Transitioning Times

Looking to help out Transitions, but you're not sure how?  Below is a list of some much-needed items for the shelters: New infant car seat 3 blow dryers that can be attached to a wall Single and Full sized blankets, comforters, and sheets Towels, washcloths Dishrags Disinfecting Wipes Call the administration office, at 523-1134, to schedule a donation drop off or pick up.  Thank you!

Come to the Bull Run Inn on Tuesday, December 27th (tentatively 8-11PM) and support Averie Clark:   cool blue , and Transitions! Averie Clark: cool blue is well known in the greater Susquehanna River valley for performances that connect with a variety of audiences. Fueled by the amazing musicicanship of Don Krech, guitar(s), Bill Flack, bass, Steve Mitchell, drums, and Tom Martin, harmonica, Averie's intuitive stylings channel the essence of each tune, offering inspired interpretations of songs from the 1890's to today. The performance benefits Transitions as Averie's tribute to her dear friend who was a victim of a domestic murder suicide. This December they would've been celebrating their 50th birthdays together.

This week, there was an outcry based upon ads from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board , encouraging people to “Control Tonight.”  There have been many articles and arguments about the victim-blaming that the PLCB engaged in.  I believe many of these writers are more eloquent than I, and encourage you to read those articles.  However, I wanted to add my voice because of the anger that I experienced when I visited www.controltonight.com .  Upon entrance to the website, you are taken to an interactive scenario, starting with the “end” of the night, specifically, the consequences that the individual or friend faced due to imbibing.  This screen said:   "Sexual Assault: That’s what Anne’s attorney will call it a month from now. She said no, but he kept going. And now, your friend is on his bathroom floor, bruised and victimized.”   The website allows the user to “See how you could have prevented this.”   As a diligent web-...

Shared Hope International has recently completed a project called Protected Innocence, based on research performed by Shared Hope International and compiled in “The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking.”  This project gives grades to states for their response to domestic minor sex trafficking, as well as providing suggestions for policy changes.  The Federal  Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) has made sex trafficking of a minor a crime.   Federal law defines sex trafficking as the “recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.” When considering the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking, under the TVPA, the victim’s age is the critical issue—there is no requirement to prove that force, fraud, or coercion was used to secure the victim’s actions if the victim is a minor.  This is key because many minor sex traffickers do not need to use force or coercion.  The vi...

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS , at the end of 2010, 34 million people worldwide are living with HIV.  Globally, the percentage of women living with HIV has held steady at 50%, but in sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage is 59%.  On December 1 st , World AIDS Day, we at Transitions would like to remind you of the intersection of HIV/AIDS infection and violence against women and girls.  Due to the biology of their genitalia, females are twice as likely as males to contract HIV from unprotected heterosexual intercourse.  There are a great many situations, both domestically and abroad, where women and girls do not have the power to negotiate safe sex practices or to refuse sex. Women who are victims of sexual violence are at an increased risk of HIV exposure.  They do not have control over a nonconsensual sexual encounter.  Whether the perpetrator uses a condom or not, what type of intercourse they engage in, who the pe...

Message from PCAR: Representative Dan Deasy has introduced legislation (HB 1999) that would require an individual who witnesses or an individual who is told by a direct witness about a sexual crime against a child to report it to law enforcement.  Failure to report could result in a third degree felony charge (currently the failure to report is a misdemeanor). See Rep. Deasy's webpage for the news release:   http://www.pahouse.com/PR/027110911.asp

“Forensic Nurses play an integral role in bridging the gap between law and medicine. They should be in each and every emergency room"  -Joseph Biden, Vice President, United States from Forensic Nursing: a Handbook for Practice Pictured:  Darlene Rowe, Director of Emergency Medicine; Lindsey Biddle, Critical Care Instructor and SANE nurse; and Tara R., Medical/Legal Advocate On November 9, 2011, Transitions was pleased to present the forensic nurses at Evangelical Hospital with a plaque and a bouquet of flowers in honor of Forensic Nurses Week . Evangelical Hospital is the only medical facility in Snyder, Union, and Northumberland counties where there is a SANE program. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners practice a form of forensic nursing. There are currently three nurses, Hannah, Lindsey, and Rachel, who, in addition to their regular duties, perform on-call duties, coming into the hospital whenever a sexual violence victim is admitted. They give their time and en...

Senator Bob Casey has become a co-sponsor of The Stop Abuse for Every Teen Act (S. 1447), which will increase federal funding for prevention and education programs and support practices to test prevention models. As reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention : 1 in 11 teens reports being a victim of physical dating violence each year. 1 in 4 reports verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence each year. Approximately 8% of boys and 9% of girls have been to the emergency room for an injury received from dating violence. These statistics are staggering and a change needs to happen. The SAFE Teen Act will add on to an existing program, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program , to include dating violence. Many teens live with the devastating effects of dating violence and feel it is okay. Let’s provide them with the tools to see the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Education is the best path toward pre...

Recently, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) reintroduced a critical piece of legislation that would change this dire situation. H.R. 3151, the Domestic Violence Leave Act , updates current law to allow workers recovering from domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking to take unpaid sick days to seek medical attention, legal assistance, and counseling during work hours. I urge you to  contact your Member of Congress to pass the Domestic Violence Leave Act today. October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month just ended but violence against women and girls occurs every day of the year. In tough economic times, when the frequency of violence increases, victims without unpaid sick days must make a sobering choice between financial security and personal health. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, victims of intimate partner violence lose 8 million days of work every year- which amounts to 32,000 full-time jobs.  Please contact your Mem...

Pennsylvania citizens look to the law for lots of reasons. Most of the time, when people call our hotline, they are exasperated. They have already tried to stop the abuse on their own; they’ve talked to friends, neighbors, colleagues, and sometimes even court personnel looking for answers. “My roommate flipped out yesterday and came at me!” “The grandfather of my baby keeps calling me and won’t stop.” “My neighbor has started harassing me and my children.” “My rapist moved into my neighborhood and tried to talk to me.” What can they do? Often, people in the above situations are referred to get a PFA (Protection From Abuse order). These people are met with disappointment. Protection from Abuse orders can only be filed by people who are related by consanguinity (blood) or affinity (marriage), current or former sexual or intimate partners (have or had a dating relationship), persons who share biological parenthood, or current or former spouses or people who lived as spouses. Th...

Please see this urgent message from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape: In light of alarming statistics related to physical and emotional bullying, the Pennsylvania Senate has marked October 2011 as "Bullying Awareness Month," encouraging schools and parents to talk with youth about bullying—and in particular, cyberbullying. Often characterized as harmless by youth who don't have to interact with their peers on a face-to-face basis, cyberbullying can cause as much emotional pain and trauma as its physical counterpart. PA Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R-12) proposes to address cyberbullying through Senate Bill 850 , which would assure that youth who engage in intentionally harmful behavior toward their peers receive court intervention and that youth who are victims of cyberbullying are not criminalized, thereby sparing them from further emotional harm. Conversely, House Bill 815 —which Juvenile Law Center opposes, and which is in the Senate Judiciary Committee—c...