic violence accounted for 3,611 calls, sexual assault 612, and stalking 58. Advocates met in person with a total of 990 individuals to assist in developing safety plans.

What we know about sexual and domestic violence here at CARDV is that sexual assault is a common tactic used by abusers to exert and maintain power and control over their partners. And since it’s painful to think of their loved one as a rapist, most women experience great difficulty in defining what has happened to them as rape. Yet the victim will suffer higher levels of physical injury when the rapist is an intimate partner. And according to Campbell’s 2003 Assessing Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Homicides, a physically abused woman also experiencing forced sex was more than seven times more likely than other abused women to be killed.

For help or more information, contact CARDV: 541-754-0110 or 800-927-0197.
Additional resources availabe on CARDV's website:

January is Stalking Awareness and Human Trafficking Awareness Month

2011-12-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

Both Stalking and Human Trafficking Awareness fall within the scope of the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence’s mission which is to provide services to those impacted by domestic and sexual violence and provide leadership and education in our community to change the social norms that allow these forms of violence to continue.

Join us by educating yourself and speaking out in your community about these important topics. If you or someone you know has experienced domestic or sexual assault, please call our free and confidential hotline, available 24/7: (541) 754-0110 or (800) 927-0197.

Information about Stalking:

Stalking is a crime that affects 3.4 million victims a year ⁽¹⁾.
Stalking is not romantic or a form of flattery—in one out of five cases of stalking, weapons are used to harm or threaten the victim ⁽¹⁾, and stalking is one of the significant risk factors for homicide for women in abusive relationships ⁽²⁾.
Technology is increasingly used by stalkers: one in four victims reports that the stalker used technology, such as Facebook, texting, computers, global positioning system devices, or hidden cameras, to track the victim’s daily activities ⁽¹⁾.
Stalkers fit no standard psychological profile. Most victims know their stalkers and many stalkers follow their victims from one jurisdiction to another, making it difficult for authorities to investigate and prosecute their crimes.
How much do you know about stalking? Take the quiz now.

Information about Human Trafficking:

Sex Trafficking (a form of Human Trafficking) is the recruitment and transportation of persons within or across boundaries by force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation. In simpler words, sex trafficking is sexual slavery.

CARDV has assisted survivors of sex trafficking since our incorporation in 1981 and we know that working in the sex industry is not a choice.

The average age of a woman entering prostitution is 13 ⁽³⁾.
Estimates as high as 98% of prostituted women were sexually abused as children, leaving them conditioned to sexual exploitation ⁽⁴⁾.
Traffickers prey on their victims’ vulnerabilities by promising love and security, and then isolate them.
Control is maintained through violence.
Click here to view the documentary "Very Young Girls" trailer and/or watch the full version on Netflix.

CARDV provides 24-hour hotline assistance with safety planning, access to safe shelter, help with restraining and stalking orders, assistance at the hospital and more. Additionally, CARDV provides education and trainings in our community to raise awareness of these crimes.

Please educate yourself about these important issues and speak up in your community to help us raise awareness.

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Baum et al., Stalking Victimization in the United States, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/svus.pdf (accessed September 29, 2009).
Jacquelyn C. Campbell et al., “Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results from a Multi-site Case Control Study,” American Journal of Public Health 93 (2003): 7.
Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001
Melissa Farley, founding director of Prostitution Research and Education

Holiday Gift Program

2011-12-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to very generous donations from individuals, businesses and groups in the community and volunteer support (see pictures)--CARDV's Holiday Gift program was a great success. Each year CARDV supporters provide new, unwrapped gifts that our clients select, wrap and give to their children during the holiday season.

When individuals come into shelter, they often come with only the clothes on their backs. For a parent in shelter, trying to maintain a stable home for her/his children can seem an impossible task. CARDV provides shelter to members of our community seeking a life free from violence. If you would like to be included in our donor mailing list for next year's event, please contact Letetia Wilson (541) 758-0219, ext. 314 or email Letetia.

CARDV protects the indentity and confidentiality of all its clients.

All the above are volunteers who helped with the holiday program.

CARDV pleased to be Beans for Bags recipient

2011-11-14T16:45:00.001-08:00

CARDV is pleased to be a recipient of First Alternative Co-Op's "Beans for Bags" program. If you are not familiar with the program, for each bag a customers reuses, First Alternative Co-Op gives the customer a dried bean--representing 5 cents. The customer then places the bean in the collection container for the charity of their choice.

Through December, CARDV will have a container at both the Grant St., and 3rd St. locations. So, don't forget your shopping bags and look for the CARDV container when shopping at First Alternative Co-Op

Albany Veteran's Day Parade: Join Us

2011-11-09T12:38:00.001-08:00

If you support the work CARDV does to end domestic violence and sexual assault in our communities, please join us for the Albany Veterans Day Parade.

CARDV supporters and volunteers will be raising awareness of CARDV services by participating in the Veterans Day Parade, Friday, November 11, 2011. Please join us by walking the parade route and help us distribute information. Parade route: starts at the overpass on Pacific Hwy, right on Lyons, left on 2nd, left on Ferry, left on 4th, ending at the Linn County Courthouse.

The parade staging area is in the vicinity of Industrial Way SW and Queens Ave. We are entry #90, exact location will not be available until Friday morning, after 8:30a. Look for the group with the CARDV banner and "I heart CARDV" shirts.

If you have a CARDV shirt, please wear it. Some extra shirts will be available. If you do not have a CARDV shirt, consider wearing teal or purple (the awareness colors for domestic violence and sexual assault). The theme is Treasure Your Freedom--Honor Our Veterans.
You can help us spread the word: view and share our Facebook events page.

If you have any questions, please contact Crystal at (541) 758-0219 ext. 301 or email Crystal.
Day of mobile: (541) 207-2567

Volunteers Needed: float decorating work party

2011-10-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

Come help us raise awareness of CARDV services in Linn County through our Albany Veterans Day Parade float.

Final Float Work Party:
Tues., Nov. 8, 2011
5-9pm
SafeHaven Warehouse, 32220 Old Hwy 34, Albany

Volunteer builders have assembled the foundation and framework for the float and now we need volunteers to help us cut tissue, stuff tissue in the chicken wire, paint, paper mache', and much more.

You do not need any special skills, just a willingness to help and a smile. This is a great opportunity for families and friends to volunteer together. All materials will be supplied. Please let us know if you are coming so we can plan ahead. Hope to see you there.

Crystal (541) 758-0219 ext. 301
Photo courtesy Jesse Skoubo, MidValley Newspapers, Corvallis Gazette Times, Albany Democrat Herald

How to Help a Survivor of Domestic Violence

2011-10-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

How to Help a Survivor of Domestic Violence

Believe her. Let her know you believe her.

Don't ask questions that blame her, such as "Why do you stay?" Remember that domestic violence is the fault of the abuser, not the survivor. Tell her the abuse is not her fault. She needs your help and support so she can make the decision to keep herself safe.

Encourage her to call CARDV's 24-hour hotline. (541-754-0110 or 1-800-927-0197)

Make sure she has information that can help her make decisions about her situation. Make her and yourself familiar with CARDV services and other community resources.

Offer support. Let her know you are available to drive her somewhere, give her a safe place to stay, help her obtain needed medications or other medical services, make copies of important documents, or any other help you feel you can safely provide. Put her in touch with other friends, family members, or support groups, if possible. Ask her how you can help keep her safe.

Be patient with her. Understand that she may go through a whole range of emotions. Do your best to really listen to her, support her, and encourage her. Don't try to rush her decision-making process, even if you think it is time for her to "get on with her life." Give her time.

Be gentle with her. Pay attention to her signals, and follow her lead about what she wants. If you are not sure what she wants or needs, ask her, then respect her wishes.

Encourage her to talk with someone who is trained to work with survivors of domestic violence. It can really help her to have support and information about others who are in similar situations and what services are available to her. Again, don't force her; let her make her own decisions.

Take care of yourself. You may be upset and traumatized by what has happened to her. Remember that CARDV's 24-hour hotline is for you too.

Speak out against domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Help us spread the word about this prevalent issue in our community. Click here to find out ways you can get involved.

Are you being treated with respect? Remember, when one person scares, hurts, or continually puts down another person; that's abuse - and it's not okay.

You do not deserve abuse. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse

call CARDV at (541) 754-0110 or (800) 927-0197.

All calls are confidential. Se habla espanol.

Volunteers in Action

2011-10-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

United Way: Day of Caring

The parking lot was overflowing and volunteers clad in bright orange t-shirts swarmed the CARDV office, inside and out. In a single day, 24 volunteers put in 112 hours at CARDV alone. Work included: sprucing up the original shelter—now administrative office—through painting, yard work, planting bulbs for the spring, and removing a well-loved-but-past-its-prime play structure to make way for a newly donated one.

CARDV is just one of the many non-profits that benefitted from this annual cross-county day of volunteering. The entire community participated, from the HP and Samaritan Health volunteers that worked at the CARDV site, to the many local businesses that gave generously of their products and services. Thank you Schmidt’s Garden Center, Garland Nursery, and Sherwin Williams for your donations of bulbs and paint supplies.

Shelters' Shelves Stocked with Community Donations:

When you've left everything behind in a step of freedom from violence, it is a welcome site to see a fully stocked pantry in the CARDV shelters. Thanks to the ongoing support of the community and volunteers —such as Target Distribution Center’s Staff in Albany, Safeway on Philomath Blvd., and the Corvallis Youth Volunteer Corp—for collecting and promoting Wish List Drives.

In-kind donated items are a huge help by keeping shelter shelves stocked for those accessing services. Wish List Drives are a great way for families, classes, friends and other communities to volunteer together, benefitting CARDV clients. The generous support of the community has enabled CARDV to provide services over the past 30 years. Thank you residents of Linn and Benton counties!

Wish List Items: (all items must be unopened and/or individually wrapped)

Leftover holiday candy (to be used with CARDV float in Veterans Day Parade)
Diapers (size 4-6)
Pull-ups (any size)
Laundry Detergent
Simple Green Cleaner
Click here to see a complete list of our needed items

Want to volunteer with CARDV? Find out how here.

Domestic Violence: Beyond the Crisis

2011-09-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

It’s an exciting day when one of our residents leaves shelter to move into her own place. Typically she will have come into shelter with two or more children and will have left all her belongings behind. While in shelter she established a safety plan, found childcare or enrolled her children in school, acquired household goods and furniture from Vina Moses and Benton Furniture Share. She begins her new life with a tenuous new-found confidence and full of hope for a brighter, safer future for herself and her children.

As she and her children settle into their busy new life, she has little energy left for anything but the day-to-day challenges immediately facing her. Nobody needs to tell her that her life, as well as the lives of her children, has been irrevocably changed. But she doesn’t have the luxury of time or money to help her sort through her conflicting feelings. She tells herself that she’s safe now, and that’s all that matters.

After a while the memories of the old violent life weave themselves into the fabric of her being – no longer dictating the course of her actions, but no longer identifiable as the cause of her startle response to a loud noise or her vague feelings of anxiety either.

It’s likely that her children have internalized the effects of domestic violence as well. Even if children have not experienced violence directly, children who witness abuse display the same emotional responses as children who have been physically abused. Adults who were raised in violent homes exhibit lower self esteem, higher levels of post traumatic stress disorder and depression than the general population. There is an increased likelihood of alcohol or other drug addiction. And there is a stronger inclination to commit suicide.

Without a doubt, domestic violence inflicts life-long injuries. Which is not to say that domestic violence survivors and their children are damaged beyond healing. On the contrary – survivors are among the strongest, most resourceful, creative, compassionate, and caring people on our planet.

This is CARDV’s goal for our Advocacy Center: to give survivors that long-term support so they have a partner on that rocky road to healing.

The CARDV Advocacy Center, scheduled for completion in April 2012, will be located across the street from Lincoln School on South Third Street in Corvallis. It will share the site with Willamette Neighborhood Housing’s affordable housing development, where ten of the units will be reserved for survivors of domestic violence.

CARDV’s Advocacy Center will offer those on-going services that CARDV’s emergency safe shelters are unable to: providing long-term support beyond the crisis stage of domestic and sexual violence.

A survivor of domestic violence had to endure her abuse in isolation. She deserves all the support she can get as she creates a new life for herself and her children.

