Welcome to the 2024 April issue of Volunteer Voices, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) volunteers.
In this Issue:
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My name is Kendal Cristaudo, and I am the Hospital Accompaniment program specialist. In my role, I coordinate the services and operations of the Hospital Accompaniment and Hospital Accompaniment Support Advocates (HASA) programs. As a former HASA volunteer, I’ve been able to experience the Hospital Accompaniment program through different lenses.
I have always been passionate about empowerment and advocacy, but it wasn’t until I began volunteering with DSVS that I found clarity on how I could put this passion into action. The impact you can make on a survivor seeking services is what motivates me most. I feel it is a privilege to be the person to support someone during such a difficult time, and it’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly.
Volunteers are crucial and so valuable to the hospital accompaniment program and DSVS as a whole. The dedication and passion our volunteers have for supporting victims is incredible. I enjoy each volunteer meeting and event where I can connect with seasoned and new volunteers.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time in nature, whether that’s hiking, kayaking, or picnicking with my boyfriend and our dog, Cash. I also love to travel and experience different cultures. You can catch me watching most U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team games or our local NWSL team, the Washington Spirit!
Kendal Cristaudo
Hospital Accompaniment Program Specialist
Shedding tears can help you confront what’s bothering you and allow you to process it emotionally. It’s a signal to stop, take care of yourself, and address the emotions by dealing with underlying issues or stressors in your life. Learn more about how crying can be part of your self-care journey.
Sexual violence is a major public health, human rights and social justice issue that impacts every person in Fairfax County. The purpose of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is to raise public awareness about sexual violence, educate our community on how to prevent it and share resources available to those impacted by sexual assault. Learn more about how DSVS observes SAAM.
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Reproductive coercion is a term used to describe any situation in which one partner is exerting power over the other in a way that impacts their reproductive health, such as forcing someone to engage in sexual activity, refusing to use contraception or interfering with a partner’s contraception usage, or restricting a partner from seeing a reproductive health care provider. Learn more about what this form of sexual violence looks like.
April is Arab American Heritage Month. Research shows Arab Americans impacted by sexual and domestic violence often face barriers accessing culturally specific services or find only support that amplifies stereotypes or adds to the history of hate crimes and surveillance of their communities—all of which can lead to a lack of trust of the systems that provide resources. Learn more about the intersection between gender-based violence and Arab American communities.
As part of our observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we invite you to listen to a few male survivor stories. Listen to Kevin Snyder, founder of EmpowerYOUth and survivor of depression, anorexia, and sexual assault, talk about his recovery. And check out survivor of childhood rape Jamie Forbes’ journey from victim to founder of Learning Courage, an organization that centers survivors.
“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” –Tom Brokaw
Each newsletter will include this section to help share reviews, spotlight the people who support Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, recognize birthdays and list upcoming trainings and meetings.
Fairfax County’s Health Department Partners with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services to Help Heal Those Impacted by Interpersonal Violence
As part of Fairfax County’s Health and Human Services system, the Health Department strives to keep all county residents living in thriving communities where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy, safe, and realize their potential. But too many might not be aware that this mandate also includes working hand in hand with the Domestic and Sexual Violence Services division of the Department of Family Services. So, Volunteer Voices recently sat down with Joanna Hemmat, assistant director in the Health Services Division, to talk about how these two entities team up to eliminate the public health scourge of interpersonal violence. Learn more about this partnership.
Join the Conversations!
Domestic and Sexual Violence Domestic and Sexual Violence Services has a podcast, Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence. Stay in the know with these biweekly discussions! In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, check out this episode about returning to intimacy after sexual assault.
O.M.G. Insanity. Those were my initial thoughts after watching “Lover, Stalker, Killer,” the Netflix documentary about Dave Kroupa, a Nebraska man who, after a divorce, seeks to ease his loneliness by creating an account on a dating site. Little did he know that one of his matches would turn his life upside down, stalking him and the people he loved for more than four years before being caught and brought to justice. The story is very straightforward and told from the viewpoint of Dave, his ex-wife, and the dedicated sheriff’s detectives who solved the case.
Meet Brahma Koodallur, Hospital Accompaniment Support Advocate (HASA) Volunteer
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DSVS’ first Sexual Violence Tier 1 wouldn’t have been possible without the volunteers that helped with setup. In this photo, Amanda Snelgrove, Hotline and HASA volunteer, gets tables ready for attendees.