Friday, April 25, 2014

The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence extends their gratitude

Hafa Adai Friday Guam!
 We would like to extend our gratitude to those who attended and participated in our conference for the past two days. We would like to thank Attorney Basil O'Mallan from the Office of the Attorney General, Capt. Ray Perez from the Guam Police Department, Jacob Perez and Attorney Mikaela Henderson from the Guam Public Defender Service Corporation, Dr. Karri Perez and Dr. Ansito Walter from the University of Guam, School of Business & Public Administration, and most especially to our off-island guests Ms. Olga Trujillo and Ms. Tracy Wright for their dedication and advocacy in Raising Awareness to KNOW MORE!


Thursday, April 17, 2014

Naval Base Guam – Victim Advocate Appreciation Luncheon


The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence (GCASAFV) would like to thank the Department of the Navy – Sexual Assault Response Prevention and Response program for extending the invitation to attend the Victim Advocate Appreciation Luncheon and would also like to congratulate those that received the Certified Victim Advocate Awards today:

CFAF DET AIMD/ASD
AZ1 Hughes-Batalla
LS2 Paredes
CRG-1
MA1 Trowbridge
MA2 Borgus
MA2 Ubiera
CSS-15
YNC Harris
EODMU-5
ITCS Hafer
ND2 Patterson
IS3 Peters
HSC-25
AM1 Maxson
AT3 Dvorak
JRM
SMSgt Felicia Simon
YN1 Batts
Navy Recruiting District
PSC Guardino
NAVFAC
LT Gutierrez
NAWMU-1
AO1 Blair
AS1 Boese
AO2 Montgomery

NBG
RPC Cleridor
YN1 Booth
MA2 Brown
MA2 Velez
MA 3 Williams
Ms. Marsea Lewis
Mr. Fernando Meave
NCTS
IT3 Hermosura
NMC EAD
IT2 Ehrs
NOSC
PS2 Gomez
NSWU-1
IT1 Scott
USNH
LT Debo-Trosclair
LT Helfrich
HM1 Calalo
HM1 Devera
HM1 Vegamora
LS2 Gutierrez
HM2 Isiorho
HM3 Lindstrom
HN Odegard
USS CHICAGO 
HM1 Eustaquiao
USS FRANK CABLE
ENC Rodriguez
HT1 Castillo-Figueras
ICI Kornexl
MM1 Rabago
GM2 Castellanos
EM2 Hannah
HT2 Lacaillde
BM2 Pena
EM3 Dalton
GM3 Doolin
MM3 Grant
ET3 Bishop 

USS OKLAHOMA
ET1 Goldy


Monday, April 14, 2014

How can we as a community prevent Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence?

The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence (GCASAFV) purpose is to address sexual assault and family violence issues with one united voice providing education, outreach and training regarding sexual assault and family violence. The goal of the Coalition is to achieve commitment in the community to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence, by identifying gaps in services to victims of sexual assault and family violence, as well as making recommendations for changes; speaking out so that victims of sexual assault and family violence on Guam can readily get the services that they need; building the capacity of organizations and networks through training and education in order to meet Guam’s sexual assault and family violence needs; and ensuring that voices of survivors of sexual assault and family violence guide the work of the Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence.

To prevent Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, we as a community need to work together to educate, prevent, and promote awareness on sexual assault and domestic violence. In order to prevent these things we must first understand its meaning. Sexual assault is a crime motivated to control, humiliate, and harm. Perpetrators use sexual assault as a weapon to hurt and dominate others. Sexual assault is forced or coerced sexual contact without consent. Consent is the presence of a clear “yes”, not the absence of a “no”.

Similarly, domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. These are manifested typically with violent and aggressive behaviors within the home involving the violent abuse of a spouse, partner, relative, or children.

As a community, we can prevent sexual assault and domestic violence by working collaboratively with local service agencies to improve the capacity of Guam in responding to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence through the expansion of informational resources available to stakeholders, both service agencies and the general public. In enhancing community outreach efforts and united awareness on sexual assault and domestic violence, engaging the community/public at large will achieve these objectives.  Awareness and education would also be effective in the high school level. 

We have to improve our capacity to collect data involving SA & DV cases to better understand the demographics of these incidences.  Better intervention would benefit by a clear identification of the causes of SA&DV.  Treatment and rehabilitation using programs such as the Batterer’s Intervention Program would also be beneficial.  Supporting parents through availability of parenting classes would help.


Ensuring that everyone is respected and treated equally should be part of the core of all of the community efforts.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence "Raising Awareness to KNOW MORE" Conference


The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault & Family Violence (GCASAFV) is pleased to announce its "Raising Awareness to KNOW MORE" Conference.

This conference will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 and repeated on Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Somnak Ballroom, Westin Resort Guam. Speakers and presenters will focus on the goal of raising community awareness to "kNOw MORE" about sexual assault and family violence.

Who should attend? Advocates in programs designed to address sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence; systems advocates; and community leaders engaged in efforts to ending the violence.

The Wednesday, April 23, sessions will be geared for those working in social services, law enforcement, judicial, and other faith-based and community-based organizations interested in knowing more about sexual assault and domestic violence.

The Thursday, April 24, sessions will be geared for those working closely with the Chuukese communities on Guam and for Chuukese community leaders and concerned community representatives. Chuukese interpreters will be available to summarize the presentations and facilitate the discussions.



Registration is free.

Seats are limited so please register early.

The deadline for registration is Monday, April 14, 2014.
Check-in will start 7:30 AM.


To Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/kNOwMORE