Click here to learn more about domestic violence and what you can do to support someone experiencing it.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

2011-09-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Domestic Violence is a prevalent and often misunderstood issue. In Oregon, 1 in 10 women reported being abused by an intimate partner (1). Help us raise awareness of this prevalent issue by showing your support of survivors:

EDUCATE yourself and your community on what domestic violence is

HELP a survivor of domestic violence

wear a FREE awareness pin

light your porch using a PURPLE light bulb

donate unwanted CELL PHONES

PROMOTE Domestic Violence Awareness Month at your work, school, or other group (click here for downloadable posters)

VOLUNTEER with CARDV

Get your gear: Awareness Raising Headquarters

CARDV Admin. Office (Corvallis)--cell phones, ribbons, light bulbs*, Domestic Violence Awareness Month promotional materials

Albany Public Library--cell phones, ribbons

Boys and Girls' Club (Albany)--cell phones, ribbons

Lebanon Public Library--cell phones, ribbons, light bulbs*

Women's Center (OSU)--cell phones, ribbons, light bulbs*

Student Health Services (OSU)--cell phones, ribbons

Mobile Zone (Corvallis)--cell phones, ribbons

Corvallis Sports Park--cell phones, ribbons

Corvallis High School-- cell phones, ribbons

*Light bulbs available with suggested $5 donation. Also available for purchase at Fred Meyer and other local vendors.

(1) Intimate Partner Violence in Oregon: Findings from the Oregon Women's Health and Safety Survey. Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, February, 2004.

Removing Barriers: Community supports self-sustaining options for survivors of domestic violence!

2011-09-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

"Many women and children come to us with nothing more than the clothes on their backs."

This is how Cybil Stockman (pictured here), Resident Program Manager at the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV), describes the clients at CARDV's emergency shelter.

These clients are usually arriving at the shelter from traumatic situations, and CARDV's initial goal is to establish safety and provide for basic needs. The shelter's current setup allows each client to stay for 30 days. While the short-term solution that the shelter offers is important, CARDV's vision is to set in place a program that will give clients the opportunity to truly change their lives for the better by focusing on big-picture goals such as employment and counseling.

Thanks to funding from across the community, including a Social Accountability Grant from Samaritan Health Services' office of Community Health Promotion, CARDV is setting aside five of the shelter's beds for a transitional housing program. Clients who participate in this program will be able to stay for 180 days--allowing time for counseling appointments, job searches and more.

"A typical client at our shelter might be a mom with two small children, fleeing a very abusive situation at home, " Stockman says. "The transitional housing program will allow us to help her with more than just her immediate problem--we get the chance to help her create a new life."

Increasing services and support for children is one of six community health priorities supported by Samaritan Health Services through its annual Social Accountability Grants. This year, Samaritan awarded grants totalling $244,690 to local nonprofits such as CARDV as part of an overall community health investment of more than $110 million.

Advocacy Center: Under Construction

2011-08-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

We made it! With grant awards of $100,000 from Meyer Memorial Trust, and $30,000 from Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the capital campaign has exceeded our goal of 750,000!

This allows us to launch phase two in which the revised goal is to raise $1 million by June 30, 2012 and include $250,000 to establish an endowment that will support the new facility.

Thank you for joining the vision to provide pathways to safety, stability, and self-sufficiency for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The residents of Linn and Benton communities can be proud—the Advocacy Center will be a visible, public facility, built with community support declaring the strong value that domestic violence and sexual assault will not be tolerated in our communities and that survivors have hope for a healthy future.

Construction has begun! Look for our Open House to celebrate the opening of the Advocacy Center later in April 2012.

The Advocacy Center will accomplish three main outcomes:

increased accessibility and awareness;
community collaborations for multiple services in one place; and
permanent support services, including housing, to provide stability and self-sufficiency.

To make a gift or pledge for CARDV’s Advocacy Center, contact Toni Ryan, CARDV’s Executive Director, 541-758-0219, ext. 302, toni.ryan@cardvservices.org. You can make an online donation by clicking here, or using the "Donate Now" button at the top of the CARDV web page. Please specify your gift is for the Advocacy Center in the “designation” field.

$100,000 grant goes to CARDV

2011-07-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Corvallis Gazette-Times | Posted: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 12:00 pm

The Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence has received a Meyer Memorial Trust grant of $100,000 to support the building of its new advocacy center.

With the grant and support from the community, CARDV has reached the goal of $750,000 in its first capital campaign to build and furnish the center, which will provide pathways to safety, stability, and self sufficiency for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The second phase of the capital campaign has been launched to raise an additional $250,000 by June 30, 2012. The second phase is to establish an endowment for the advocacy center to ensure sustainable, ongoing support.

For more information, see www.cardvservices.org or call Toni Ryan, executive director, at 541-758-0219, ext. 302.

Putting an End to Sex Trafficking

2011-07-11T13:19:00.001-07:00

A lot has been in the news lately about Sex Trafficking: a multi-billion dollar industry that includes prostitution, pornography, strip clubs, escort agencies, massage parlors, and websites.

CARDV has assisted survivors of sex trafficking since our incorporation in 1981 and we know that working in the sex industry is not a choice. Consider this: In the United States the average age of a woman entering prostitution is twelve. Estimates as high as 98% of prostituted women were sexually abused as children, leaving them conditioned to sexual exploitation.

Traffickers prey on their victims’ vulnerabilities by promising love and security, and then isolate them. Control is maintained through violence. Yet movies and television continue to trivialize or glamorize the sex industry. “It’s Hard Out There for a Pimp” won an Academy Award for best original song 2005.

A runaway girl will be approached by a pimp within her first 48 hours of being out on the streets. But girls are just as likely to be befriended at local shopping malls and then trafficked out of the area. Portland, Oregon ranks first or second, depending upon your source, in the nation for sex trafficking.

Recently passed legislation, eliminating the defense of traffickers and johns who claim ignorance of a victim’s underage status, are positive steps toward ending sex trafficking. But we have a long way to go.

Thirty years ago when CARDV was incorporated, there were scant few who realized that domestic violence and sexual assault were prevalent crimes in our communities. Just as we educated ourselves about these very important issues and began reaching out to survivors, we now need to expand our awareness to include sex trafficking.

Contact CARDV for ways you can help. Click here for additional information.

By: Mary Zelinka

Plans to Break Ground on Advocacy Center

2011-07-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

What started as a forward-focused, long-term vision over seven years ago is nearing reality. Providing pathways of safety, stability, and self-sufficiency to survivors of domestic and sexual assault, the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) is pushing hard to complete its first-ever capital campaign for a public Advocacy Center by June 30, 2011.

Crisis response, shelter and legal advocacy are only the first steps in helping domestic violence and sexual assault survivors establish independent, violence-free lives. There are many barriers to overcome to live independently. In response to this, CARDV launched a capital campaign to develop the Advocacy Center last September with 100 percent Board, Staff and Committee participation. The Advocacy Center will accomplish three main outcomes: 1) increased accessibility and awareness; 2) community collaborations for multiple services in one place; and 3) permanent support services, including housing, to provide stability and self-sufficiency.

As of this date, CARDV has successfully raised $665,505--89% of the $750,000 goal! This will acquire the land (located on South Third Street in Corvallis), develop, construct, furnish, and start-up CARDV’s Advocacy Center. The residents of Linn and Benton communities can be proud--the Advocacy Center will be a visible, public facility, built with community support declaring the strong value that domestic violence and sexual assault will not be tolerated in our communities and that survivors have hope for a healthy future.

With only $84,495 left to raise, CARDV needs the support of the communities it serves in order to break ground August 2011.

“Victims of domestic violence face multiple barriers to establishing independent, violence-free lives,” said CARDV Executive Director Toni Ryan. “Emergency shelter is needed for the crisis. For victims to become survivors and live independently they must have access to housing they can afford and services that will help them find their way to healthy, productive lives.”

“This will be a great asset to the community and will allow CARDV to better work with community partners in reaching shared goals,” Ryan said. “When you give people the tools and support and guide them on a path towards stable, independent lives, everybody wins.”

It will take the support of the whole community to make this vision a reality. To make a gift or pledge for CARDV’s Advocacy Center, contact Toni Ryan, CARDV’s Executive Director, 541-758-0219, ext. 302, toni.ryan@cardvservices.org. You can make an online donation by clicking here, or using the "Donate Now" button at the top of the page. Please specify your gift is for the Advocacy Center in the “designation” field.

We Heart Volunteers

2011-07-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

At CARDV, we love our volunteers! CARDV volunteers provide the much needed support to keep our services free and confidential. CARDV volunteers:

Support our administrative staff
Are trained to answer the hotline
Serve on the Board of Directors
Raise funds and awareness in our communitys
Complete thier college careers with an internship
Organize "Wish List" drives to collect items for client use
And much, much more

For volunteers who work directly with clients on the hotline, in shelter or at the courthouses, CARDV provides a state-mandated, 40-hour advocacy training. The next scheduled training will start September, 28, 2011.

If you are interesting in volunteering with CARDV, you can attend our free Volunteer Connection held the third Tuesday of each month. For more information contact Tiffany Balloun, Volunteer Coordinator at (541) 758-0219 ext. 304 or tiffany.balloun@cardvservices.org.

CARDV Volunteer Orientation

2011-06-22T01:08:00.000-07:00

3rd Tues. of each month*

February 21st
March 20th
April 17th

5:30-6:30 pm
Admin Office:
4786 SW Philomath Blvd, Corvallis (Need directions?)

Much of the work we do at CARDV is supported by volunteers. This informative program for those interested in joining our volunteer team starts at 5:30p. The hour long program will highlight CARDV services, and give an update on the agency and volunteer opportunities. This event is free, and there is no obligation.

For more information on volunteering, click here.
Questions? Call (541) 758-0219, ext. 304 or email.

Spreading the word: CARDV Supporters Walk in Lebanon Strawberry Festival Grand Parade

2011-05-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

If you support the work CARDV does to end domestic violence and sexual assault in our communities, please join us for the Lebanon Strawberry Festival.

A group of CARDV supporters will be raising awareness of CARDV services by walking with the CARDV Banner in the Grand Parade on Saturday, June 4th. We will also be passing out information on CARDV services and opportunities for others to get involved. Please join us by walking the parade route and help us distribute information.

We will meet at 10 am near the parking lot for Dr. Clark's Dental, 90 Market St. (Market and Main St). Look for the group with the CARDV banner and "I heart CARDV" shirts.

If you have a CARDV shirt, please wear it. if you don't have a CARDV shirt, consider wearing teal or purple (the awareness colors for domestic violence and sexual assault). The theme is Strawberries in Paradise and parade officials always like it when groups play up the theme. Feel free to bring paradise related items (ie. inflatable palm trees to carry, Hawaiian flower leis, grass skirts, beach balls, over-sized fun sunglasses, etc.).

You can help us spread the word: view and share our Facebook events page.

If you have any questions, please contact Crystal at (541) 758-0219 ext. 301, crystal.kelley@cardvservices.org.
Day-of mobile (541) 207-6745.

Support a Great Cause by Wearing Jeans

2011-04-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. CARDV invites you to join us in raising awareness of this widespread crime. One way to get involved is by wearing jeans on April 29th—Denim Day. Denim Day is an international event protesting and remembering an outrageous decision made by the Italian Supreme Court in 1999.

History of Denim Day:

In Italy, 1992 an 18 year old girl was raped during a driving lesson by her instructor on the side of a remote road. That night, the girl reported what happened to her parents and they took the perpetrator to court where he was prosecuted and sent to prison. The perpetrator later successfully appealed his rape conviction. The judge stated that because the girl was wearing tight jeans that there was no way that the perpetrator would have been able to remove them without her assistance, and therefore the act must have been consensual.** Within the same day as this verdict, women in the Italian Parliament started to protest by wearing their jeans to work.

How We Can Participate:

Today we support this protest by participating in “Denim Day” on a selected day in April by wearing jeans and teal ribbons in acknowledgment of sexual assault awareness month. You can participate by encouraging your employer, or employees to wear their jeans on Friday April 29, 2011. By doing this you can help reject harmful myths about rape and sexual assault. You will join with the thousands of others—worldwide— stating that sexual assault is not okay and it is time to stop blaming the victims of this horrendous crime. In addition to Denim Day, there is a full schedule of events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please see CARDV’s Calendar of Events or below.

Download our free poster to promote Denim Day 2011.

For more information please contact CARDV at: 541-758-0219.

Statistics About Rape:

Every two minutes, someone in the USA is sexually assaulted. That is 30 assaults each hour; 715 assaults each day; 21,452 assaults each month; and 272,350 assaults each year (RAINN, Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 2006).

Of the 1.3 million women living in Oregon, about 230,000 have been raped at least once in their lifetime (Kilpatrick, DG & Ruggiero, KJ., 2003).

1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will experience completed or attempted rape at some point during their life (National Institute of Justice, 2006).

Rape can happen at an early age, with 54% of women and 71% of men first experiencing rape before age 18 (National Institute of Justice, 2006).

In addition to Denim Day, there is a full schedule of events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

April 6--*Take Back the Night,(OSU local event page) 7-9 p.m. (Click here for this events national web page.)
April 13--*Myth Busters, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
April 18--*Move Toward Hope 5K Fun Run/Walk, 4 p.m.
April 19--*Jean Kilbourne, "Deadly Persuasion: Advertising and the Corruption of Relationships.", 7 p.m.
April 21--*Kristin's Story, 7 p.m.
April 26--*Expressions of Strength Art Show (12-9 p.m.) and Open Mic (7-9 p.m.)
April 29--CARDV Denim Day, all day

*For local information on all above events visit OSU's Student Health website.

