Hello Beth,

As we approach the end of the year, we are filled with gratitude—for this community, for the incredible progress we have made together over the past 12 months, and for each and every one of you. Thank you for your presence, your contributions of time and resources, and your commitment to our mission to support survivors and end sexual violence in Connecticut. 

We are especially thankful to everyone who supported us on Giving Tuesday! It was such a great example of collective action that makes an immediate difference—and it’s what we need to change the conversation around sexual violence.

Now, we are getting excited about new goals and ideas in 2023—and we are kicking off one of those initiatives right now! Welcome to The Alliance Newsletter—a new roundup of the big things happening here at The Alliance, and a look ahead at what’s to come. We can’t wait to share these newsletters with you throughout the new year, and we’re so glad to celebrate a successful 2022 with our first edition of the newsletter now. 

Happy Holidays! 

Beth Hamilton

Executive Director

Our Annual Breakfast was a huge success thanks to the support of so many sponsors, friends, donors, and volunteers. Thank you for helping us host a special celebration of the important work happening across our state. Together, we honored State Representative Liz Linehan, Ali Hagani, State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott, and the Brewers Guild for their commitment to ending sexual violence and supporting survivors. 

We are here to advocate for you. The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and our nine community-based sexual assault crisis centers provide unbiased, non-judgmental support, comprehensive education, and important information—all to help victims and survivors of sexual violence make the best decisions for themselves. Learn more about our advocacy work and get involved.

In addition to the 24/7 hotline, we now offer a crisis text and chat line for victims and survivors to connect with advocates. This important resource creates even more channels for people in need of support to connect immediately with trained volunteers and professionals. Survivors can text 888-999-5545 or access the chat line via endsexualviolencect.org. 

We encourage you to share this new resource with your community by posting on social media. Please feel free to use the below graphic and the associated caption to share the text and chat line with your network!

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, The Alliance is here for you. Our new text and chat line makes it easy to connect with an advocate now. Text 888-999-5545 or access the chat line via endsexualviolencect.org. 

It’s a common myth that child sexual abuse is committed by strangers. In fact, 91% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child knows and trusts—like a family member or a friend. As parents or caregivers, keep an open line of communication with your children and encourage honesty, even about hard topics—and reach out to your local member center to learn how to spot warning signs, access counseling and support, bring education programs to your school or workplace, or connect with an advocate.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence or needs support, The Alliance is here to help. Call or text 888-999-5545 or visit endsexualviolencect.org

The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence is deeply concerned about a dangerous tactic that individuals, organizations, and media are using to motivate anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation, policies, and violence in the United States: weaponizing language from the anti-sexual violence field, including “grooming” and “pedophile,” to paint LGBTQ+ people, and education about gender, sexuality, and the existence of the LGBTQ+ community, as inherently dangerous to children. We resolutely reject this rhetoric and call on our colleagues and allies in the fight to end sexual violence to do the same.

Jessbeerme hosted a summit focused on women in the beer industry in October, with proceeds supporting our work and a scholarship for women in brewing. In an event focused on craft beer, the organizers also made space to discuss advocacy and resources for women. We are grateful for their community-centric work and commitment to ending sexual violence.

As we wrap up another great year, we’re asking our friends to go All In to end sexual violence—by making a donation, committing to educating themselves, or speaking up on behalf of survivors. What does All In mean to you? Make a commitment to making a difference at endsexualviolencect.org/donate. Then share our mission by sharing this email!