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Welcome to the 2026 November issue of Volunteer Voices, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) volunteers.

In this Issue:

Table of Contents
Notes from the Staff Self-Care Corner: Making Time for Me at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Community Annual Meeting November Is Strangulation Awareness Month The Intersection of Native American Heritage Month and Interpersonal Violence TED Talk: Making the Most of the Child Welfare System Youth at the Intersection of Homelessness and Sexual Violence	Quotables Join the Conversations! A Day in the Life… Counseling Services Supervisor Kathryn Harlow Raising My Voice: Meet Roger Sabin, Court Accompaniment Volunteer, Legislative Analyst Volunteer, and Fatality Review Team Volunteer Reviews: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Birthdays Test Your Brain Events and Educational Resources Make a Note! Parting Shot

Notes from Staff

Hello! My name is Delia Montecinos, and I’m the new youth prevention specialist with the Prevention, Education, and Coordination team at DSVS. I’m proud to be Latina, with family roots in both Guatemala and Bolivia. I’m so excited to join Domestic and Sexual Violence Services and bring my passion and experience working with and alongside the community into my new role. Throughout my career, I’ve loved building genuine relationships, listening to the needs and experiences of individuals and families, and connecting people with the resources and support they need to thrive.

I was the first community school coordinator in Fairfax County, where I worked at Walt Whitman Middle School in Alexandria. In that role, I connected with students and their families to better understand their needs and partnered with school staff and administrators to develop programs and services to support them. I loved the opportunity to bring a wide variety of resources and community partners together to help students and families thrive.

I’ve also had the opportunity to work with unaccompanied minors through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, providing individual case management, family reunification support, and discharge counseling. This experience strengthened my skills in providing trauma-informed care and supporting vulnerable youth.

Outside of work, I enjoy running and spending time with family and friends. A couple of fun facts about me: This past year, I had the opportunity to meet actor Edward James Olmos and spend time with civil rights and labor leader Dolores Huerta. Both were incredible experiences I’ll never forget!

Delia Montecinos
Youth Prevention Specialist

Self-Care Corner

Making Time for Me at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Community Annual Meeting

This has been a rough year for the professionals who work in the interpersonal violence field. This is perhaps why the Self-Care Booth at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Community Annual Meeting was so popular!

November Is Strangulation Awareness Month

Strangulation is a serious form of violence that leaves lasting harm even when evidence from it can’t be seen. Strangulation can happen during intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and other forms of physical abuse. It is not a minor assault; it is a dangerous act of control which can lead to death. Learn more.

The Intersection of Native American Heritage Month and Interpersonal Violence

November is Native American Heritage Month. The impact of sexual and domestic violence on indigenous communities in the U.S. has a long history, reaching back to the first European colonizers who came here in the late 15th century. The effects of this violence still can be seen today, with research showing American Indian/Alaska Native women having some of the highest rates of rape of any other people. Transgender and nonbinary indigenous people have even more stark statistics: Two-thirds report experiencing sexual assault and nearly three-quarters report violence by an intimate partner. Native women and girls go missing and are murdered at the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group, often related to domestic violence and human trafficking. Find out how activists are working to change this narrative.

TED Talk

Making the Most of the Child Welfare System

The foster care and adoption systems work in different ways to support children into safe homes. Sometimes, these systems work together, with many child welfare organizations having goals around average length of time in foster care and adoption timelines. In Fairfax County, the average stay for a child in foster care is about 18 to 20 months, but the length of a stay in care depends on the child, their family, and their needs. Family reunification is always the primary goal, but adoption can also be a very supportive part of the child welfare process.

Children in Need. Children Ignored. is a talk from John DeGarmo, a foster care expert and a father of both biological and adoptive children. He shares his own experience working with a young girl who was failed by the system and he discusses how all of us in our community can help families involved in the child welfare system in our community.

Youth at the Intersection of Homelessness and Sexual Violence

Youth who are homeless face a higher risk of being victims of violence, especially sexual violence. In fact, recent research shows young adults experiencing homelessness are as much as 35% more likely to experience sexual violence than housed youth. But the relationship between sexual violence and homelessness is complicated: Sexual violence is both a contributor to homelessness and a factor resulting from homelessness. Understand more about the scope of this problem.

