The 2023 National Sexual Assault Conference was held August 22-24 in San Francisco, California and brought together more than 2,000 advocates and activists dedicated to ending sexual violence. The theme of this year’s conference was “Equity in Action,” providing a shared lens through which participants could view the issues of sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse. We’ve looked at some of the fascinating discussions that occurred at NSAC and recapped the event below:
The event kicked off with a variety of welcome remarks from people including RALIANCE Managing Partner Sandra Henriquez, Senior Advisor to the White House Gender Policy Council Cailin Crockett, and Director of Sexual Violence and Gender-Based Violence for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Lynn Rosenthal. Crockett discussed the importance the Biden-Harris administration has placed on ending gender-based violence, making it a “cornerstone of [their] approach to advancing gender equity,” and noting the creation of the first-ever National Plan to End Gender Based Violence, which we’ve discussed in a previous blog post, and outlined other actions the Administration is taking to further combat sexual violence.
Depending on participants’ area of focus, there were a multitude of tracks to choose from including alternative justice, disability advocacy and inclusion, empowered workers, LGBTQ+, prevention, reproductive justice, and more. In keeping with the theme of Equity in Action, sessions approached the topic from a variety of angles. Workshops focused on topics such as housing justice, equity in communities of color and tribal communities, the decriminalization of sex work, antiracism and health equity, data equity, and social determinants of health.
RALIANCE staff and grantees were present at NSAC, both participating in and leading sessions as part of RALIANCE’s sponsored track. Meg Stone, Executive Director of IMPACT Boston, led a session titled “Including Athletes with Disabilities in Sports-Based Prevention,” a subject we discussed with her in a recent blog post. RALIANCE Managing Partner Monika Johnson-Hostler led two sessions, one session with Policy Director Terri Poore called “Ending the Silence: Advancing Equity Beyond The End of Forced Arbitration in Sexual Assault to All” and another with Managing Partners Sandra Henriquez and Karen Baker titled “Equity in Action: Beyond All-or-Nothing Responses to Accountability.” Henriquez also co-hosted a panel entitled “Driving Change: Partnering to End Sexual Violence and Advance Equity.”
We’re proud to have been able to take part in this year’s NSAC, taking time to listen and learn from our peers as we all work towards the common goal of ending sexual violence. We look forward to gathering next year for NSAC 2024 in Washington, DC!
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RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.