In this month's newsletter, we cover:

• Goodbye 2023, Hello 2024!
• January Dates to Remember
• Membership Renewal
• 2023 Conference Recordings
• Engaging Men Training & Technical Assistance Request Form
• Upcoming Trainings, Events, & Meetings
• OAESV in the News
• OAESV Job Board
• Community Corner

Hello 2024!

The new year is here, and we can't wait to keep supporting survivors and inching closer to our goal of an Ohio free from sexual violence!

What lessons did 2023 teach you? How did you deal with adversity, celebrate victories, and build resilience? What goals do you want to achieve in 2024? Share with us at communications@oaesv.org!

May this new year reinvigorate your enthusiasm for creating a world free of violence. We're excited to see what we can accomplish together in 2024!

There's no better way to welcome in the new year than taking stock of where we came from, and thinking about where we are going. Listen as Shandra Ingram, OAESV's Vice President of Operations, guides us on the journey we have taken together in 2023, and what we can look forward to in 2024.

What topics do you want us to dive deeper into in 2024? What questions do you have? What guest would you love for us to bring on? Share with us at communications@oaesv.org!

January Dates to Remember

Stalking Awareness Month 

January 2024 marks the 20th annual National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM), an annual call to action to recognize and respond to the serious crime of stalking. Nearly 1 in 3 women stalked by an intimate partner were also sexually assaulted by that partner. 

Human Trafficking Awareness Month / Wear Blue Day 

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role it can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (Jan. 11)

In recognition of this important day, and throughout the month of January, Blue Campaign hosts several special events and educational activities. Blue Campaign's largest initiative is #WearBlueDay on January 11th.

Orthodox Christmas (Jan. 7)

Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas Day on January 7, according to the Julian calendar.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15)

To mark the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. OAESV offices are closed on this day in observance.

Join Us!

Now is the time to join or renew your Individual, Affiliate or Rape Crisis Center membership with OAESV for 2024 member benefits and access to trainings, events, announcements, and more.

If you renew during this special membership renewal period between December 2023 - February 15, 2024, even if you are an Individual or Affiliate Member and your annual renewal date has not yet occurred, you will receive additional OAESV branded gifts and a membership welcome package.

Learn about our membership tiers and how to renew by visiting our membership page.

2023 Conference Recordings

While you eagerly await our 2024 conference, you can catch what you missed in 2023! For just $75, you can snag access to almost all of the conference's sessions. Plus, you'll even get a certificate for continuing education! Don't let this opportunity pass you by to continue your professional development.

Engaging Men Training & Technical Assistance Request Form

OAESV's Engaging Men initiative offers training and technical assistance (TTA), support, and professional development opportunities throughout the state of Ohio on sexual violence. Now, requesting trainings and technical assistance is easier than ever!

Click here or visit oaesv.org/EngagingMenTTA to request training, share your TA needs, submit questions for Engaging Men Q&A, and access our engaging men resource.

We provide training and support on the topics of: engaging men and boys who experience sexual assault and sexual trauma; providing best practice sexual assault and abuse services to men; masculinity and violence; men's health; engaging men and youth in violence prevention; systems of power and control; and other related topics. 

We can provide one-on-one support with advocates and members as they support survivors, crisis centers, and community-based organizations. All trainings and other TA can be provided either in-person or virtual and/or teleconferencing upon request.

Mark Your Calendars!

Save the Date: Advocacy Day!

Advocacy Day will be held on Tuesday, April 30th, 2024. We are excited to host the event on a strategic day in Columbus at the Ohio Statehouse. Lawmakers are typically downtown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which will mean more meetings with your lawmakers!

Join us to advocate for survivor-centered legislation! More details and registration information coming soon.

Contact Emily at publicpolicy@oaesv.org with questions. 

Save the Date: Annual Conference!

Sparking Collective Action 🎇 June 25-27, 2024

Save those dates on your calendar and get excited for another 2.5 days of incredible speakers, workshops, identity-based affinity groups, self-care, and more! Registration information will go live via email, social media, and on our website at oaesv.org/conference. Stay tuned!

Did you know our members get discounted registration to our conference? Join or renew your membership today!

Ohio Campus Coalition for Advocates and Preventionists



Don't forget to register for our January OCCAP meeting! Registration closes tonight at 11:59pm, so visit oaesv.org/calendar to kick off the year by connecting with campus advocates and preventionists across the state.

Survivor Storytelling Workshops

We are launching our second set of rural survivor storytelling workshops for December through January! Survivors can choose what story they want to tell, and how they want to tell it. This workshop is for Ohio residents, only.

To learn more or express interest, email storytelling@oaesv.org.

Legal Clinic Virtual Office Hours

The OAESV Legal Clinic's virtual office hours for schedule for 2024 is live! These hours allow survivors to discuss legal options, connect with resources, and/or have a brief consultation. 

January hours are:

• The 11th from 12 to 2pm
• The 23rd from 4 to 6pm

Please call or text 216-282-1559 to connect. 

Developing and Supporting 'Men as Survivors' Support Groups

This 2-day in-person training provided by Kenton Kirby and Diana Thomas from Men Healing will cover best practices for engaging and retaining male survivors in support groups. The second day includes a workshop where facilitators provide coaching on creating effective group curriculums for men in healing spaces. Attendees can receive coaching and workshop support on their current resources and engaging men curriculum.

OAESV in the News

OAESV's Job Board

Are you or someone you know looking for employment? There are many open positions at rape crisis centers, sexual violence coalitions, and other allied organizations in Ohio and beyond! Please visit oaesv.org/employment and share with your networks.

To post a job opportunity, please email Laurie Hamame, lhamame@oaesv.org

Community Corner

Want to add a message to our newsletter? Please email Laurie Hamame at Lhamame@oaesv.org at least 7 days prior to the first of the month with the details of your message request. Examples include event invitations and calls for proposals.

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-22-GG-00917-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.