Quotables

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence.” —Anonymous

Join the Conversations!

Domestic and Sexual Violence Services’ podcast, Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence, is real talk on tough topics! Stay in the know with these biweekly discussions. If you have ideas for topics you’d like to hear addressed on Unscripted, email them to DSVS’ communications specialist Kendra Lee.

A Day in the Life …

Day in the Life with … Counseling Services Supervisor Kathryn Harlow

“As the counseling team supervisor, I spend my days supporting a team of seven amazing counselors who provide services for those impacted by interpersonal violence,” says Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Counseling Services Supervisor Kathryn Harlow. “Much of my time is devoted to one-on-one staff supervision, where we discuss case challenges and successes, collaborate on safety planning, and identify resources and training needed to enhance the care we provide to the community. I regularly review counseling team data to better understand service needs and delivery trends so the team can use that information to guide decisions about program development. I also facilitate staff meetings that focus on the administrative needs of the team, team connection, case staffing, and the development of resources and tools that benefit both the team and the community. A recent example of this work is the development of a length-of-service tool the counseling team has started to use to determine the number of sessions a client may benefit from under our short-term counseling model.”

As if that wasn’t enough to keep Harlow busy, a “typical day” includes much more.

“In addition to my supervisory responsibilities, I co-developed the DSVS Self Care and Skill Building Studio with Margarita Hernandez, a bi-monthly open studio designed to support staff connection, creativity, and well-being,” she says. “This drop-in space offers themed creative activities that invite staff to relax, re-energize, and learn new self-care practices, with each session introducing a new material or skill focused on connection and wellness, along with a handout that can be used personally or professionally. I also co-lead the Elevating Sexual Violence Services Workgroup, which focuses on enhancing and innovating our services for survivors. Every year, I host an annual retreat for the counseling team, creating dedicated time for reflection, planning, relationship-building, and visioning for the year ahead. More recently, I have been contributing to the revision of our strategic plan, helping align our daily practice, staff support, and program initiatives with our long-term vision for serving survivors and strengthening our community response to interpersonal violence.”

Raising My Voice

Meet Roger Sabin, Court Accompaniment Volunteer, Legislative Analyst Volunteer, and Fatality Review Team Volunteer

“I’ve had a number of memorable experiences,” says triple threat Roger Sabin, a court accompaniment, legislative analyst, and fatality review team volunteer. “Here’s one. During a protective order hearing, I followed the client and her attorney to the court lobby when the judge called a short recess. The attorney was somewhat at odds about what to do with the case. I suggested that this juncture might be a perfect place to move for a summary judgment. (I can never offer legal advice to the client, but I felt a suggestion to her attorney was fair game.) He took that suggestion, made the motion, and won the case for our client!” Learn more about Roger’s volunteer journey.

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.

Reviews

WARNING: The following Review contains spoilers about the novel Yesteryear.

Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke, was one of the biggest books of summer 2026. It focuses on online influencer Natalie, a woman who lives on a farm with her wealthy husband and four children. Natalie is a “tradwife” who documents her seemingly simple, country home life on Instagram to thousands of followers. A tradwife, she tells us, is a woman who embraces traditional gender roles and promotes women staying home, having a large family, and supporting her breadwinner husband.

Beyond this, tradwives see living within these traditional gender roles not as a personal choice, but as an act of resistance against modern feminism and career ambition expected of women. Natalie not only embodies traditional gender roles, but she also judges other women for not adhering to them and she views herself as superior to modern women.

Things take off when Natalie wakes up and suddenly is transported back in time to the early 19th century. Her husband, Caleb, is still there, but he is much older. She has three new children whom she has never met, but who strike a resemblance to her and Caleb. And they certainly treat Natalie like their mother. This shocking twist is intriguing. Did Natalie travel back in time? Is she in an alternate universe or a dream?

When reading this book, I knew the premise was a modern tradwife wakes up one day in the 1800s, but I did not expect the writing to contain so much suspense and mystery. The bulk of the book is almost a sci-fi mystery, which really kept me on the edge of my seat.

