October 22, 2020
Partners in Movement to End Sexual and Domestic Violence for 40 years!
Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse provides meaningful robust domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy, awareness, prevention and shelter services for Latah County, Idaho. We are extremely proud to call the beautiful Palouse region our home and are humbled as we celebrate our 40th anniversary of providing services to the region.
40 years strong, ATVP has been a reliable community resource for help, support, and community programing. Through our decades of work, we have held an unwavering commitment to remain relevant, be innovative, and responsive to survivor and community needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic pressed on these commitments. Like other programs nationwide, it posed barriers to services and required being nimble and adapting our delivery methods in a short amount of time. We took swift action and modified our services delivery modalities to ensure availability of crisis support and shelter. At the beginning of COVID-19, we paused in-person meetings, outreach, and prevention while making the transition to telecommuting. This was a temporary measure where advocacy was strictly provided on our hotline to maintain the health and safety of those we serve and our staff. While the pandemic continues, ATVP is offering all services again including in-person (with safety measures observed) or by using secure VAWA/VOCA compliant technologic solutions. This has allowed us to offer support groups and connect in new and exciting ways. Our shelter occupancy, however, remains reduced due to social distancing and safety considerations.
While streamlining services as best as possible, requests for services are rising. We know the pandemic continues to impact people’s livelihood, housing stability, financial stability and, for many, a reluctance or inability to seek services. The pandemic has also impacted many organizations that we collaborate with making it more difficult for us to spread our awareness, reach new clients, and utilize other community resources.
Despite Covid-19 disrupting ATVP’s ability to be active in the community offering presentations and outreach activities. Our creative and innovative team quickly pivoted and redesigned sexual assault awareness month activities that were in motion (moving them to online platforms). We have since continued to design and offer engaging awareness, outreach, and prevention virtually. We’ve participated and spoke at a handful of social distanced events, such as Take Back the Night held on the University of Idaho Campus and the City of Moscow Domestic Violence Month proclamation signing, but otherwise we maintain offering the bulk of these services virtually during the pandemic.
We are using our virtual presence to support service availability, as well as, for fostering community connection and resilience. For example, ATVP, as part of domestic violence awareness month developed a free fun family general virtual trivia night. It is an opportunity for the community at large to come together which was important to us in these isolating times. In between quiz rounds, ATVP inserts information about our services, healthy relationships, and self-care. It is an engaging format using compelling visuals and dynamic facilitation. We intend to provide trivia nights quarterly as one way of staying connected and reaching people who otherwise may not have known about ATVP services.
We continue to be in the zoom where it happened, too, and recently celebrated the updating of Latah County response protocols with our local MDT and presented them to the community at large. This was a culmination of months of collaborative work and serves to ensure that survivors will receive consistent response countywide!
We are honored to be a longstanding resource in our beloved community and to be in community with you all as we navigate these unprecedented times together.
-Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse
The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence is one of the leaders in domestic and sexual violence issues in the state, with member programs who serve survivors impacted by violence, as well as many partner organizations who support our work around these issues. The Idaho Coalition is troubled and concerned about the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court for multiple reasons relating to policy that will impact survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Overall, we oppose the nomination of Judge Barrett because it will limit survivors’ autonomy in healthcare and marriage.
First, Barrett disagrees with the 2012 ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We disagree with Judge Barrett on the importance of the ACA to protect survivor’s access to healthcare. Those who have experienced sexual violence have been able to receive care and health insurance through the ACA without having to worry about pre-existing conditions. This care includes physical and mental health care that allows victims to heal from a traumatic experience, as it is their right to do.
Second, Judge Barrett has said she favors overturning Roe v. Wade. We disagree with Judge Barrett on her reproductive rights stance. For those that have experienced sexual violence, they deserve to have autonomy over their body after experiencing violation and trauma. Sexual violence can result in pregnancy, and survivors need to have access to these reproductive health care options to promote self-sufficiency and healing. It should not be up to anyone else to determine if a survivor can have an abortion or emergency contraception, regardless of their personal beliefs around these options.
Last, Judge Barrett has signaled skepticism about same-sex marriage. We disagree with Judge Barrett on same-sex marriage, as we believe people who identify as LGBTQ+ should have autonomy over such an important life choice in partnership. The Idaho Coalition is intersectional, and we fully support victims’ and survivors who identify as LGBTQ+ to have equal rights as heterosexual individuals in marriage.
The Idaho Coalition opposes the nomination of Judge Barrett based on these reasons. Our concern first and foremost is survivors’ wellbeing and ability to access resources and familial support to help each survivor on their journey to healing. We do not believe Judge Barrett will foster healing and autonomy to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We urge the Senate to consider opposing Judge Barrett’s nomination and respectfully ask to not move forward with the process.
The Housing Preservation Program is aimed at helping renters affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic crisis. The Housing Preservation Program (HPP) is available only to Idaho renters and provides assistance not only for rent, but utilities as well.
If you know anyone who needs assistance, please share this information with them.
To learn more about the Housing Preservation Program and its eligibility requirements, click here or go to idahohousing.com/covid-19.
A call-line (1-855-452-0801) is available to applicants in need of assistance with submitting an application. You may be able to assist applicants by making a phone available for call line access, providing internet access, scanning documents and/or submitting documents to IHFA via fax.
The following resources are available for you when messaging your clients. If there is anything else we can provide to assist with this effort, please let us know by emailing marcomm@ihfa.org.
When
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 11:00 AM MDT
-to-
Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 1:00 PM MDT
Tać leeheyn oykalo.
Good day relatives,
All people are sacred and worthy of protection, justice, and wellness. During October, the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence will host Ti Novitawi Kocheukaakwe Virtual Conference Honoring Missing & Murdered Indigenous People.
Presented via Zoom, this conference will give advocates, criminal legal system personnel, policy makers, and educators the opportunity to explore the disproportionate rates of gender-based violence impacting Indigenous communities in Idaho and regionally. More critically, it will provide Indigenous informed solutions and response to better collaborate across agencies and sectors.
Community and tribal domestic and sexual violence program members can participate at no cost.
For any individual or organization that is unable to pay the registration fee, there is a zero-cost scholarship option immediately available upon registration.
Registration is now open, and specific session information will be updated as details are confirmed.
Click on the link below to register.
Registration is open!
We look forward to connecting with you for this transformative experience.
Qeci’yew’yew,
Tai Simpson
*** ALL material orders are currently on hold, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. ***
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