Shasta CARES

In this work, we often discuss the impacts trauma can have on your body, mind, and spirit. This is a reminder that we are not only shaped by our negative experiences, but our positive ones, too. Neuroplasticity means that the patterns of thought that we encourage are the ones that will take hold- we are all capable of healing.

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FACT: An imbalance of power and control can happen in any relationship- if a friend tries to control who you see or what you do, that is still an example of abuse. romance is not a prerequisite for violence!
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It can be easy to get caught up in "shoulds" and "if I had just ___" hypotheticals, especially during finals week where all of our procrastination may be catching up with us, or when reflecting on relationships where we maybe weren't treated how we deserved to be. Be gentle with yourself, and remember that you can't change the past.
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Straightforward conversations about what you and your partner(s) like, don't like, and what expectations you have can make communication a lot easier in the moment later on!⁠
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Having a solid support system is crucial to a healthy relationship where you should feel free to be your own person- including having your own friends. The ability to reach out to loved ones helps to keep you and your partner from feeling isolated, and is a serious protective factor against dating and domestic violence.

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“I can & I will”

In the face of challenges, the ability to march forward with confidence is invaluable. Repeat these statements to yourself often- as the first step towards trusting yourself and believing in your own capabilities.

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Sometimes, survivors believe that what they experienced was not what they view as sexual violence. Some survivors will never identify with or accept the label or sexual violence to define or describe their experience- and that’s okay. It’s not anyone else’s job to define their experience for them.

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FACT: Violence is a learned behavior! As such, it can be unlearned as well. The key is that in a culture that glorifies violence, we each need to make the active choice of prevention. We can each make a difference and change the culture!

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Meet Changemaker Lee Dost, Outreach Counselor at R**e Crisis, Intervention, and Prevention

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"I think this work is so important because as a survivor myself I feel like I did not really get to know myself until I began dealing with my trauma. So many people are holding so much pain inside and being able to help them address it is powerful work."
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FACT: Many forms of sexual violence are physical violations, but other examples of sexual violence don’t involve any form of touch. Regardless of whether or not a survivor sustained physical injuries, harm was done and a violation occurred. Sharing or sending a person’s photo without permission, talking about someone in a sexually explicit way, depriving someone of privacy, threatening someone on social media, spreading a rumor- all of these are examples of forms of sexual violence that can be traumatic but are often minimized or dismissed. ⁠
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It's true that "NO" means NO. However, Affirmative Consent focuses on the idea that only "YES" means YES. If there's any hesitation or uncertainty, that means it's time to stop and check in. ⁠
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Survivors can harbor a lot of shame about how they responded to their sexual assault, but natural physical responses are NOT CONSENT, and can vary widely based on the individual. Fight, flight, freeze and fawn are all natural responses to a traumatic event. ⁠
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FACT: We all have power as individuals and as groups. By calling out harmful comments and checking in on your friends who seem to be having a hard time, you can make a difference. There have been some scary news stories lately, and it can be difficult to remember that every single person can leave an impact that can change our culture.

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In this work, we often discuss the impacts trauma can have on your body, mind, and spirit. This is a reminder that we are not only shaped by our negative experiences, but our positive ones, too.

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