Local expert discusses Jackson County situation Sunday on Zoom

Why aren’t sexual violence and relationship violence gone from our society? A Jackson County expert with 30-plus years of experience helping survivors of sexual violence will talk about risks, social norms, and stereotypes that encourage sexual violence during a Zoom presentation Sunday, Feb. 13.

Susan Moen, executive director and co-founder of the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), will also outline programs and strategies for prevention of harm.

The talk is part of a series of speakers hosted by The Jefferson Center, a local nonprofit focused on critical thinking using humanist values to understand and engage with issues important to our community in the spirit of Jeffersonian ideals of rational inquiry and disciplined thought.

SART provides direct services to survivors of sexual violence and brings sexual violence prevention classes into K-12 schools, businesses and community groups.

For decades, prevention work focused on teaching women (always women) to change their behaviors in order to lessen their risk of assault: “how not to get raped,” “personal safety” and “risk reduction.” Recently there has been a move toward changing social norms and stereotypes that allow or even encourage sexual violence.

What does prevention work look like in the Rogue Valley?  What are the goals and strategies of these programs? What do we know now about causes as well as impacts? What can we do personally and as a community? Where is resistance to change? Did COVID-19 change anything?

The Zoom presentation and discussion is set for 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13. To attend virtually, go to thejeffcenter.org and click on the title of this event on the home page.

Source: News release from The Jefferson Center. Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at betling@ashland.news, or call him at 541-631-1313.