** World: Europe women in jeans ‘cannot be raped’. BBC News 11 Feb. 1999, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/277263.stm

An evening of fun, food, and friends.

2011-03-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

For the past eight years, the dedicated Spaghetti Dinner committee volunteers have worked tirelessly to bring our community together for a fun-filled evening to raise funds and awareness for the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV). For many, the Spaghetti Dinner has become a family tradition because of its cheerful atmosphere, friendly crowd, and delicious food.

This year was no exception. The meeting room of the Church of the Good Samaritan was transformed with colorful tablecloths topped off by cheerful plants donated by Peoria Gardens. Festive folk music, by the Corvallis Session Players, greeted guests at the door and kept feet tapping the entire evening.

Volunteers dished up hearty plates of food, desserts and drinks provided by Valley Catering, Alpine Bakery, and New Morning Bakery. Another guest favorite returned this year—the door prize drawings. Vibrant origami cranes were handmade from intricate fabric by volunteers, along with creative cuddle buddies for the kids which were crocheted out of bright yarn.

This annual event would not happen without our wonderful volunteer planning committee: Karyle Butcher, Carol Jauquet, Marie Laper, Mina McDaniel, Cynthia Solie and Ellen Volmert.

Thank you to the many volunteers who put up posters, set up the room, prepped and served food, and helped clean up after the festivities. Thank you to Kohl’s and OSU Association of Office Professionals who provided large groups of volunteers.

Our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers and community members who attended the Spaghetti Dinner and made it fun and successful. All of the proceeds from this fundraiser are put directly to use funding CARDV services that are accessed by more than 5,000 adults and children in Linn and Benton counties each year.

CARDV Expands Presence in Linn County

2011-03-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the expansion of a CARDV satellite office in Albany, Oregon. Thanks to a federal grant—from the Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health— and the collaboration of office space by the Albany Department of Human Services (DHS), a CARDV Advocate is now able to hold office hours four days a week in Linn County.

Stephanie McClure describing her new position in Linn County as Toni Ryan looks on. (Photo courtesy of Scobel Wiggins/Gazette-Times.)

Since its inception, nearly 30 years ago, CARDV has provided free, confidential support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Linn and Benton counties. CARDV Advocates are in both Linn and Benton county courthouses daily to assist with restraining orders, stalking orders, and to track abuser sentencing on behalf of clients. Advocates respond in partnership with local law enforcement to survivors’ homes to bring much needed services to the survivor.

“It’s a great collaboration when we can go where the survivors are, rather than expecting them to come to us,” says Toni Ryan, CARDV Executive Director.

Now, with the addition of a dedicated onsite CARDV Advocate, Stephanie McClure, DHS staff are able to instantly connect survivors of domestic and sexual assault with CARDV. This exciting increased presence will improve survivors’ accessibility to services and resources. Additionally, McClure’s presence at DHS is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and further educate on the complexities of intimate partner violence and the barriers for survivors seeking safety.

For more information on CARDV’s presence in Linn County, contact Stephanie McClure at stephanie.mcclure@cardvservices.org.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

2011-02-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

About one in four teens report verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence each year.^1,2 The effects can be long lasting and greatly impact a teens life. There are several resources listed below for more information and for parents to better help their teens.

CARDV's hotline is always available for confidential support and resources. Additionally, CARDV provides in-class education curriculum for students in Linn and Benton County schools. Taking Action Against Dating Violence (TAADV) is a three-day curriculum designed for high school students that examines gender roles and stereotypes, provides information about sexual assault and builds students’ understanding of the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Click here for more information about this program, or contact our Community Education staff at (541) 738-0725 or carly.fonk@cardvservices.org.

These issues touch far too many students’ lives. Hopefully through increased education we can lessen the impact and decrease the prevalence of these crimes.

Get Informed (resources for dating violence can be found at):

Take Action:

Spread the word about Teen Dating Violence Awarness Month, click here for resources.
Talk to your teen and support them if they are/or have experienced dating violence, click here for resources.

1 Foshee VA, Linder GF, Bauman KE, et al. The safe dates project: theoretical basis, evaluation design, and selected baseline findings. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1996;12(2):39-47.

2 Avery-Leaf S, Cascardi M, O'Leary KD, Cano A. Efficacy of a dating violence prevention program on attitudes justifying aggression. Journal of Adolescent Health 1997; 21:11-17.

Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Victims! Preserve Funding for Lifesaving Victim Services

2011-02-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Urge the House of Representatives to Oppose Funding Cuts for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Programs
Congress has been operating on a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which funds all federal programs at last year’s funding levels. The CR will expire in March, so the House of Representatives is now working on proposed funding levels for all programs through the end of this fiscal year. All federal programs are being considered for cuts, including funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
As the demand for services continues to far outstrip available resources, federal funding cuts would further threaten the ability of programs to respond to the needs of victims fleeing life-threatening violence. Federal funds are vital to keep programs open and serve victims in need.
Congress needs to hear that domestic violence and sexual assault programs are important to their constituents! Tell your Representative to oppose cuts to these lifesaving programs.
Take action now!
Please take five minutes to call your Representative and tell them that this funding is vital and victims’ need them to preserve current funding levels.
Call 1-866-997-6651 to reach the Congressional Switchboard and ask them to transfer you to your Representative’s office. To find your Representative, go to www.house.gov and enter your Zip Code in the box in the top left corner of the page. Note: In many cases,you will need your zip code + 4 digits to look up your representative. If you do not know the additional 4 digits, look them up using the USPS zip code finder.
What to say when you call:
Hello, my name is______, I am a constituent from _________.
I am calling to urge the Congressman/Congresswoman to preserve current funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). These laws support lifesaving programs for victims of domestic and sexual violence in our district.
The demand for lifesaving domestic and sexual violence services far outpaces available resources. Victims of these crimes are counting on Congress to pass a FY 2011 funding bill that preserves current funding levels for domestic violence and sexual assault programs throughout the country.
Outlook
The House of Representatives’ bill is just the first step in the process. After the House completes its bill, the Senate will work on its version of the funding bill. The House and Senate bills will need to be combined, and then the final bill will be sent to the President for his signature. Your response to this Action Alert is critical to helping the Senate negotiate anticipated House cuts. Watch this space for further alerts as the bill moves through Congress.
Please click here for more information on VAWA, FVPSA, and VOCA funding.

Reposted with permission from OCADSV

CARDV Launches First-Ever Capital Campaign to Build Advocacy Center

2011-02-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

CARDV is excited to announce the public launch of its first-ever capital campaign – for the Advocacy Center project offering survivors a full spectrum of services!

The Advocacy Center, easily accessible on south Third Street in Corvallis, will provide permanent supportive services to CARDV clients who are post-crisis. The Advocacy Center project’s three main outcomes are:

Increased accessibility to services and awareness of the issues behind domestic violence and sexual assault;
Community collaborations for multiple services in one place; and
Permanent support services to provide stability and self-sufficiency, including housing provided by Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services’ Alexander Court (groundbreaking July/August 2011).

“This will be a great asset to the community and will allow CARDV to better work with community partners in reaching shared goals,” said Toni Ryan, CARDV Executive Director. “The safety net is a first step. When you help people out of the safety net and guide them on a path towards stable independent lives, everybody wins.”

The campaign goal of $750,000—to support land acquisition, development, construction, furnishing, technology and reserves—must be completed by June 30, 2011. The Campaign Committee has raised over $436,000, achieving over 50 percent of the goal and allowing for the public launch of the campaign, held February 3, with a celebratory event.

The $436,000+ includes 100 percent participation from CARDV board, staff, and campaign committee; a $150,000 community development block grant from the City of Corvallis; five very generous private gifts from community families.

The Campaign Leadership is confident of reaching the $750,000 goal by June 2011; however, they need your help in order to succeed. This is the time to go beyond the annual giving that CARDV is so greatly appreciative of and make that “additional” gift towards the Advocacy Center project. Join them, and others in the community, by making your investment in this capital campaign, which represents a historic milestone for CARDV and a pathway to safety, stability and self-sufficiency to the 1700+ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault anticipated to access the Center each year.

To learn more about how you can support the Advocacy Center project, please contact Toni Ryan, Executive Director, at 541-758-0219 ext 302 or Debbie Bird McCubbin, Campaign Co-Chair, at 541-758-0336.

Become a CARDV Advocate!

2011-02-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

CARDV offers an intensive training program for volunteers who will be working directly with clients on the hotline, in shelter, or at the courthouses. The 40-hour advocacy training takes place over five weeks and covers a wide variety of topics related to domestic and sexual violence. Trainings are currently offered twice per year at a cost of $35 ($10 for an Oregon State Police background check and $25 for material expenses). We ask volunteers for a commitment of, at minimum, eight hours per month for a period of six months following the successful completion of training.

Click here to read more about volunteer opportunities.

Click here to access the volunteer application.

The next advocacy training is scheduled to begin Monday March 28^th. Click here for the upcoming training schedule.

*Please note: All training sessions are subject to change. Check in regularly for current updates.

For more information about volunteering with CARDV, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at: 541-758-0219 or volunteer@cardvservices.org.

Past participants say…

“Thank you so much! CARDV has already changed my life/outlook. I’m so excited to begin volunteering.” – Fall 2010 training participant

“I can honestly say I learned a lot of valuable information and feel very positive after the training about CARDV and the role I will be playing as a volunteer. Thanks again!” – Spring 2010 training participant

“This has been an awesome experience and I am looking forward to buddy shifts and selecting an area in which to volunteer.” – Fall 2009 training participant

Thank you!

2011-01-25T16:17:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to the donor who dropped off these beautiful, handmade hats for infants, children and adults. We are so thankful for the creativity and care that went into making them. These wonderful hats are of great encouragement to our clients, as they feel the warm support of our community.

We are always in need of, and welcome, new consumable donations such as diapers (especially sizes 4-6), toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, or cell phones (for 911 reprogramming).

If you have other new consumable items you would like to donate, please contact us first to see if we have a need and space for the item(s). Due to space constraints, we cannot accept clothing. You may consider Vina Moses or the Ark for your clothing donations.

We each can take a stand that domestic violence and sexual assault are not acceptable.

(541) 758-0219 (leave a message and someone will return your call), or info@cardvservices.org

First-ever Presidential Proclamation of National Stalking Awareness Month

2011-01-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

January is Stalking Awareness Month. CARDV provides services for those who are victims of stalking. CARDV, along with many other organizations nation-wide, want to inform you and our community about this crime that impacts over 3.4 million people a year.

Young women 18-24 are at the greatest risk of being stalked. Despite its prevalence, stalking is little understood by many people, who may think only celebrities are stalked or that stalking isn't harmful. On the contrary, stalking is a dangerous crime that takes a profound toll on its victims, who are often afraid for their safety and try repeatedly to escape their stalkers. Stalking can happen to anyone and most victims know their stalkers.

Recognizing this serious crime, President Obama became the first President to proclaim January as National Stalking Awareness Month. The Obama Administration has taken significant strides to create an unprecedented, comprehensive strategy to combat violence against women. Shining a light on the hidden crime of stalking is part of that strategy, and a key part of our work to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable. Click here to read the White House post on stalking.

Stalking is one of the four crimes addressed in the Violence Against Women Act, and is often connected to domestic violence and sexual assault. Seventy-six percent of female intimate partner homicide victims had been stalked by their intimate partners. The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is a Federal leader on efforts to reduce stalking. OVW Director Susan Carbon said, "The motto to "KNOW IT, NAME IT, AND STOP IT" captures the focus of January's awareness campaign... Educating ourselves and each other is an important step to encouraging and supporting victims to report the crime and stop the abuse." Read all of Director Carbon's post here.

As the President stated in his proclamation,

"This National Stalking Awareness Month, let us acknowledge stalking as a serious crime and urge those impacted not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help. Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors, and to create communities that are secure and supportive for all Americans."

--Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

Get educated

Click here to learn what stalking is, what the law says, and what you can do if you or someone you know is being stalked.
Visit www.stalkingawarenessmonth.org for more information.

Spread the word:

by using social media updates. Click here for ideas.
by displaying and distributing awareness posters. Free downloads here.
by speaking up when stalking is minimized or not taken seriously.

2010 Award Recipients

2010-12-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce the 2010 recipients of two distinct awards:

The Mary Zelinka Advocate for Social Justice Award, (named in honor of our very own Mary Zelinka) honors the work of community partners dedicated to supporting survivors and ending domestic and sexual violence.
The Volunteer of the Year Award-- recognizing outstanding CARDV volunteers who have given generously of their time and skills to serve CARDV.

Advocates for Social Justice:

Sara Gelser, Oregon State Representative

Sara has long been committed to working within legislature to strengthen policies and laws impacting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Sara sponsored Karly’s Law which improves child abuse investigations in Oregon. She also worked to strengthen Oregon’s rape statutes. Sara is an advocate for vulnerable populations and works to create social change to protect these groups. Sara’s dedication extends beyond her duties as State Representative; she is an active volunteer for several local non-profits including CARDV.

