Summit Report (Part 1)

On Sunday June 20th 2010 there was the first national Summit held of the Survivors of Sexual Abuse.

It was a fabulous, emotional, scary, inspiring and necessary event.

This is Part (1) of my commentary on the materials and resources I discovered through attending the Summit. (I really wanted to have finished all of this as one by now, but to be honest, I haven't been travelling that well, things got a bit much and I ended up acting out over the weekend, so am still trying to deal with my shame around that and of course, to get through the day)
Part (2) which I'm still working on will be about my own feelings during the day, the lecturers speaking at the Summit and also my experience speaking in front of the Review Panel for the Independent Clinical Review of the Sensitive Claims Pathway for ACC

So in the foyer there was several tables and stations covering a range of topics, below is my words on what I saw was available (unless quoted otherwise), if I have commented on something in error, or if you have further information on any of what I'm discussing it would be great if you wanted to add it as a comment, the more information the better right? Information is Power, and empowerment is where it's at, I reckon!


..........SOSA NZ - Survivors of Sexual Abuse New Zealand
SOSA NZ is a Charitable Trust that was established on 8th June 2010
This is a excerpt taken from the brochure 'First National Survivors of Sexual Abuse Summit June 20, 2010':
"SOSA NZ is a charitable trust that has the aim to provide education, support, information, advocacy, and engage in activities that assist survivors of sexual abuse in their recovery. The intention is to operate nationwide.
This inaugural national summit/hui is the first project of SOSA NZ and it is hope that many similar projects will follow. Further projects will be decided by the membership of SOSA NZ."
There are too many people (and I'd hate to miss someone) for me to start trying to list and thank all the wonderful people involved in organising the Summit, but it seems clear from looking at the Trust Deed that 3 integral people involved in the formation are Gudrun Frerichs, Christine Hatcher, and Tania Blomfield. So a big BRAVO to these women from me!
Like alot of wonderful services in New Zealand it's seems as if a large part of the future of SOSA NZ and what they are able to achieve will be about the financial resources they can make use of, there was lots of discussion on the day of how wonderful it would be to make it a annual event, and how awesome it would be to have it all of the main cities. So membership is possible by clicking here and downloading a membership form, for the very low price of $10 it is possible to support and be involved.
Contact Details: newzealandsosa@gmail.com


..........Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP
The wonderful staff were not only on hand with a table full of pamphlets, booklets, info-factsheets, etc, but I also have to say that through out the day I met at least four of HELP's staff member's volenteering to be there for the day, some were wearing 'two hats', as a volenteer, and also there as a Survivor themselves.
As I say I have a whole bundle of stuff that I grabbed from their table, when I was having a chat I told them about my blog and that hopefully I would be able to write a posting about the Summit with listing some of the resources that I found, so that way anyone reading who wanted to attend, and couldn't, maybe there might be something little somewhere in my post that give them a new angle to try to help themselves. Anyway, then they really started giving me heaps of stuff!
So obviously I can't reproduce all their literature below, but I am going to write a list of the names of the pamphlets & brochures, if there is anything that think might help you, I'm sure that HELP can probably post you out the info.
- Survivors of Recent Sexual Assault (pamphlet)
- Privacy - what we do with the things you tell us (pamphlet)
- Caregiver Support For Parents Of Young People - This pamphlet is for caregivers who are supporting a daughter following a sexual assault or disclosure of ongoing sexual abuse. (pamphlet)
- Court Preparation Services - provided to assist women and adolescent girls who have survived sexual abuse and are about to enter the court process (pamphlet)
- Telephone Services (pamphlet)
- Counselling for Survivors - a guide to services available for women and children who have experienced rape and/or sexual abuse either historically or recently. It may also be useful for family and friends who are supporting survivors of sexual violence(pamphlet)
- For SURVIVORS of Childhood Sexual Abuse (pamphlet)
- Understanding Flashbacks - (no description here but just a note from me, I took some time to sit down on the day and read over this one, it might sound weird but in a way I found it validating to read things about them, when sometimes my flashbacks make me doubt my own sanity, this is a good one, worth getting a copy with re-assuring language and easy to understand good tips) (factsheet)
- Information for Friends, Family, and Partners - 'What is Rape?' (factsheet)
- The Ripple Effects of Sexual Abuse - Impacts on Survivors and Families, How to Help (Booklet, Written & compiled by Victoria Weedon for Sexual Abuse HELP)
- One Path Ahead - Reporting the Abuse/Assault (Booklet, Written & compiled by Victoria Weedon for Sexual Abuse HELP)
- Understanding Sexual Abuse - Who, Why, How? (Booklet, Written & compiled by Victoria Weedon for Sexual Abuse HELP)

The last 3 Booklets listed I was told have only just recently been put together. My impression is that they are of a very high standard being between 26-30 pages in each. I myself haven't managed to read all of them yet, as it gone back to me being triggered as easily as I was 2 or 3 years ago, and the following process of managing my triggers is not as good either (just writing that want to cry in frustration and shame in myself at my deterioration of coping abilities, anyway I'll take a break now and then come back to it) but the couple of pages I have managed to read seemed very HELPful!