As Natalie moves through her new world and/or time, she sees how women in these traditional roles really lived. Natalie and her daughters work constantly to provide food and a home for Caleb and their son. They receive little respect, and Natalie is forced to live without medicine, modern amenities, heating, or running water. She is hit by Caleb for disrespecting him as her husband.

At the end, when the big reveal happens, we find out Natalie did not go back in time or enter an alternate universe. She has been slowly going mad, and eventually she left society with Caleb to continue to have more children and raise them as people would have in the 1800s.

Here is where I thought we would see interesting commentary on gender roles in society. I thought Natalie was going to learn about the value of modern feminism and the fight for equality, that she would want better for her daughters, or she would reevaluate her worldview. However, as the story unfolds, the novel was disappointingly surface level, relying only on mystery to drive the plot instead of character development. Time travel is more exciting than memory loss! In the end, I was not sure what the author’s overall message was about tradwives or feminism. Surely it is too reductive to assume the message is that tradwives are crazy.

All in all, though I was disappointed in the ending, I would still recommend this book. I could not put it down, and it definitely makes the reader think about a lot of topics related to gender in society. I would especially recommend it for a book club, as Yesteryear certainly leads to interesting discussions!

This review was written by Volunteer Manager Caroline Croghan.

Birthdays

Sudha Bhat - 11/14
Karen Bilak - 11/16

Test Your Brain

Can you spot the differences in these photos?

Answer Key

Events and Educational Resources

Safety Planning with Pets
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
3-4:15 p.m.

Safety planning is a critical step to finding freedom from domestic abuse, and the most effective plans consider the entire family—including pets. This webinar explores seven practical strategies for building pet-inclusive safety plans and meeting survivors where they are. Attendees will learn how to guide clients through pet-inclusive safety planning, update microchip information, determine whether pets can be included in protective orders, and help clients establish proof of pet ownership. Register.

DSVS Crisis Response Team Safety Planning Workshops
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6–8:30 p.m.

Join the Crisis Responses Services Team (Hotline and Hospital Accompaniment) for an interactive session focused on safety planning. We’ll go over strategies, resources, and practice case scenarios. Register.

Online Bystander Intervention for Greek Life and Campus Communities
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026
1– 2:30 p.m. (online)

In this free webinar, Sloan Thompson (EndTAB), Adam Dodge (EndTAB), and Priya Nakra (Override Labs) will highlight ways sororities, fraternities, and campuses can approach online bystander intervention, including: why group chats change the bystander equation, and what keeps people silent. Register.

Creating Safer Support for Jewish Survivors
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
Noon–2 p.m. (online)

Join JCADA's Director of Education and Community Impact, Lauren Wistreich, LMSW, for a conversation on supporting Jewish survivors of abuse and intimate partner violence. This program will explore the specific barriers Jewish survivors may face when seeking services, how victim service providers can offer culturally responsive and survivor-centered support, and the impact of current events on re-traumatization, healing, and resilience. Register.

Gender Diversity and Survivorship
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026
10 a.m.–4 p.m. (in-person)

This workshop will highlight unique considerations of trans and gender expansive survivors. With a historical lens, we will explore how to serve these survivors amidst reconciling with worldviews on the trans experience and the impact of politicization of their bodies. It will provide trauma-informed skills, share key strategies for survivor support, and engage participants in strategies to enhance services for trans/nonbinary people. We'll explore questions: How welcoming are our intake forms? How can our hotlines and services affirm all gender identities? What are the best practices for providing affirming services? What resources exist outside of our agencies to support trans and nonbinary survivors? Register.

Make a Note!

Please take a moment to log on to your Volunteer Management System (VMS) account and log your hours for the month of October. Please also log any time you spent on training under “volunteer training.” If you do not see this selection under your opportunities, please email Caroline Croghan, and she will log on to add it to your account.

Please enter your hours for each day you volunteered and not as a lump sum. If you need to log hours for a previous month, please email Caroline Croghan to let her know so she can be aware of the entry and expedite the approval process.

Parting Shot

Lynne Shapiro, Volunteer Manager Caroline Croghan, Dorothy Li, and Karen Bilak set up shop at VolunteerFest.

DSVS Wants You!

Interested in becoming a volunteer? Contact Caroline Croghan.

Check out past issues of Volunteer Voices.

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