NYSCADV hosted its 10th Annual Primary Prevention Summit in Schenectady, NY, bringing together advocates, educators, and preventionists from across the state. This multi-day event highlighted innovative strategies and promising practices for preventing gender-based violence and fostering safer communities.
Day 1 Highlights: Setting the Stage for Prevention
The Summit began with opening remarks from NYSCADV’s Executive Director, Connie Neal, and Director of Prevention, Lorien Castelle, emphasizing the transformative power of primary prevention in stopping violence before it starts.
Lorien Castelle and consultant Rus Funk presented a foundational session introducing NYSCADV’s primary prevention toolkit. They explored frameworks for mobilizing men in gender-based violence prevention and strategies for integrating prevention principles into practice.
Day 2 Highlights: Partnerships and Progress
Day 2 opened with remarks from our event funders, Bill Schaefer of the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and Rachel Wilson from the NYS Department of Health, who underscored the importance of funding and partnerships in advancing prevention initiatives.
The day featured impactful plenary sessions and workshops led by national thought leaders, local providers, and community partners:
Plenary Sessions
Advancing Prevention through a Health Equity Lens
Presenter: Virginia Duplessis, Associate Director of Health at Futures Without Violence
Virginia explored how systems of oppression exacerbate health disparities and proposed a health equity framework to guide gender-based violence prevention efforts. This session emphasized the need to address structural inequities to ensure survivor well-being and self-determination.
Roots, Equity, and Liberation: Unpacking the Layers to Create Thriving Communities
Presenter: Arlene Vassell, Founding Director of TooREL Institute for Social Change
Arlene’s session challenged participants to confront personal and systemic biases, offering strategies to disrupt inequitable power structures and foster inclusive, thriving communities.
Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Celebration of Progress in IPV Prevention
Presenter: Ashleigh Klein-Jimenez, MPA, Director of Prevention at ValorUS
Ashleigh celebrated decades of progress in intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention, reflecting on lessons learned and energizing participants for future advancements.
Workshops
Attendees chose from diverse workshops that covered emerging topics and practical strategies, including:
Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence (Parts 1 & 2)
Presenter: Sloan Thompson, EndTAB
Explored the evolving landscape of online abuse, from nonconsensual image sharing to AI-driven harms, and strategies to prevent and address these challenges.
Partnering to Provide Safety and Support for Teens
Presenters: Courtney Hyland & Vimarsha Sital, The Retreat
Focused on promoting healthy relationships among teens through engaging tools and community-driven strategies.
Impact of Viewing Pornography: Implications for Preventing Gender-Based Violence
Presenter: Rus Funk, MSW, CSE
Addressed how mainstream pornography shapes harmful perceptions and behaviors and offered strategies to engage men in preventing gender-based violence.
RACK: Exploring Healthy Kink Dynamics
Presenter: Sara Miller-Hornick aka Miss Couple
Introduced participants to frameworks for distinguishing consensual kink from abuse, with tools to assess power dynamics and ensure safety.
Integrating Health Advocacy into Domestic and Sexual Violence Programs
Presenter: Virginia Duplessis, Futures Without Violence
Provided actionable tools for embedding health equity principles into survivor advocacy and program design.
Innovative Strategies for Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
Presenter: Ashleigh Klein-Jimenez, ValorUS
Highlighted practical approaches to IPV prevention that intersect with social justice movements, including economic and reproductive justice.
Roots, Equity & Liberation: Strategies for Fostering Thriving Communities
Presenter: Arlene Vassell, TooREL Institute for Social Change
This interactive workshop extended the conversation on racial equity, offering tools for creating safe, inclusive environments.
A Shared Vision for Prevention
We thank all presenters, attendees, and our state partners, including the NYS Department of Health and NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, for their invaluable contributions. Together, we advanced the conversation on primary prevention and reaffirmed our collective commitment to creating a safer, healthier future for all. This Summit showcased the power of collaboration and innovation, laying a strong foundation for progress in preventing violence and promoting equity across New York State.
Acknowledgment of Funders
Support for the 2024 Prevention Summit is made possible by a grant from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services which administers funds from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women OVW STOP Formula Grant Program (15JOVW-23-GG-00593-STOP); and by funding from Health Research Inc. (HRI) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Division of Family Health by Cooperative Agreement Number, 6 NUF2CE002560, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRI, NYSDOH, CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services.