Contact Details:
Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation
Ph: (09) 6231700 (24 hours) Fax: (09) 6231296
Email: crisisteam@sexualabusehelp.org.nz
Web: www.asah.org.nz


..........stop
.........demand.
This is a pamphlet that I picked up on the day. After the day I had a chance to sit down and really read the pamphlet and I went on to look at the website. The best way to explain this Foundation is to quote from their own words:

"Vision
To live in a world free of sexual violence and sexual exploitation
Mission
To promote a world free of all forms of sexual violence against, and sexual exploitation of, children with a particular focus on challenging the demand for sex with children
Objectives
Stop Demand
Raises public awareness on the extent of all forms of sexual violence against children
Calls for global action to stop all forms of sexual violence against children
Addresses demand issues within the child sex trade and other forms of sexual violence against children
Works with government, inter-governmental and non-governmental agencies to stop sexual violence against children
Mobilizes the community, in particular the male community, to stop all forms of sexual violence against children"

It looks like a fantastic organisation that is really focused about PREVENTION (remember Prevention is better than Cure!)
Contact Details are: www.stopdemand.org or action@stopdemand.org


..........CELEBRATE RECOVERY
This is an organisation that I previously had not heard of before the Summit. They had a display table with quite a large range of literature (pamphlets) available. There was also a person attending the table who was really lovely to talk to, and said they had been a member of one of these groups for many years, and testified to the benefits. It looks as if it is 12 Step based a strong community group support element. I have copied this quote from their website:

"The Celebrate Recovery ministry seeks to see people grow spiritually and be freed from their hurts, hang-ups and habits.
Celebrate Recovery supports people to be freed from their addictions by encouraging fellowship and celebrating God’s healing power in their lives as they work their way along the road to recovery.
It is designed to help people:
seeking recovery and accountability in areas such as anger, anxiety, depression, eating issues, sexual impurity; or
hurting from things done to them in the past or things they have done to others; or
needing an outlet for pain or grief they are suffering."

For further enquiries contacts:
Libby Hunt, Massey Community Trust
8 Vadam Road, Massey, Auckland
info@celebraterecovery.co.nz


..........Women's Bookshop
Ah, there was tables virtually heaving with some excellent books. I spotted a few that I already owned and were firm favourites. They had everything from the classics like 'The Courage To Heal' to book's by New Zealand authors like 'Surviving and Moving On: For Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (revised ed.)' by Kim McGregor. I actually tried to not spend too much time browsing (15mins) because it was torture seeing all these excellent helpful books and knowing I couldn't afford any on the day. BUT there were several titles that I will be able to look out for in the future. I couldn't really begin to list all the different aspects of Abuse and Recovery that there were books about, but if you can think of it I can pretty much guarantee that the Women's Bookshop has a book about it. Just as an aside I have been into their shop on Ponsonby Road and have always felt very comfortable and safe, not only browsing but also in asking the staff all manner of questions to help find what I am looking for. Even though I couldn't afford to buy on the day it was a pleasant surprise to see they were present at the Summit. The great thing about The Women's Bookshop is for all those out of Auckland (or like me, and maybe not able to get out of the house so much at the mo) they also have a well set-up online store.

Contact Details:
105 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, AUCKLAND
books@womensbookshop.co.nz
Monday-Friday 10.00am to 6.00pm
Saturday & Sunday 10.00am to 5.00pm
Ph:+64 9 376 4399 Fax +64 9 376 4365


Ok, so that is the limit of what I managed to pick up on the day from the different tables. I know that there was more info there that I didn't manage to grab, one group I know had some info there but I didn't seem to end up with anything is:

..........ECPAT International - End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and ..........Trafficing of Children for Sexual Purposes
I don't know a huge amount about this organisation but from a quick look at their website it looks like they do some amazing work all over the world.
"Vision
Realisation of the right of all children to live free of child prostitution, child pornography and child trafficking for sexual purposes.
Mission
ECPAT International is a global network of organisations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes. It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation."

Apologies to any organisations I have missed in my Part(1) attempt of covering some of the info from the Summit. I hope that there will be further Unity gained through these avenues and connections. And like I said previously, really appreciate any gaps in the information I've written above.

Sometime in the coming days (hopefully days, not weeks) I'll publish Part(2).
Thanks for all the extra support over the last week. I don't know where to start with where my head is at right now, so I'm just going to publish this post (FINALLY! it's been a work in progress for a week now! that's right, has taken a WHOLE week just to write the above, would you believe I used to be able to do a 2000 word essay the night before it was due and still get at least a B+).