Transitioning Times

Nicole Chaiko, Alpha Chi Omega VP Philanthropy; Susan Mathias, Transitions CEO; Ayla Rauhala, VP Finance; and Jessica Abruzzese, Chapter President.  Alpha Chi Omega’s annual spring philanthropy event, Alpha Male, was held on March 28th  in Davis Gym. The event was hosted by Alpha Chi’s Philanthropy Chair, Nicole Chaiko, and Gabby Dubose, Assistant VP of Philanthropy. Alpha Male is a comedic male beauty pageant in which men from the fraternities on campus compete for the prestigious title of Alpha Male. The contestants were evaluated by a biography/introduction, interview, swimwear, and talent section. Some of the talents of the contestants this year included playing the saxophone, dancing, singing, and rollerblading.  Thirty percent of the proceeds from this event were awarded to the winning chapter, Kappa Sigma, and donated to the philanthropy of their choice. The remaining seventy percent was donated to Alpha Chi Omegas local philanthropy, Transitions of PA, ...

What’s that song you’re listening to?’ ‘Who sings it?’ These are common questions we ask the people around us or search the internet to discover. But how often do we ask, ‘What is this song about ?’ Every day people are exposed to music at home, in the car on the way to/from work or children’s activities, at stores, in the community. We don’t even pay much attention to most of it, and yet we can find ourselves humming or singing along with friends, family, or children, not really knowing what messages we may be endorsing by joining in on those catchy tunes and repeated refrains. In recent years, there has been much media attention given to this question about the messages contained in both lyrics and corresponding videos. A few years ago people were talking about Robin Thicke’s ‘ Blurred Lines ’, featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams, which repeats the phrase, ‘You know you want it.' Lyrics like this perpetuate the idea that someone else has the right to tell you, when you...

Studies show that as many as one in four girls and one in six boys will experience sexual abuse by the age of 18.  Nine out of ten child abuse victims know the abuser.  Child sexual abuse can have long-lasting impacts on the victim, including behavior problems, poor school performance, and substance use.  April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Transitions of PA and  Susquehanna Valley CASA – Voices for Children have partnered to bring Matthew Sandusky, adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, to the Lewisburg Area High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.  Matthew will share a message of hope as he talks about his journey of healing to support and encourage others.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.  This event is free to the public, but registration is required.  Tickets are available by visiting www.transitionsofpa.org . Matthew is the 2015 recipient of Darkness to Light’s Voice of Courage A...

I recently came across an article that documented the finding of a chip inside a trafficking victim. This chip was used to store the victim’s name, date of birth, and other information. The device is similar to ones people use to put in their pets, in case they get lost (Love, 2016).              As someone who is passionate about trafficking survivors and ending human trafficking, I have read a lot of stories and tactics that traffickers use. I have heard about traffickers using physical or sexual harm to keep their victims under their control or even tattoos to brand their victims. This, however, was a first for me. I had never heard of a trafficker using a device like this. This shows me the absolute devaluing of a human being, for the trafficker’s gain. Not only is it possible to buy a human being for less than $90 these days, but you can also keep a chip in them with their information in case they would try to escape...

In today’s technology-driven world, many people turn to their smartphones when they have questions. Even more specifically, people may be turning to their phone’s smart assistant, such as Siri or Cortana to aid in this search.  Earlier this month, the Journal of American Medical Association published a study about these conversational agents and their responses to mental health, interpersonal violence, and physical health.   Apple has changed Siri’s responses to rape and abuse to provide the hotline number and website of RAINN.   RAINN’s national hotline number links locally to Transitions. There is still some work to be done, though.  Siri recognizes the word rape, but does not recognize phrases about not wanting to have sex, and someone having sex with you anyway.  As the survivor states in this article , many survivors struggle to name what happened to them as rape, or even abuse. Siri also does not offer to call RAINN, like it does for other com...

It’s almost time! In case you didn't know, our Northumberland County Safe House is relocating. We are moving from our current location into Shamokin, where it will be easier for our clients to access our services.  The safe house will accommodate more families with children, and we will also have an accessible bedroom for people with disabilities. If you would like to help make our new safe house a comfortable place for our clients' stay, you can donate to our safe house shower .  Transitions is registered at both Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.   We look forward to serving our community in our new location!

Domestic violence is not gender specific. There is often a preconceived notion that abuse only happens to women. However, statistics show that 1 in 7 men has been the victim of   severe  physical violence by an intimate partner in his lifetime . Of course, domestic violence is not limited to physical violence. Other forms of domestic violence against men include verbal abuse, belittling, possessiveness, jealousy, controlling and/or manipulative behaviors, and isolation. There are many reasons men won’t disclose violence in their relationship or leave an abusive partner. Due to gender roles imposed by society, men who experience domestic violence feel ashamed because they believe they are not fitting into the quintessential role of “protector” and “provider”.  Abuse to men is often minimized because society has created a culture that believes a man should be able to protect himself. Men also may not disclose because they fear losing custody of their children or they a...