Welcome to the 2021 June 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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Hello, everyone!
My name is Andréa Nunes-Gardner, and I am the supervisor of the Anger Domestic Abuse Prevention & Treatment (ADAPT) program. Previously, I worked as an ADAPT counselor for three years. This is my dream! I get to interact with amazing people, including colleagues, volunteers, partners and clients. As a bonus, I get to connect with my “Core Values” every day while I am working.
I have been working in the mental health field for over 14 years. Prior to my time with the County, I was a licensed psychologist in Brazil, where I had the opportunity to work as an HR supervisor that oversaw the development and training department. I also worked in a private practice where I provided individual, family and group counseling. I always had a passion to work with people and support people in their development and healing journeys. DSVS gives me the opportunity to fulfill my passion and contribute to the community where I live.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also love to bake, cook, eat, read and travel. I have a special talent, which is the ability to cook dishes without measuring ingredients. My favorite cuisines to cook are Brazilian and Italian. I love sharing my culture through food, and it is also a fun way to bring people together.
I hope we have opportunities soon to share some delicious food and spend time with one another. I cannot imagine doing the work we do without each one of you. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you amazing volunteers. You are essential in carrying out the DSVS mission.
Thank you for all you do!
Andrea Nunes-Gardner
Supervisor, ADAPT
The Health Benefits of Meditation
One great way to practice self-care is to add meditation to your repertoire. And there is an added benefit: better health. A number of studies show meditating regularly can make you healthier in lots of ways, including improved memory, lower blood pressure and less anxiety. Find out more about how meditating can give you a health boost.
Microaggressions
Learn from a person's firsthand experience with microaggression. Explore the meaning of microaggression and access resources to help navigate this topic.
Check out the article about microaggressions.
"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never tried to sleep with a mosquito around you.”
—Betty Reese
Though Fairfax County’s office buildings currently are closed to the public, DSVS volunteers can still help answer the Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-Hour Hotline. We are also still providing hospital accompaniment via the phone. If you have questions about your role during the pandemic, contact Lynne Rowson or Ara Jo (Hotline) and Angela Acosta (Hospital Accompaniment).
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.
Administrative team
“We help support all of the other programs in lifting up the work that the rest of the division does,” Laura Haggerty-Lacalle says. “It’s sort of the backbone. You know you have a good Admin Team if you don’t know that they’re there.”
Learn more about how the administrative team.
Streaming a Solution for Sexual Violence
The Washington Post recently reported on an effective new sexual violence awareness tool: documentaries about well-known individuals. Several very popular productions have provided documentary details about sexual abuse stories, which most of us knew only superficially: “Finding Neverland,” “Surviving R. Kelly,” “Allen v. Farrow” and “Athlete A,” to name a few. Not only have these shows attracted very large audiences, but their effects also have been, in the words of the producers of “Allen v. Farrow,” “seismic.” They have spurred huge numbers of survivors to reach out and have changed public attitudes in measurable ways.
Why have they been so effective? The Washington Post proposes their detailed, moving stories are able to cut through all the news and social media we are bombarded with every day. But I would argue there is another reason: the enormous number of survivors, many of whom have never shared their stories or sought help, for whom these stories resonate.
When their partners, friends, family and other allies are added in, there is a large audience who can see themselves in these documentaries. The stories include victims from diverse backgrounds, who often don’t reflect traditional ideal victim stereotypes. In addition, these impactful stories have provided viewers with the opportunity to participate in creating a satisfying ending to the story, when they respond by speaking out for victims and helping to break down protections these famous abusers have benefited from.
What does this mean for us as we advocate for sexual violence victims and for change in the norms that support sexual violence? It’s important to remember that in most cases, these stories weren’t just in the background; they were intentionally buried by powerful forces or by our own need to overlook them. That makes sharing them a political act. Second, we need to be prepared since people may call the hotline or seek help spurred by a documentary. Third, we must remember the importance of survivor stories, for therapy and activism. While these stories gained attention because they are famous, they can guide others in telling their stories.
Perhaps someday we will run out of attention-grabbing untold stories of abuse to rally around. We all look forward to that day. Until then, we will continue to work to be a positive part of every survivor’s story.
—Michelle Mueller
Meet Nancy Lee, Hotline & Hospital Accompaniment Support Advocate (HASA)
“I can’t recommend volunteering with DSVS strongly enough. The training curriculum is incredibly informative and comprehensive, the staff is wonderful and getting to help survivors take actionable steps toward recovery is one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had.” Learn more about Nancy's volunteer story.
Jamie Richardson Hamilton, 9
Katherine Leon, 10
Julia Selah, 12
Vanessa Elsasser, 19
Julie Lyle, 30
Training: Responding to LGBTQ Survivors of Sexual Violence
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
1-3 p.m.
The Virginia Anti-Violence Project will explore institutional barriers and normative beliefs that make LGBTQ people vulnerable to sexual violence and discourage survivors from seeking help. The discussion will include best practices to help services providers and community members improve the response to LGBTQ sexual violence survivors, as well as efforts to address harmful barriers and beliefs. The training is free but registration is required.
QUARTERLY TRAININGS
There are no quarterly trainings this month.
Please take a moment to log on to your Volunteer Management System (VMS) account and log your hours for the month of May. Please also log any time you spent on training under “volunteer training.” If you do not see this selection under your opportunities, please email Debra Ranf, and she will log on to add it to your account.
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Please enter your hours for each day you volunteered and not as a lump sum.
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If you need to log hours for a previous month, please send email Debra to let her know so she can be aware of the entry and expedite the approval process.
Check out past issues of Volunteer Voices.