Kevin Martinez, Sergeant Detective Lebanon Police Department

Working collaboratively with local Law Enforcement is vital to effectively connect survivors with relevant services and support. Kevin has been instrumental in developing a relationship between Law Enforcement and CARDV. Through this partnership, the Lethality Assessment Program has been established here in Oregon. Along with CARDV Staff, Kevin trains officers on this program. Kevin has time and time again demonstrated his commitment to multi-agency collaboration and community investment in survivors’ safety. We are fortunate to have Kevin as an active member of our community.

Volunteers of the Year:

Mary Bentley, Owner of Valley Catering

Mary has demonstrated her dedication to the work of CARDV by serving as Chair of the Board for two terms - a total of four years in this leadership position. Though Mary says she is most comfortable doing "behind-the-scenes work" she has proven herself to be a gentle, unassuming, effective, and passionate public face for CARDV. We are grateful for her continued service on the Board as Past Chair and for her generous support through service on other committees.

Chris White, Manager of Information Services for University Housing & Dining

With the growing popularity of interactive online experiences, CARDV strives for an efficient and interesting online presence. Chris came on board as our volunteer webmaster many years ago. He developed our first website and has helped us maintain and upgrade the site through the years. Chris’ knowledge of online resources for non-profits has enabled us to increase our web presence while still managing the bottom line. Recently, Chris helped us completely overhaul the website, obtain a unique website address with corresponding emails, and branch out into social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. We are grateful for Chris’ expertise and dedication, without which, CARDV would cease to exist online.

Happy Holidays from CARDV

2010-12-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Dear CARDV Supporter,

Over 51 women and children in Oregon lost their lives in 2010 due to domestic violence related homicides, more than ever before. Leaving an abusive relationship can be the most dangerous time for a victim. Connecting with resources and support services, such as those provided by CARDV, can reduce the risk of being seriously injured or killed.

CARDV and eight local law enforcement agencies have come together to implement a screening tool that helps us assess an individual’s risk of further violence within an abusive relationship. Your donation will give the gift of safety for a family such as Kristen and her five-year-old son, James.*

Officer Braden responded to a domestic disturbance call in the early hours of the morning. Kristen’s husband was arrested for physically assaulting her. As part of the investigation, Officer Braden used a nationwide assessment tool to identify Kristen’s danger risk of her husband assaulting her or her son again. Kristen’s answers indicated that her danger risk was extremely high; Officer Braden referred her to a CARDV advocate. “When I see an individual with a high danger risk I connect them with CARDV right away,” said Braden. Kristen worked with a CARDV advocate to develop her own safety plan. A CARDV advocate accompanied Kristen to the restraining orders hearing where her husband was given a court order to have no contact with Kristen.

Through CARDV’s partnership with law enforcement, we are seeing changes in the system that hold offenders accountable and bring support services to survivors so they are not re-victimized by having to leave their homes or relocate their children to another school. With her husband removed from her home, Kristen became the sole provider for her family with limited resources. CARDV provided basic needs such as food, toiletries and gas vouchers so she could get to job interviews. Kristen attended CARDV’s weekly empowerment group for the next 3 months. She now has a good job, is able to keep her home, and her son continues to do well in school.

With your support, CARDV advocates are able to provide greatly needed resources to survivors of domestic violence.

Kristen and James are just one of the 302 families who benefited from CARDV’s services this past year as a result of our partnership with local law enforcement.
CARDV advocates traveled nearly 21,000 miles providing services to survivors of abuse;
Answered 3,993 crisis line calls; and
Assisted 953 adults and 28 teens with protective and stalking orders.
CARDV community education specialists presented age-appropriate information on ending domestic and sexual violence to 2,683 students, teachers, parents and community members.

We could not have accomplished all of this work last year without your support. Please join us to ensure safety for survivors of violence with a donation to CARDV. All gifts postmarked (or received) on or before Dec. 31, 2010 will be counted for the 2010 tax year. Click Here to Donate Now!

Domestic violence and sexual assault will only end when it is no longer acceptable to each of us.

Toni Ryan

Executive Director

HP Employees Giving information

2010-11-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

HP Employees

If you’re an HP employee, there are several ways to make a donation to CARDV. Your donation helps in several ways, whether that’s a product donation that enables our staff to better serve our clients, or a cash donation that can be used in many ways that directly support our clients in need. Either way, the staff at CARDV is extremely grateful for any donation that you as an HP employee wish to give.

To make a cash donation:

1. After you’ve logged in to the HP Giving Station website, select “Click here to start giving >>”

2. Under “Pledges” on the left hand navigation bar, select “Search Charities”

3. Input the following:

a. Under Charity Name, use: “Center Against”

b. From the drop down menu select United States

c. From the drop down menu select Oregon

d. Hit enter. This should bring up CARDV. Select CARDV, then you’ll be able to make a donation

To make a product donation:

CARDV has developed a list of technology strategies and priorities, including its “wish list” for HP products. Jim Kildea of HP is coordinating the product giving campaign for CARDV. If you wish to make a product donation, please contact Jim Kildea: jim.kildea@hp.com

It's not too late to drop off your unwanted cell phones.

2010-10-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Throughout October, in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, CARDV held its third annual community-wide campaign to collect used cell phones. Domestic violence endangers many families in our local communities. According to the Oregon Women’s Health and Safety Survey, one in ten women in Oregon will experience violence from an intimate partner during their lifetimes. Last year CARDV received 3,993 crisis lines calls and provided shelter to 69 adults and 73 children.

Emergency cell phones are always needed and serve as a lifeline to those living under the threat of violence. It is vitally important for victims of domestic violence to have a way to immediately contact police and emergency services. Donated cell phones are reprogrammed to dial 911 and then distributed to CARDV clients.

Donating used phones and batteries is a way for community members to help an important cause and dispose of an unneeded phone. Due to the environmental hazard posed by rechargeable batteries, it is never a good idea to place old cellular phones in the trash. Matt Webb, of Global Communications in Corvallis, has partnered with CARDV to reprogram and remove all personal information from donated phones that are given to CARDV clients,

While the official cell phone drive has ended, it is not too late to drop off your unwanted cell phones. Cell phones can be donated at CARDV's Administrative office, located at 4786 SW Philomath Blvd., Corvallis, OR 97333. We appreciate your support.

Quilts from Caring Hands Celebrates 20th Anniversary

2010-10-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

All photos from Quilts from Caring Hands brochure

Congratulations to Quilts from Caring Hands (QCH)who just celebrated their 20^th Anniversary! Quilts from Caring Hands serves at-risk youth in Benton County. Advocates at CARDV feel a special kinship with QCH as we were one of the agencies to receive their very first quilts over 20 years ago. Today Quilts from Caring Hands creates over 400 quilts a year, all of which are donated to twelve area agencies.

Each child who stays at one of CARDV’s shelters receives one of their beautiful handmade quilts to keep. Most of the families we work with come to shelter with only the clothes on their backs. Quilts are such comforting things – the children cuddle with them, sleep with them and some even pretend they are capes.

But besides the sense of security they bring to the children, they are also a great source of comfort to the moms. A woman takes an enormous risk when she leaves an abusive partner – besides her personal physical safety (a woman is at much greater risk of being hurt or killed when she is leaving), she is also leaving a known situation for a life full of unknowns. The future can seem very scary. Being presented with beautiful handmade quilts for her children helps her to believe she’s made the right decision.

Thank you, Quilts from Caring Hands, for all that you do for CARDV and for our community!

Law and Order: SVU speaks about the rape kit backlog problem.

2010-10-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 9pm, NBC is airing a special episode of Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit. It deals with sexual violence response and the rape kit backlog in the United States. Read what lead actor, Mariska Hargitay (pictured below, right), has to say about this special episode.

Making a Difference

by Mariska Hargitay on September 24, 2010 1:53 PM (c) NBC

Over the course of my 12 years playing detective Olivia Benson on Law and Order: SVU, I have learned a great deal about sexual violence in the United States. I wish our storylines were pure fiction, but all too often, the horrific stories we tell on our show are based on harsh, sobering, troubling realities. This is especially true of our next episode "Behave," airing Wednesday, September 29th. The show deals with an issue I care about deeply - the rape kit backlog.

When a person reports a sexual assault, she - or he - will be asked to undergo a sexual assault evidence collection kit (a "rape kit") exam, a four- to six-hour process to collect DNA evidence from his or her body. Rape kit testing can identify an unknown assailant, confirm a suspect's contact with the victim, corroborate the victim's account of the assault, identify serial rapists by connecting crime scene evidence from separate incidents, and exonerate innocent suspects. Yet experts, including the Department of Justice and members of Congress, have estimated that hundreds of thousands of rape kits are sitting untested in police and crime labs throughout the country.

We know rape kit testing works. National studies have shown that cases in which rape kit evidence was tested and introduced were more likely to advance through the criminal justice system and lead to arrests. New York City's arrest rate for rape rose from 40% to 70% once it adopted the policy to test every booked rape kit. In Los Angeles, a recent decision to test every booked rape kit resulted in 405 hits in the FBI DNA database.

Yet the benefit of testing rape kits goes beyond providing prosecutors with investigative tools to bring offenders to justice. It goes beyond introducing the clarity of DNA evidence into the arena of rape and sexual assault, the crimes with the lowest reporting, arrest, and prosecution rates in the United States. These kits represent human beings who have suffered greatly. Testing victims' rape kits sends them the fundamental and crucial message that they and their cases matter.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working on SVU is the show's ability to shine a light on the problem of sexual violence. This next episode is one of the most meaningful I have ever done, and it stands as a powerful example of the way we aim to raise awareness about these difficult issues.

In addition to my role on Law and Order: SVU, I am also the founder and president of the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that works to bring healing, education, and empowerment to survivors and awareness to the public about sexual and family violence. When I first learned about the rape kit backlog, I was shocked that something like this could exist in the United States. Then my foundation and I were moved to action. And we are not alone; law enforcement, public officials, and advocates - and now you - are with us.

Recently, I heard from a rape victim whose kit was tested 13 years after she was raped. Thirteen years. The DNA in her kit matched the profile of a convicted rapist already in prison. Learning the identity of her rapists, and that he was in a place where he could not hurt her, gave this woman a sense of peace for the first time since she was raped. It is for this woman and all the others like her that I am committed to doing my part to end the rape kit backlog. I hope you will join us in this cause. Together, we can end the backlog and bring justice to survivors.

Tune in on Wednesday, September 29th, to our next episode of Law and Order: SVU. Then go to endthebacklog.org to learn more and take action.

I will be watching - and I hope you and your community will be too.

http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/advocacy_backlog.htm

Thank you Barker-Uerlings!

2010-10-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Barker-Uerlings far exceeded the extra mile for CARDV on Benton County United Way’s Day of Caring on September 25^th. They greeted staff with a box of donuts bright and early, ready to work. When faced with the impossible task of resurrecting CARDV’s way-past-its-prime picnic table, they made a quick trip to Home Depot. Upon returning, they dismantled our old moss-covered furniture and loaded it up on a trailer to be hauled away. In its place they assembled three brand-new outdoor tables and twelve chairs. The backyard at our Administrative Office is now a much more inviting space for our clients to sit while their children play on our play structure. Thank you, Barker-Uerlings and Benton County United Way!

--Mary Zelinka, Advocacy Services Manager

CARDV Welcomes new Executive Director: Toni Ryan

2010-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence is pleased to announce the appointment of Toni Ryan as executive director. She succeeds Nancy O’Mara who retired in June after nearly nine years in the post.

Ryan brings with her more than 17 years of leadership experience in the field of domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy, including 14 years as executive director of Saving Grace, a similar advocacy agency in Bend.

In 2008, she was honored with the Midori Hamilton Award from the Oregon Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence for her commitment and leadership in the domestic violence movement. Toni also received the Governor’s Award from the Crime Victims Assistance Network for her advocacy work for the rights of victims. As a recipient of the Woman of Inspiration award from the Women’s Resource Center; Toni was honored for her contributions on behalf of women and families.

“Toni is well qualified to lead CARDV as the agency grows to meet the community’s needs,” said CARDV Board Chair Mary Bentley.

As executive director, Ryan will be responsible for the overall operations of the non-profit agency, and, with the CARDV board, the fiscal health of the organization.

“We expect Toni to help design and facilitate the implementation of a vision for CARDV's future,” said Bentley. “Toni will take the lead in continuing and creating community collaborations to end violence and create safe environments in Linn and Benton counties. As a seasoned executive, Toni will support the professional services and quality programs our community has come to expect from CARDV.”

Ryan will assume her duties on Oct. 1. Her first scheduled public appearance is CARDV’s annual Safe Families Breakfast, held Oct. 5 at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center.

