Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Book Review: Missoula – Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer is an investigative journalist who likes to embed himself in a situation to delve into the intricacies of a situation or experience.  In Missoula, Mr. Krakauer goes to Missoula, Montana to investigate the many systems and personalities that become involved when a rape allegation is made on a college campus.  I have heard interviews with Mr. Krakauer and he has stated that Missoula is not atypical.  He did not pick Missoula because it was different but because it was so similar to other college towns across the nation.
Jon does not leave any stone unturned in telling the stories of rape allegations in this college town that treats its football players as celebrities and heroes, granting the players a sense of entitlement that extends to the women who attend the college.  Mr. Krakauer interviews victims and family members and has access to interviews with the alleged rapists.  He also delves into the criminal justice system and campus investigative process and delineates how the allegations are handled differently in each setting. He is also explicitly describes the judicial process and how defense attorneys and prosecutors are often so concerned with winning that the victims and perpetrators often become pawns in the process, leaving victims to experience more trauma during and after the plea and/or trial process.
Jon Krakauer researched the impact of trauma on victims and is able to incorporate the work of Judith Herman, a clinical professor at Harvard and author of Trauma and Recovery, an important work on interpersonal violence and the trauma that occurs.  David Lisak, an expert on serial rapists and college sexual assault, is an expert witness for one of the trials in Missoula and Mr. Krakauer pulls from his research and expert testimony in order to describe the intricacies of understanding sexual assault.

Jon Krakauer’s greatest message in this book is that the refusal to hold perpetrators accountable is their greatest weapon and the justice systems’ greatest failure. 

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Reading Recommendations and Resources - Week of January 11, 2016

A lot of information came out this past week.  There should be something below for everyone including advocates, educators, and survivors.

Three information sheets from the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network for working with children and families affected by trauma.

Children with Traumatic Separation:

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/children_with_traumatic_separation_professionals.pdf

Sharing Power to Engage Children and Families:

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/sharingpower1_final.pdf

Sharing Power - A Tool for Reflection

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/sharingpower2_final.pdf

An article on traumatic brain injury and domestic violence:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/02/domestic-violence-tbi_n_7488168.html


An Education Writers' Association article  on how trauma affects a students ability to engage in the classroom.  If you read through the article you will find a link to a powerpoint that has some additional information.  I like this because of how it also discuss trauma's intersection with race and poverty.
http://www.ewa.org/blog-educated-reporter/when-grit-isnt-enough

Here is an article on boundaries that could be used in a support group:
http://www.susankingsleysmith.com/boundaries-not-what-we-allow-others-to-do/

An excellent article from the Joyful Heart Foundation on managing vicarious trauma and being kind to one's self.
http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/blog/bearing-witness-while-prioritizing-yourself

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Reading Recommendations Week of January 4, 2016

I have been lax in writing posts lately, but have been pondering how to send out all the information that comes across my desk from various resources.  There are many great articles that could be used to augment volunteer training and just provide general information on various topics regarding trauma, trauma responsive services, children and trauma, and working with survivors of intimate partner violence.  I have decided to start doing a weekly/bi-weekly digest that provides links to these various articles for you to browse through and pick and choose what you feel would be appropriate for you and your needs.  I hope this is useful for you.

This week's harvest is:

  A reminder that the period after the holidays is difficult for many people:  http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/4937489-181/suicides-peak-during-holidays-not

The importance of art for at-risk children:
http://www.trivalleycentral.com/trivalley_dispatch/health_and_wellness/making-art-helps-children-at-risk/article_c1343280-ae53-11e5-9f13-23d8b586ef01.html

https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2014/10/08/children-experience-early-childhood-trauma-just-get/

The problems with memory and sexual trauma:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/12/23/3606576/memory-and-sexual-trauma/

An excellent training for any educators you may know:
http://www.ciscentraltexas.org/resources/traumatraining/

A powerful story on the dangers of assuming a rape report is false:

Some self care ideas:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s160/sh/b38867c3-e564-4b1e-9028-ad1b57438ab7/843d284295cd7b56cc6e2827cd4724ac