“CARDV is a well established community institution that provides support to victims and solutions to the root causes of violence,” said Ryan. “I am deeply honored to join the dedicated board of directors, staff members and volunteers who have developed the vital programs at CARDV. My intention is to continue to build on this legacy. CARDV has a clear vision that resonates in my heart. This work is my passion. Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It will only end when it is no longer acceptable to each of us.”

Teen Dating Violence and What You Can Do.

2010-08-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Fall is officially here and kids are back in school. They will be spending more time away from home and as parents, teachers and concerned adults we worry about their safety. We often talk to young kids about stranger danger and looking both ways before they cross the street; we discuss driving safety and the risks of using alcohol with teenagers. However, many parents overlook the importance of discussing sexual and dating violence with their kids. These can be embarrassing and confusing topics. It is difficult to know what to say, but creating a safe and comfortable place for kids to talk about these things at home is extremely important.

For information and support, you can call CARDV’s hotline. In addition, CARDV offers an elementary school program, Plain Talk: Personal Safety for Kids, and a high school program, Taking Action Against Dating Violence. For more information about these programs, visit our website: www.cardvservices.org or contact community education staff at (541) 738-0725. Helpful information about childhood sexual abuse can be found at www.darknesstolight.com and resources for dating violence can be found at www.loveisrespect.org.

These issues touch far too many children’s lives. Hopefully through increased education we can lessen the impact and decrease the prevalence of these crimes against children.

The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010: A Step Forward for Native Women

2010-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

by Lynn Rosenthal, (c) www.whitehouse.gov

Ed. Note: We encourage readers to watch the video of the signing, including the moving introduction from Lisa Marie Iyotte. Click here for video.

The President just signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities.

According to a Department of Justice report, Native American women suffer from violent crime at a rate three and a half times greater than the national average. Astoundingly, one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes. At the White House Tribal Nations Conference in November 2009, President Obama stated that this shocking figure "is an assault on our national conscience that we can no longer ignore."

Last week, Congress took another important step to improve the lives of Native American women by passing the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. The Act includes a strong emphasis on decreasing violence against women in Native communities, and is one of many steps this Administration strongly supports to address the challenges faced by Native women.

The stipulations in the Act that will benefit Native women reflect several Administration priorities. The Act will strengthen tribal law enforcement and the ability to prosecute and fight crime more effectively. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act will require that a standardized set of practices be put in place for victims of sexual assault in health facilities. Now, more women will get the care they need, both for healing and to aid in the prosecution of their perpetrators.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault will now more often encounter authorities who have been trained to handle such cases. The Act expands training of tribal enforcement officers on the best ways to interview victims of domestic and sexual violence and the importance of collecting evidence to improve rates of conviction. The Director of Indian Health Services will coordinate with the Department of Justice, Tribes, Tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations to develop standardized sexual assault policies and protocols.

Special Assistant US Attorneys will be deputized under the Act to prosecute reservation crimes in Federal courts, and tribes will be given greater authority to hold perpetrators accountable. These provisions help to increase communication between tribal law enforcement, Federal authorities and the court system. As numbers of convictions grow, more women may be willing to report the abuses against them so that their abusers may be prosecuted.

However, the Act focuses not only on prosecution but also on prevention. It reauthorizes and improves programs to prevent and treat alcohol and substance abuse, as well as programs that improve opportunities for at-risk Indian youth. Getting men and boys involved in stopping the violence against women and girls is an important step to ending it everywhere, giving youth a chance to change their own futures.

This Act, combined with the great work that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice are doing to combat violence in American Indian/Alaska Native communities, is an important step towards our Administration’s priority of ending violence against women and girls, and making Native communities safer and more secure. One in three is a statistic that is intolerable, and the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 will help to change that.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Nancy O'Mara retires: CARDV Executive Director from November 2001-June 2010

2010-06-28T15:06:00.001-07:00

The following speech was given by Lorena Reynolds, CARDV Board Member, at Nancy O’Mara’s retirement party held at Valley Catering on June 23, 2010. Nancy joined CARDV’s staff as Executive Director in November, 2001 and retired June 25, 2010. CARDV staff honored Nancy at the event by naming our second shelter, which she was instrumental in obtaining for CARDV in 2004, the “Nancy O’Mara House.”

Working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence is hard work. It is relentless. It can be stressful, exhausting, and emotional. It is sometimes dangerous and crazy-making. It can make you frustrated, scared, and angry. It is often sad. Many wonderful, committed, and highly competent people come to the work, stay for a few years, and then move on with their lives. Not many people make a career of it. Even fewer retire at the end of a long career with the kind of hopeful presence that Nancy has.

Nancy has been doing this work almost 30 years. When Nancy started doing this work, the world was fundamentally different for survivors. When she started answering a hotline in 1981, it was before the movie, The Accused; before Anita Hill; before Nicole Brown Simpson’s death; before Oprah even had a television show, let alone told the world she was a survivor of childhood sexual assault. It was before mandatory arrest; before the VOCA, VAWA, FAPA, and ODSVD (all acronyms she won’t need to know anymore); before restraining orders were widely available; and before we had words, let alone services, for battered woman’s syndrome, date rape, marital rape, and stalking. It was before Take Back the Night, before Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and before schools talked to our children about domestic and sexual violence. There were no Mother’s Day Runs for Safe Families, no Safe Family Breakfasts, and the concept of victim’s rights was non-existent.

Nancy has been the change she wanted to see in the world. Every day she went to work, she made this world better for the women and children she has helped shelter, comfort, and advocate for. Ultimately she has made it a better world for everyone. I venture to say that she has answered thousands of crisis calls, met with hundreds of survivors, and touched the lives of more colleagues than she could count.

During the last 30 years, the movement has fundamentally changed. It has changed because of people like Nancy who day in and day out have been able to hold on to a vision of a community where everyone is safe in their home.

Sometimes when you do this work, it can make you angry. Nancy can get angry, but in all the time I have known her, I have never once seen her lose her temper—not even in a small way. No matter how pressed for time we are, no matter how awful the situation is, she is always as calm as if we were planning a potluck dinner to get together with friends.

Despite looking at the ugliest part of our culture every day, Nancy is the least bitter person I know. While I have watched many people in her situation get cynical and angry as the years of crisis work take their toll, Nancy continues to be always full of hope, joy, and optimism. Nancy has the unique ability to be both outraged at injustice while in no way being enraged by it. She sees everything as a puzzle that can be rearranged to make a picture that she wants to see.

Sometimes when you do this work, it can be overwhelmingly sad. Nancy can be with that sadness. She can feel it and allow it to have its place without being consumed by it—and without allowing those around her to be consumed by it. She has perspective on what we can and cannot do with the resources we have and at a fundamental level she knows that doing the work is what is shaping a safer future. She can maintain that perspective even when the outcome in a particular case is tragic.

There is nothing funny about domestic and sexual violence. That’s just the nature of this work. And yet Nancy brings to her work a sense of humor and an infectious laugh. You can’t do this work for 30 years if you cannot maintain a sense of humor and somehow Nancy has managed to do that. When she tilts her head back and laughs at something you have said, it just warms your heart.

Not so long ago, CARDV was perceived by some as the “radical feminist fringe,” to use Nancy’s words. With Nancy as the face of feminism and the feminist movement in Corvallis, we have made tremendous progress. From the day she arrived, Nancy has seen virtually everyone she has encountered as someone who wants to help her end domestic and sexual violence. Everyone was a potential ally to help protect those who are impacted by violence in their lives. Nancy has built relationships with law enforcement, judges, doctors, nurses, teachers, administrators, bureaucrats, politicians, bankers, realtors, you-name-it! She joined Rotary, met with clergy, and enlisted people from all walks of life to help make her vision a reality. This community has embraced her.

Nancy is client focused, always keeping in mind how services can best be provided to those who seek our services. When the crisis line rings, she’ll pick it up. When the budget needs balancing, our ability to meet client needs is always the first order of business. When an extra driver is needed to transport a large family, even over long distances, Nancy drives. She’s done this when she had other things to do, when she was supposed to be on vacation, when she was sick, and when it was more than a bit inconvenient. She has never expected more of the people around her than she was willing to give herself. When “rules” need to be bent or broken to keep someone safe, she is the first to do so—albeit in the most thoughtful and carefully planned manner possible. Despite her endless commitment, Nancy rarely acknowledges the extent of her role. That does not mean we didn’t notice.

Nancy does, however, acknowledge her staff. Whether it is bookkeeping, advocacy, crisis response, public education, or property maintenance, Nancy has developed a highly competent, dedicated staff that she is tremendously proud of and that will carry this agency forward.

I know she will get up here later and tell everyone that she could not have done this alone. She will credit her staff, her community partners, and maybe even her board. But the thing about Nancy is that she brings that out in people. She makes us hopeful that despite the horrors of the world around us, we can be the change that we want. She has built an agency that is ready for the next 30 years of advocacy. The legacy she has left for me is the hope of what we can accomplish for survivors in the next 30 years. There is still much to do and I thank Nancy for positioning CARDV to do it.

After I say all these things about her, it makes her sound a little Pollyanna-ish and yet she is anything but that. While she will lean forward and listen to you with her fingertips together and say things like, “Isn’t that grand?” and “That is so generous,” beneath her soft-spoken exterior is a focus and determination that is strong. She is unflappable under pressure. As an expert witness, her honesty, knowledge, and sincerity make her one of the most compelling and credible witnesses I have seen. No attorney has made a dent on cross-examination.

Sometimes the work at CARDV is dangerous and I have seen Nancy face danger with unwavering determination. Fear does not deter her. She makes a safety plan, she implements it, and then carries on with what needs to be done. She says what needs to be said. She speaks truth to power, even when power does not want to hear it. She has run CARDV with efficiency and a keen eye on fiscal policy and management that would make any corporate executive proud. She does not shy away from the hard decisions. She never passes the blame to someone else.

I was on the hiring committee when we hired Nancy. When I did one of the reference checks for her, I called a woman who had worked for her in Alaska and had taken over as ED when she left that agency. When I asked the standard question of whether she would re-hire Nancy, she laughed at me. She said, not only would she re-hire her, but she would gladly step down to have the experience of working for her again. She told me that I would never regret working with Nancy and that it would probably be the best decision our board ever made.

When I worry about finding someone to lead CARDV into the future, I think about that phone call. It was that conversation that solidified in my mind that this was the person that I wanted us to have. It had been a long and difficult ED search. Our first search had not yielded a viable candidate. The committee was conflicted. CARDV was not the stable, growing, established agency we are now.

We never could have predicted that inside the sweet woman in front of us at that interview was a mighty, mighty soul that would lead us, mentor us, learn with us, cry with us, and focus us on the hope, not the horror, that is with us every day we do this work.

If you can, please stand with me and honor Nancy O’Mara’s service to CARDV, to our community, and to our world.

Of all the people that I have worked with, Nancy is really the only person that has never once let me down. She will be missed.

Mary Zelinka: Celebrating 20 years of Advocacy Service with CARDV.

2010-06-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Mary Zelinka on her 20^th anniversary with the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV)!

Mary Zelinka joined the grassroots movement to end sexual and domestic violence as a volunteer in 1980 with the Rape Crisis Center. A year later, she

was on hand when the RapeCrisis Center merged with the Linn-Benton Association for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to create CARDV. In 1990, wanting to make advocacy for adult and child survivors a bigger part of her life, Mary became a staff member at CARDV.

At CARDV’s 25^th Anniversary celebration in 2007, CARDV honored Mary’s service by creating the Mary Zelinka Advocate for Social Justice Award. Recipients of this award demonstrate continued participation in social change by advocating for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Almost exactly to the day of her 20^th anniversary with CARDV, Mary’s latest essay, “Grooming” was published in the collection, The Journey of Healing: Wisdom from Survivors of Sexual Abuse (The Safer Society Press)--click here to purchase. To celebrate both her anniversary and her latest published essay, CARDV Staff, Volunteers and Board held a book release party where Mary shared her story and her passion for the work she does with CARDV.

Mary opening gifts at her anniversary party-June 2010.

Thank you Mary, for all your years of service. You are an inspiration to advocates and a joy to be around.

The CARDV staff at Mary's 20th Anniversary celebration--June 2010.

A positive program in the World Cup

2010-06-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Kick It Up! Girls Report on the 2010 World Cup

by Sarah Menkedick (c) Change.org

The nonprofit Global Girl Media, which aims to empower high school-aged girls from under-served communities by teaching them about digital media and providing them the equipment and training to become digital journalists, has started a pretty awesome project called "Kick It Up!" for the 2010 World Cup.

The Kick It Up! project will train twenty girls in the South African community of Soweto and 10 girls in Los Angeles to produce video stories from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The girls will be given training in story development and composition as well as video editing, production, and distribution. Their reports will be shown in a wide variety of media, including ESPN, BBC, Univision, KPFK, Al Jazeera, GritTV, Soweto TV, self.com, internews.org, and Huffingtonpost.com.

The goals of the project are multi-layered: first, to offer girls who have grown up in under-served communities the opportunity to make their voices heard in the male-dominated domains of media and sports; second, to give them practical training and equipment to kick off journalistic careers; and third, to challenge the dumbed-down stereotypes of the mass media, which insists that young girls care only about boys and mascara and are unaffected by and uninterested in issues of race, class, politics, and injustice.

I must say, I'm a huge soccer fan and an avid, almost obsessive, follower of the World Cup, but I find the near total absence of women depressing. The coverage from women in Mexico, for example, features "Maribel" cavorting with lions in a zebra-print miniskirt.

GlobalGirl Media - South Africa, Julie Foudy, Los Ang eles from GlobalGirl Media on Vimeo.

So it's inspiring to watch a girl in this video (above) assert, "the World Cup never includes women in any form ... " and to know that this project will include young women in the Cup in a meaningful, critical way, and that these women will, through reporting, become increasingly aware both of the gender inequalities in sports and media and the way that they can begin to challenge these inequalities.

To find out more about the project, donate, and/or share more information, check out the GlobalGirl website.

Photo credit: Frerieke

Sarah Menkedick is a freelance writer currently based in Oaxaca, Mexico. She has spent the last five years teaching, writing and traveling on five continents. She regularly writes about women's rights.

Poster Contest Winner

2010-06-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the students who participated in the CARDV Sexual Assault Awareness Month Poster Contest. This year’s winner is Wiley Harkens, a Junior from Corvallis High School. Wiley’s winning poster has been professionally printed and distributed to area schools.

The poster contest, open to high school students, was created as an extension of CARDV’s Taking Action Against Dating Violence (TAADV) program offered to 9th through 12th grade students. The TAADV program was presented to 647 high school students in Linn and Benton Counties throughout the 2009-2010 school year.

To learn more about TAADV and CARDV's other community education programs click here, or contact Carly at (541) 738-0725 or carly.fonk@cardvservices.org.

Community Education Gets Revamped

2010-06-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

In 2004, CARDV Staff developed Taking Action Against Dating Violence (TAADV), a three day high school curriculum. The curriculum covers a variety of topics, including: gender expectations and stereotypes, dating and domestic violence, sexual violence, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, and supporting a survivor.

Since its inception, there have been a number of changes in the high school classrooms that affect TAADV presentations, most notably an update in technology like computers and projectors. Additionally, the use of technology by students has dramatically increased over the past six years. Technology like social networking sites, smart phones, and picture and text messaging have all greatly impacted how teenagers interact and how they connect to information. This technology has also added many new challenges to adolescents’ lives.

The CARDV Community Education Staff want to update the TAADV curriculum to capitalize on multi-media availability and to connect with the students in a more current and relatable way. The newly updated curriculum will cover the same topics but have more images and videos as well as more interactive learning. We hope to reflect the reality of what teenagers are experiencing in their relationships and to use current media and popular culture to add to those discussions. We are utilizing the summer break and the assistance of our Intern, Alyssa Guidon, to prepare the new presentations for the start of the upcoming school year. To learn more about the TAADV program or to request a presentation for your school, contact Carly Fonk, Community Education Specialist, at (541) 738-0725 or carly.fonk@cardvservices.org.

Thank you Beatles at OSU

2010-05-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

‘Let it Be,’ Pink Floyd were tuneful success

The Beatles at Oregon State University concerts were remarkable concert performance by some of the best musicians in town. Nineteen musicians and vocalists gathered to recreate Pink Floyd’s “Animals” and the Beatles “Let it Be” with precision and panache.

These two concerts, on April 24 and May 1, were the most sought-out events of their weekends and also were fundraisers for CARDV!

Heartfelt thanks to Bill Cowell, event organizer, keyboards, sax, sound effects, Noah Stroup, vocals and guitar, and Justin Gibson, vocals and lead guitarist, as well as all the members of the band, who donated their time and talent to this event. (See www.beatlesatosu.org for complete list.)

Their generosity is inspiring and appreciated. Thank you to event sponsors, OSU Women’s Center, Music Department, and Department of Animal Sciences. And thank you to all the community members who attended for your generosity when volunteers passed the hat at intermission.

Nancy J. O’Mara, CARDV Executive Director

Photos courtesy of CovePhoto, LLC.

8th Annual Run Breaks Records

2010-05-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Annual Mother’s Day Run/Walk for Safe Families is held the Saturday before Mother’s Day each year. This year marked the 8th year CARDV held the Run/Walk and was a record setter with 516 participants. Over $14,000 was raised to support CARDV’s services in Linn and Benton Counties.

Thank you to everyone who organized, sponsored, and participated in this year’s event. Heartfelt thanks from the CARDV Board, Staff, and Volunteers to the Run/Walk Event Committee. It could not have happened without you.

2010 Run Results and Photos

If you would like information on the Run, or would like to be involved as a volunteer or sponsor call or email Crystal at (541) 758-0219 ext. 301 or crystal.kelley@cardvserivces.org

OSU alumna celebrates her survival by raising money to support CARDV outreach

2010-05-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Pierson-Charlton beats cancer, renews passion for life (c) The Daily Barometer

After being diagnosed with cancer in July and facing the biggest challenge of her life, OSU alumna Candace Pierson-Charlton fought back with faith, courage and with the help of her husband of 25 years by her side.

Marking the sixth-month anniversary of her cancer being in remission, Pierson-Charlton participated in the 8th annual Center Against Rape & Domestic Violence Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families last Saturday as an affirmation of her survival.

Media Credit: Yadira Gutierrez

David Charlton assists his wife, cancer survivor and INTO student services coordinator Candace Pierson-Charlton during the 8th annual Center Against Rape & Domestic Violence Mother's Day Run/Walk.

"Around the Fourth of July, I went to visit my mom and I started feeling sick," Pierson-Charlton said. "I hate going to the doctor, but I went in and the doctor thought I was anemic."

It wasn't until the doctor suggested doing a cancer screen last summer that the results came back positive and she was officially diagnosed with cancer.

"After the diagnosis, I started chemo and radiation; I lost all my hair," she said.

Treatment was a grueling process that forced Pierson-Charlton to be absent for four and a half months from her job as student services coordinator at INTO OSU.

"People respond differently during chemo and radiation, but in my case it made me really sick," Pierson-Charlton said. "I couldn't really do much."

In the good times and the bad, her husband David Charlton provided a constant presence and support. Many times it would be Charlton who would drive her to the doctor appointments.

The couple feels that going through a life-threatening experience only strengthened a love that endured the most difficult of situations.

"I love him even more," Pierson-Charlton said. "I know how fortunate I am to have him in my life; he's a kind, supportive and understanding man."

During her cancer treatment, with her husband's support Pierson-Charlton decided to participate in the CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families.

"I will be doing the walk and will have people pledging money to CARDV for every kilometer I walk," she said. "I believe in their mission and want to support their cause, as well as it serving as a self-affirmation."

The goal was to not come in last, and once again, she succeeded.

With the sun shining and a smile on her face, Pierson-Charlton's joy was obvious.

"I felt great the whole way. I had my husband by my side," she said. "I was telling him as we walked that the race was a metaphor of my battle with cancer - I wouldn't have made it without him."

The couple's love and appreciation for each other is mutual. But more than anything, Charlton is proud.

"I am thrilled I was able to help and be supportive of Candy and such a great cause," he said. "I was a bit concerned for her but she did great."

Pierson-Charlton was able to secure 20 pledges and raised close to $700 for CARDV.

The annual race is supported by many members of the Corvallis community.

"We had about 500 participants," said Debbie Bird McCubbin, co-chair of the event.

The proceeds go to CARDV and help fund educational outreach in schools, safe shelters, advocacy programs and a 24-hour hotline.

"This is one of our biggest events to fundraise, and I get involved because I have a passion for trying to rid society of sexual assault, provide services to people who need them and raise awareness," McCubbin said. "We had a great turnout, the weather was great; I'm very happy."

A second chance at life

After beating cancer, Candace Pierson-Charlton has dedicated her life to doing what she loves. This includes being back with her students, who she has worked with for the last 10 years.

At INTO OSU, Pierson-Charlton meets with international students to make sure they are adjusting well and finding success.

"I help them with things such as time management, study strategies and finding them tutoring if they need it," Pierson-Charlton said.

She was eager to return to work with her students after battling cancer.

"I find them so interesting and love learning about their cultures. The fact that they are pursuing a degree in their second or third language just amazes me," she said.

Another new hobby that brings the cancer survivor joy these days is playing the banjo. She began taking lessons after she went into remission.

"Everybody always asks, why the banjo? I tell them it's happy music," Pierson-Charlton said.

That idea sums up her current theme: being happy and enjoying life to the fullest. In light of that, Pierson-Charlton and her husband hope to take a trip this summer.

"We have hopes of going to Norway," Charlton said. "That's where we got married, and this summer will mark our 25th wedding anniversary."

Pierson-Charlton's illness put life in perspective for her husband, although he was confident that she would survive.

"I always say she did the hard part, and even though it was a life-threatening situation, I never doubted she would make it through," Charlton said. "She has a strong will."

Pierson-Charlton is optimistic about the future and what lies ahead.

"I'm very hopeful that I won't go through everything again, but if that is the case, you do what you need to do to make it," Pierson-Charlton said.

Accepting each day as a gift, she sees the world with new eyes.

"Everything is brighter and more beautiful," she said.

Yadira Gutierrez. staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com

Self-defense class not affiliated with CARDV

2010-04-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: If you have seen a flier for "Mom's Weekend Self Defense Class/Training" at Oregon State University, please note CARDV is not sponsoring this event. The organizers of this event do not have permission to use our logo.

If you would like to speak with a CARDV representative about this please contact our administrative office Monday-Friday, 9a-5p (541) 758-0219 or email info@cardvservices.org

A voice for victims--CARDV Board Member honored as a Woman of Achievement.

2010-04-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

By Cheryl Hatch, Gazette-Times reporter. (c) Gazette-Times

Woman of Achievement nominee Lorena Reynolds talks about the satisfaction of helping one woman at a time as she counsels them through legal proceedings about violent and sexual abuse. "The system isn't good at this," she said. (Scobel Wiggins/Gazette-Times)

At 14 or 15, Lorena Reynolds knew she wanted to be a lawyer. As a young girl, she had been the victim of a crime and the legal system failed her. She decided she wanted to give others the support she had needed and hadn't received.

And she wanted to change the system.

The legal system in the United States was created centuries ago by men, for men, Reynolds said. It was not designed to tackle modern issues such as sexual violence against women and child abuse.

Now an attorney in private practice at her own firm in Corvallis, Reynolds shepherds women through the legal system and is an advocate for them and for their children in cases of domestic violence, stalking, rape and child abuse.

Nominated by Mary Zelinka and Nancy O'Mara of the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence, Reynolds is one of four recipients of a Women of Achievement award. Each year, OSU's Women's Center presents the awards to honor the contributions and commitment of outstanding women on campus and throughout the state of Oregon whose work has benefited women.

Reynolds fast-tracked her education, graduating high school at 17, and finishing college and then law school each in 3½ years.

In the summer of 1995, she was a law clerk in the district attorney's office in Los Angeles, working in the "hard core gang unit" on gang-related homicide. It was the summer of high-profile murder trials, such as those of O.J. Simpson and brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez.

"I actually worked the Snoop Doggy Dogg case," Reynolds said. The rapper was on trial for murder, and he was acquitted.

In the midst of that rarified atmosphere, she learned something about herself:

"I wasn't really interested in representing the state's interests," Reynolds said. "I was interested in representing the victims' interests."

__________________________________________________________________

At a glance
NAME: Lorena Reynolds

AGE: 36

OCCUPATION: Lawyer

BIRTHPLACE: Rochester, Minn.

EDUCATION: B. A., philosophy, University of Colorado; J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law

FAMILY: Husband, Justin Wirth; daughter, Eliza, 9; son, Quinn, 6.
________________________________________________________________________________

After law school, she worked for Protective Advocacy, a nonprofit in Los Angeles. In 1997, she moved to Oregon with her husband and worked as an Americorps attorney in Ontario, handling 100 percent domestic and sexual violence cases.

"I really went back to my roots," said Reynolds of her focus on women's issues. "I'm sure you'd have to call me a feminist." She no longer wanted to change the system; she wanted to walk women through it, one woman at a time.

"Walking someone through the system is telling them what to expect," she said. "Being able to explain what I can do and this is what is pointless to expect ... The legal system was established by men, deals with problems men had 200, 300 years ago. The system was not designed to deal with domestic homicide."

And it presents tough choices for an attorney. In child abuse cases, for example, children often have to take the stand and face a lawyer who assumes an adversarial role.

Such situations take an emotional toll on her, but she said she finds solace and support in her Quaker faith and its community. She finds satisfaction in knowing she's making a difference to abused women and battered children.

Reynolds had people in her life who had done the same for her. She recalled a social worker who interviewed her as a girl:

"(She said) ‘Some of us are victims, and some of us choose to be survivors,' " Reynolds said. "I still remember the strength that gave me. It does make a difference."

Musicians give back,‘Get Back’

2010-04-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

By Nancy Raskauskas, The Entertainer (c) The Gazette-Times

Vocalists Roland Ashton, left, and Noah Stroup sing ‘Across the Universe.’ (Jesse Skoubo | The Entertainer)

CORVALLIS — Last May, CARDV’s executive director, Nancy O’Mara, stood before a packed Milam Hall auditorium and sadly informed the crowd that had gathered to experience a live performance of the Beatles’ “White” album that it would be the last time the musical fundraiser would be held for the organization that helps women and children escape abuse.

After four years of popular and profitable shows, which often paired a Beatles album with a Pink Floyd one, too many of the devoted group of students calling themselves the “Imaginary Friends Musical Alliance” were graduating or moving on.

She needn’t have worried. As soon as the word got out, musicians all over campus came out of the woodwork to continue the project.

The string section is, from left to right, Noah Jenkins, Denver Speelman, Lauren Shin and Bryce Caster. (Jesse Skoubo | The Entertainer)

In fact, a lot of musicians had been waiting four long years for an opening in the band.

Roland Ashton, a senior in bioengineering attended the concerts the last few years.

“I always enjoyed it,” he said. “I was kind of jealous.”

“I’ve been watching since I was a freshman and I really love it,” said Jason Lusk, a chemistry major who plays bass guitar.

“We were contacted by a lot of musicians that were very motivated,” agreed Bill Cowell.

After three years as a musician for the project, Cowell decided to step into the leadership role this year. Among the handful of other returning musicians are vocalist Noah Stroup, who will be the only musician to have participated in all five years of concerts, and drummer Jeff Carey.

Cowell plays keyboards and saxophone and this year is working the sound effects board as well. After 17 years working at Intel, the nontraditional student came to OSU to study electrical and computer engineering. He’s drawing on past organizational and management experience to transition the event from an established band to more of a dynamic situation with new people each year.

Keyboard player Bill Cowell coordinated this year’s event. (Jesse Skoubo | The Entertainer)

“I’m trying to make it so it’s sustainable,” Cowell said. “You can’t let it end, because it’s become so important.”

This year’s concerts will feature The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and Pink Floyd’s “Animals” and will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at Austin Auditorium at LaSells Stewart Center; and at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 1, in the auditorium at Milam Hall.

“Let it Be” includes such iconic songs as “I Me Mine,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Get Back,” “Across the Universe,” “For You Blue” — and of course the title track.

Drummer Jeff Carey participated in the first year of Beatles at OSU concerts and is back for the fifth. (Jesse Skoubo | The Entertainer)

In all, there are members of eight local bands represented. They are Honest to Empire (Justin Gibson and Ashton), Pseudoboss and Stairway Denied (Stroup fronts both projects), Target for Tomorrow and the Horns of Destruction (Jason Lusk), the Tim Karplus Band (Tim Karplus and Lusk), a Guns N’ Roses tribute band called Appetite for Destruction (Brandon Cook), Project 431 (Jeff Carey) and Break As We Fall (Alia Beyer).

Other members of the 2010 Imaginary Friends include R.J. Zaworski, Noah Jenkins, Denver Speelman, Bryce Caster, Lauren Shin, Joe Crop, Ryan Erp, Alia Beyer, Jeannie Holiday and Amy Dawson.

“We targeted people that are multi-instrumentalists,” Cowell said.

The core band started practicing in January, with a weekend retreat to a house in Pacific City.

“We played through both albums,” Cowell recalled. “People were waking up with their instruments in the morning.”

“I hadn’t heard all of these guys before that and that settled my mind,” he said. “Now, when I practice myself, I am so moved thinking about what it sounds like on stage.”

Recreating the albums note for note and song for song is an absorbing project for all involved.

“The quartet is finding out what it’s like to play the same note for 10 minutes,” Cowell joked.

Jenkins, a violinist who is majoring in music, wrote the string arrangements.

“This is my first time writing something out like this,” he said. “I was listening to the CD over and over again.”

For the sounds of dogs, pigs and sheep that can be heard in the Pink Floyd album, Cowell actually recorded the sounds of local animals, and as a result was inspired to enlist the help of a new sponsor for this year’s event — the OSU Department of Animal Sciences.

Additional sponsors include the Department of Music, OSU Women’s Center and LaSells Stewart Center.

Tickets to the show are $5 each. For information, see http://beatlesatosu.org.

Beatles at OSU, benefit concert for CARDV

2010-04-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

April 24th at LaSells Stewart Center,7pm

May 1st at Milam Hall Auditorium, 7pm

Tickets: $5, available starting March 29, 2010

Additional details can be found at www.beatlesatosu.org

Press Release:
This is not just your average cover band. For six years, a revolving group of talented student musicians at Oregon State University, who call themselves "The Imaginary Friends Musical Alliance," has packed Milam Hall on the OSU campus, for two performances of "The Beatles at OSU."

The concerts, which benefit Corvallis' Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV), feature live performances of a different Beatles album each year. Since the second year, a Pink Floyd album has also been added into the mix, further increasing the appeal and popularity of the performances.

Read what others are saying about the Beatles at OSU:
The Alchemist (page 2, "Tribute to the Beatles and Pink Floyd")
The Entertainer

After most of the original Imaginary Friends graduated and/or moved on to other responsibilities last spring, it was rumored that the 2009 concerts would be the last. Fortunately, that's not the case, and “The Beatles at OSU” is back and again featuring top talent from campus and community.

The concerts are slated for Saturday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in Austin Auditorium at LaSells Stewart Center; and Saturday, May 1 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Milam Hall. Both locations are on the OSU main campus.
The albums selected for this year are The Beatles' "Let it Be" and Pink Floyd's "Animals."

Photo caption: Beatles at OSU performers, from left, Noah Stroup, Evan Churchill and Neville Mehta play through the Beatles' 'White Album' during a 2009 rehearsal for the annual event. (Photos: Nancy Raskauskas/The Entertainer)

All proceeds will benefit CARDV, a private, non-profit, community service organization dedicated to helping adult and child survivors of sexual and domestic violence and their children stay safe. CARDV has been serving Linn and Benton counties for more than 25 years.

Seating is general admission at both performances. Tickets are $5 each, on sale at the OSU Women's Center and at Grass Roots Books & Music in downtown Corvallis. A limited number of reserved, "VIP" seats are available at each performance for a minimum donation of $25, while they last. Tickets can also be purchased on line (small additional fee applies) at http://ticketsoregon.com .

8th Annual CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families Saturday May 8, 2010

2010-04-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

8th Annual
CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families
Saturday May 8, 2010

About the Event

The 8th Annual CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families included a 5K run, a 1 & 2-mile walk, and 5K walk and a Family Fun Fair.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence. Funds raised are used to sustain CARDV's shelter program, advocacy services to victims of domestic and sexual violence, and CARDV's community education program.

Date & Time

Saturday, May 8, 2010
8:00am: Check-in and t-shirt pick up
9:00am: Walker start
9:15am: Run start

Registration

Online Registration
Paper Registration Form
Pre-registration entry fee for both Runners and Walkers is $20 and includes a T-shirt
Late entries received after 5pm, Thursday, April 29, 2010, are $25 and does not include a T-shirt

Location & Course Information

Festivities are staged in the parking lot at Second Street and Western Boulevard in downtown Corvallis
Winding through beautiful Pioneer and Avery Parks, the run is a flat 5K out and back
Enjoy Corvallis' Riverfront Park while completing a 1-mile, 2-mile, or 5K walk
Water and refreshments are available for participants at the finish line

5K Run course map

Posters

Sponsors By Donation Level

$1,000 Catalysts for Change

$500 Advocates for Safe Families

$250 Peacemaker Sponsors

Albany Police Benevolent Association
American Dream Pizza
Citizens Bank
Corvallis Dental Group
Valley Catering

$100 Community Builder

Albany Firefighters Community Assistance Fund
Corvallis Police Officers Association
D. Bryce Downey, M.D.
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative
Powell Construction
Security Alarm Corporation
Sibling Revelry
Steve & Vickie Athay
Stover Neyhart & Co.
Target Distribution Center
Town and Country Realty
Willamette Veterinary Hospital
Woodstock's Pizza Parlor

Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April)

2010-04-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. CARDV invites you to join us in raising awareness of this widespread crime. One way to get involved is by wearing jeans on April 14th, Denim Day. Denim Day is an international event protesting an outrageous decision made by the Italian Supreme Court in 1999.

A court in Potenza, Italy convicted a 45-year-old driving instructor of raping an 18-year-old student. The Italian Supreme Court reversed the rape conviction, however, because the young woman was wearing jeans at the time of the attack. The Court’s reprehensible ruling stated: “it is impossible to remove a pair of jeans without the collaboration of the person wearing them;” the young woman must have consented.*

In addition to Denim Day, there is a full schedule of events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Please join us for a free viewing of the documentary Very Young Girls, a gripping documentary about sex trafficking in America.

CARDV will be hosting a viewing April 13th at Darkside Cinema in Corvallis and April 20th at Venetian Theater in Albany. Due to the content of the film, those under the age of 17 will not be admitted unless accompanied by a guardian.

For more information please contact CARDV at: 541-738-0725.

* World: Europe women in jeans ‘cannot be raped’. BBC News 11 Feb. 1999, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/277263.stm

Free movie screening

2010-03-31T14:52:00.001-07:00

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention Month. CARDV is teaming up with the Linn County Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse to present free screenings of a powerful documentary which exposes the reality of sex trafficking within America.

The free screenings will be held on:

April 13th at 6p at the Darkside Cinema in Corvallis (215 SW 4th St. Corvallis)--get directions
April 20th at 6p at the Venetian Theater in Albany (241 1st Ave. Albany)--get directions
Discussion to follow both showings
Note: Due to the content of the film, individuals under the age of 17 will not be admitted with out the supervision of a parent or adult guardian.

The documentary that will be shown is Very Young Girls which is produced by GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services).

Very Young Girls is an expose of human trafficking that follows thirteen and fourteen year old American girls as they are seduced, abused, and sold on New York's streets by pimps, and treated by adult criminals by police. The film follows the barely-adolescent girls in real time, using verite and intimate interviews with them as they are first lured on to the streets and the dire events which follow. The film also uses startling footage shot by the brazen pimps themselves giving a rare glimpse into how the cycle of street life begins for many women.

The film identifies hope for these girls in the organization GEMS (Girls Education and Mentoring Services), a recovery center founded and run by Rachel Lloyd, herself a survivor of sexual exploitation. She and her staff are heroic and relentless in their mission to help girls sent by the court or found on the street. Given a chance to piece their lives back together, some will be on the edge of two different worlds consistently battling the force that will suck them back into the underground. Very Young Girls; unprecedented access to girls and pimps will change the way law enforcement, the media, and society as a whole look at sexual exploitation, street prostitution and human trafficking that is happening right in our own backyard.

--from GEMS website

Special thanks to Darkside Cinema for donating the space and expertise to promote awareness of this very impacting issue in our communities.

If you have questions about this event please email film@cardvservices.org or call the CARDV office (541) 758-0219.

Executive leaving CARDV in good hands

2010-03-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

Nancy O'Mara has one question to thank for changing her life and, in doing so, the lives of countless others.

O'Mara, 60, who is retiring at the end of June after nine years as the executive director of the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV), said she found herself helping battered women after she answered "yes" to a newspaper ad in Washington that asked: "Are you concerned about violence against women and children?"

"I thought that I would do it for a little while until I found out what I was really going to do," O'Mara said, laughing at the memory.

She answered that ad in 1981, the same year that CARDV was founded.

O'Mara didn't know at the time that she was among the pioneers of an organization to educate communities about domestic violence and to aid the victims.

"In 1981, we were considered like ... the feminist, radical fringe," she said, then burst out laughing. "Me?"

But while it might not have been radical, the work O'Mara and others were doing at the time was groundbreaking.

"We were the messengers in many ways in 1981, saying ‘Please pay attention to this.' People didn't want to hear it."

People listen now. The concept of "coordinated community response," which includes law enforcement, schools, citizens and advocates to prevent and respond to domestic violence, is now common. CARDV has regular meetings with police, medical staff and representatives of the district attorney's office.

"That's just extraordinary," O'Mara said. "It has made a profound difference on those folks who need these services."

O'Mara joined CARDV in 2001 after working at a center for victims of sexual assault in rural Bethel, Alaska.

Her time with CARDV has seen the establishment of Sexual Assault Response Teams in both Linn and Benton counties, the purchase of a confidential shelter site, expansion of a program to educate children about abuse and the founding of a program for teens about dating violence. CARDV also has begun making on-scene responses to domestic violence situations.

"I think we all were very sad when she announced (her retirement)," board member Mary Alice Seville said. "She's done a fantastic job for CARDV and gotten CARDV to a place where I think it's a job people would really want."

To O'Mara, stepping down at this time feels like a natural transition. She's excited for a next executive director to bring new energy and creativity to the position.

"We're also very happy for Nancy, because we love her and want her to have some R and R," said board chair Mary Bentley. "And we're also very confident for the future."

O'Mara, who plans to travel with her husband once she retires, said there's "no way" she could leave if she didn't share that confidence. Looking back at her career, O'Mara said that despite all she's witnessed, what has impressed her the most was not the horror, but the hope.

"I worried about the impact of seeing the full measure of cruelty people are capable of," she said. "What I didn't anticipate was ... how moving it is, and humbling and inspiring, to see how resilient people are. How they can still be kind and generous. "I don't have words to describe how life-affirming that is."

A wonderful evening of food and fun: CARDV's 7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner

2010-03-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

For the past seven years, the dedicated Spaghetti Dinner committee has worked tirelessly to bring our community together for a fun-filled evening to raise funds for CARDV. For many, the Spaghetti Dinner has become a family tradition because of its cheerful atmosphere, friendly crowd, and delicious food.

Mothers and daughters......parents and children, all enjoying the cheerful festivities.

This year was no exception. The meeting room of the Church of the Good Samaritan was brightly decorated with colorful tablecloths complemented with cheerful plants donated by Peoria Gardens and more than a dozen musicians played folk music that kept listeners happily tapping their feet.
Again this year, guests were greeted and served by CARDV Board, staff, and volunteers and a group of volunteers from Kohl’s, and enjoyed desserts, breads, salads, spaghetti and sauces donated by Valley Catering, Alpine Bakery, Java Connection, and New Morning Bakery.CARDV Board Chair, Mary Alice of Valley Catering and CARDV Executive Director Nancy O'Mara enjoying the cheerful atmosphere of the Spaghetti dinner.

Another guest favorite returned this year—the door prize drawings. Vibrant origami cranes were handmade from intricate fabric by volunteers, along with creative cuddle buddies for the kids which were crocheted out of bright yarn. A lucky winner claiming her cuddle buddy prize.

Twenty-four cranes and twelve cuddle buddies were given away in the free drawing to thank guests for attending the event.

Our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers and to the hundreds of community members who attended the Spaghetti Dinner and made it fun and successful. All of the proceeds from this fundraiser are put directly to use funding CARDV services that are accessed by more than 5,000 adults and children in Linn and Benton counties each year.

7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner for CARDV

2010-02-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

CARDV's

7th Annual

Spaghetti

Dinner

This fundraising event benefits the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV). Come join us for great food, live music and festive celebration.

Monday, March 8, 2010

5:30-7:00 p.m.

Church of the Good Samaritan, Corvallis

333 NW 35th Street (35th and Harrison)

Ticket Prices:

$10-$20 adult (sliding scale)

$5 children (12 and under)

Ticket's available at the door.

CARDV eyes greater role in Linn County

2010-02-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

By Steve Lundeberg, (c) The Gazette-Times

LEBANON — The Corvallis-based Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence wants to expand its services in Linn County, and the numbers explain why.

On Tuesday, about 40 people at a forum, including District Attorney Jason Carlile, Lebanon Police Chief Mike Healy and Detective Kevin Martinez and Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker, discussed some telling statistics, including:

• 60 percent of CARDV’s clients are from Linn County, many of them at least a half-hour drive from the agency’s office, 4786 S.W. Philomath Blvd.

• The nonprofit responded to almost 2,700 calls from Linn residents in fiscal year 2008-09 and sheltered 97 people for a total of 1,151 nights.

• In the same time period, CARDV staff drove more than 25,000 miles to assist clients.

• Domestic violence cases make up 20 percent of the Linn County Circuit Court docket.

The numbers argue for a physical presence of CARDV in Linn County — shelters for abuse victims, or at least an office where battered women could talk to someone and use a phone or computer.

In the meantime, while funding is pursued, the agency will continue to work with Linn clients in a variety of ways, including being on call for law enforcement officers as it has since 2005.

“We used to have to go to these cases, stop the immediate violence and then walk away,” Chief Healy said during the forum, held at the Lebanon Public Library. “It’s nice now to have someone from CARDV sent out to hand these situations off to.”

In addition, there are a couple of other key tools being used to counter domestic violence in Linn County.

One is a new “lethality assessment” that, Detective Martinez explained, officers are being trained to use in evaluating abusers on scene.

The assessment is a list of markers that indicate whether an abuser is apt to escalate his behavior to the point of homicide.

Since 2006, Linn County has operated a special domestic violence court that vastly increases the speed at which cases move through the system, which among other things alleviates pressure on the victims.

Carlile said that it used to take an average of 90 days to wrap up a case. Now it’s 28, allowing the work of investigators to stay fresh.

“We’re dismissing fewer cases for lack of evidence,” Carlile said. “We’re much more sophisticated and coordinated now in our response to what I believe is a societal problem.”

Vagina Monologues Feb. 11th & 12th

2010-02-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

Student Health Services present

the Eleventh Annual OSU Performance of

The

Vagina

Monologues

February 11 and 12

7pm Lasells Stewart Center

Proceeds Benefit:

The Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence
2010 Spotlight Campaign: Women and children experiencing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Get your tickets here.

Stop sex trafficking

2010-02-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

In January two staff from the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) attended the Northwest Conference Against Sex Trafficking sponsored by Soroptimist International which was held in Portland.

Sex trafficking, defined as the recruitment and transportation of persons within or across boundaries by force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation, has become a multi-billion industry, third only to drugs and arms dealing. In simpler words, human trafficking is slavery.

Many people believe that sex trafficking of young girls is something that happens only in poor, underdeveloped nations. Certainly, across the globe, wherever girls and women are vulnerable, sex trafficking is an issue. Even now, as rescuers from around the world race to pull victims from the rubble after the massive earthquake in Haiti, sex traffickers are increasing their numbers of slaves. In the United States, each year between 100,000 and 300,000 children, most of them girls, are trafficked.

Yet prostitution and pornography continue to be standard fodder for jokes on mainstream television. Movies like “Pretty Woman” and popular music have glamorized the sex industry and convinced many that women entering “the life” or “the game” do so by choice.

But consider this: In the United States the average age of a woman entering prostitution is thirteen. The average age of a woman currently working in the sex industry is sixteen. Estimates as high as 98% of prostituted women were sexually abused as children, leaving them conditioned to sexual exploitation.

Runaways, the poor, and girls and women from marginalized groups are the most vulnerable, but anyone can become a victim of trafficking. Traffickers, or pimps, target girls who look like they feel unsure of themselves, who may not be getting along with their parents, or who are being abused. It is estimated that a runaway girl will be approached by a pimp within the first 48 hours of being out on the streets. But just as common are pimps meeting and befriending girls at the food courts at neighborhood malls.

Most girls and women exploited through prostitution are controlled by a pimp. Traffickers lure girls into prostitution by preying on their vulnerabilities, isolating them from everything that is familiar or comfortable, and promising them love and security.

Exploited children are often labeled “child prostitutes” or juvenile delinquents and are sentenced to detention facilities while those who buy and sell them most often escape notice.

Sex trafficking is driven by the demand of the buyers. The trafficker is just the middle man. As long as there is a buyer of commercial sex, there will be child victims of sexual exploitation.

The commercial sex industry, which includes pornography, street prostitution, strip clubs, escort agencies and online websites such as Craigs List, impacts our work every day here at CARDV. Most of our clients report abusers using pornography and some whisper nightmare tales of being prostituted.

The arrest and prosecution of buyers and sellers of trafficked girls and women must be made a priority. We must stop labeling victims of sex trafficking as criminals and instead treat them as the survivors of abuse and exploitation that they are – by providing them with protection from their traffickers and services for their and emotional and physical recovery.

Mary Zelinka

Advocacy Services Manager

Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence

photo credit: Look Beneath the Surface brochure

For more information: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Administration of Children and Families.

Watch the documentary: Very Young Girls which discusses the issue of sex trafficking.

Local artist supports CARDV

2010-01-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

Long-time supporter of CARDV, Bonnie Helpenstell will have her photographs on display at Sam's Station, Corvallis for the month of February 2010. Her original photos, which capture a variety of landscape, plants, cityscapes and international charm, will be available for purchase as individual photos or collage style. Bonnie has graciously directed all revenue from purchases to benefit CARDV. You can see more of Bonnie's photos here.

Window Box Photography

Bonnie Helpenstell

I came to love photography while watching my Grandmother share her slides of the many lands that she visited throughout the United States and the world. She took me places I’d never go and gave me a glimpse into what she believed to be wondrous and beautiful with her eyes and heart, and with her photographs.

My camera has provided me with a delightful way to capture and create memories of our busy lives and growing family over the years. Two years ago however, a change in my health required me slow down. Fortunately, at the same time as my world became smaller my husband Eric doubled the size of our garden.

I can walk only a few paces from our front porch and become enveloped in the beautiful gifts of nature.

I now welcome the opportunity to share my view of beauty and wonder just as my Grandmother did so many years ago.

You are invited go to my website and select your favorite of my photos as a single reproduction or as a collage of your choosing.

www.helpenstells.smugmug.com

Your full purchase amount for any of my photos will go to support the

Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence

Framed Prints
8 x 10 $35.00
11 x 14 $45.00

Unframed prints

8 x 10 and 11 x 14 $25.00

Send me an email or give me a call ~

541-758-3312 WindowBoxPhotography@gmail.com

CARDV voted top non-profit of 2009 by Alchemist Readers

2010-01-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

In Alchemist's January 5, 2010 issue readers voted the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence as top non-profit of 2009. Other non-profits noted were Habitat for Humanity, Vina Moses, and Linn-Benton Food Share.

CARDV is proud to be recognized with this honor as well as Vina Moses and Linn-Benton Food Share which partner with us in assisting survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence.

Thank you Alchemist readers!

Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence

Code #22, What is the Oregon Charitable Checkoff?

How do I donate?

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

CARDV mourns the loss of Ellen Pence-Mother of Domestic Violence Intervention

Advocates Not Surprised by Recent Survey Results

January is Stalking Awareness and Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Holiday Gift Program

CARDV pleased to be Beans for Bags recipient

Albany Veteran's Day Parade: Join Us

Volunteers Needed: float decorating work party

How to Help a Survivor of Domestic Violence

Volunteers in Action

Domestic Violence: Beyond the Crisis

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Removing Barriers: Community supports self-sustaining options for survivors of domestic violence!

Advocacy Center: Under Construction

$100,000 grant goes to CARDV

Putting an End to Sex Trafficking

Plans to Break Ground on Advocacy Center

We Heart Volunteers

CARDV Volunteer Orientation

Spreading the word: CARDV Supporters Walk in Lebanon Strawberry Festival Grand Parade

Support a Great Cause by Wearing Jeans

An evening of fun, food, and friends.

CARDV Expands Presence in Linn County

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Victims! Preserve Funding for Lifesaving Victim Services

CARDV Launches First-Ever Capital Campaign to Build Advocacy Center

Become a CARDV Advocate!

Thank you!

First-ever Presidential Proclamation of National Stalking Awareness Month

2010 Award Recipients

Happy Holidays from CARDV

HP Employees Giving information

It's not too late to drop off your unwanted cell phones.

Quilts from Caring Hands Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Law and Order: SVU speaks about the rape kit backlog problem.

Thank you Barker-Uerlings!

CARDV Welcomes new Executive Director: Toni Ryan

Teen Dating Violence and What You Can Do.

The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010: A Step Forward for Native Women

Nancy O'Mara retires: CARDV Executive Director from November 2001-June 2010

Mary Zelinka: Celebrating 20 years of Advocacy Service with CARDV.

A positive program in the World Cup

Poster Contest Winner

Community Education Gets Revamped

Thank you Beatles at OSU

8th Annual Run Breaks Records

OSU alumna celebrates her survival by raising money to support CARDV outreach

Self-defense class not affiliated with CARDV

A voice for victims--CARDV Board Member honored as a Woman of Achievement.

At a glance

NAME: Lorena Reynolds

Musicians give back,‘Get Back’

Beatles at OSU, benefit concert for CARDV

8th Annual CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families Saturday May 8, 2010

8th AnnualCARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe FamiliesSaturday May 8, 2010

About the Event

Date & Time

Registration

Location & Course Information

Posters

Sponsors By Donation Level

$1,000 Catalysts for Change

$500 Advocates for Safe Families

$250 Peacemaker Sponsors

$100 Community Builder

Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April)

Free movie screening

Executive leaving CARDV in good hands

A wonderful evening of food and fun: CARDV's 7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner

7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner for CARDV

CARDV eyes greater role in Linn County

SUGGESTIONS

Vagina Monologues Feb. 11th & 12th

Stop sex trafficking

Local artist supports CARDV

CARDV voted top non-profit of 2009 by Alchemist Readers

8th Annual
CARDV Mother's Day Run/Walk for Safe Families
Saturday May 8, 2010