Workshops

View 2026 CCAW workshops below

Workshops are continually being updated and added so be sure to check back regularly to discover the latest additions.

🎥 Media Allowed = Credentialed members of the press (pre‑invited and authorized by the organization) are permitted to record during this session. This does not permit open or public recording and/or publishing.

Click on the buttons below to see the workshops that coincide:

Advocacy

Aiming for Safety: Harm Reduction, Safety Planning & Escape Planning

Myra Strand

When providing victim services, advocates often meet survivors where they are—whether they are living with ongoing abuse where the focus would be on harm reduction and safer daily living, or they are preparing a safer escape plan. Whatever the scenario, a successful approach emphasizes practical, survivor-driven choices, tailored to each moment and circumstance, with documentation that supports autonomy and informed decision-making.

This workshop centers on helping victims and survivors build safety plans for the life they are living, using decision trees and careful documentation. The presenters will share strategies on how to apply decision trees to identify options, assess risk, and choose steps that enhance safety without presuming immediate separation. Additionally, the presenters will explore how to balance harm reduction with proactive planning, recognizing that safety needs and goals change over time. The workshop will also cover essential components of protective strategies, including orders of protection, considerations for children, and planning for pets, ensuring a holistic approach to safety.

Anchored in self-determination and self-efficacy, the workshop also highlights how survivors define safety for themselves and determine the pace and direction of their plans. By combining practical planning tools with survivor-centered documentation, advocates will be provided actionable skills to support ongoing safety, resilience, and empowerment in the life survivors are living now—and in potential steps toward safer futures.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Am I Crazy? The Ramifications of Gaslighting & its Impact on Survivors

Whitney Hartzell

We hear the term gaslighting used increasingly these days, but do we really understand the effect of this type of emotional abuse? It is important that practitioners and service providers go beyond the surface of this popular term and become knowledgeable about recognizing gaslighting techniques and their impact on individuals, including common negative cognitions survivors face.

This workshop delves into the insidious world of gaslighting and its influence on survivors, particularly those who have endured intimate personal violence. The presenter aims to provide clinicians, lawyers, advocates, and other professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to understand and support those who have experienced this type of abuse. Learning these skills can empower attendees to become effective allies in supporting survivors’ journey to healing and reclaiming their identities.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding Collateral Consequences: Strategies for Incorporating Legal Services & Cultural Considerations

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw

Domestic violence survivors are often offered three main services when they ask for help – emergency shelter, civil protection orders, and/or criminal charges. What more can be offered to survivors if none of those remedies are an actual choice due to barriers that are often ignored or dismissed in the name of “safety?”

This workshop will lay the foundation for attendees on why and how culture must be considered when providing legal services (e.g., prosecution, family law, civil law, employment law, etc.) for communities of color to avoid collateral consequences for survivors and their children. Both presenters and attendees will problem-solve the limitations of legal remedies and how to best support the autonomy of survivors in their pursuit of safety and justice. This practicum will help attendees develop an action plan for their local jurisdiction or state to improve legal services for domestic violence survivors from communities of color.

Attendees will be paired with partners for issue spotting, identifying gaps and barriers, and planning action steps for solutions that are culturally specific, trauma informed, and survivor-centered.

Too often, law enforcement–advocate collaboration is superficial, however, it is crucial for building community trust, improving public safety, and achieving better outcomes for victims and the public. By pooling resources, sharing expertise, and creating holistic solutions to crime that address root causes, collaboration can lead to more effective crime prevention, prosecution, and community well-being.

This workshop will focus on strategies for building durable, value-aligned partnerships grounded in accountability and trust. Attendees will hear about best practices and lessons learned from work with co-response teams, Family Justice Centers, forensic nurses, policy groups, and nonprofit partners on joint training, shared language, and trauma-informed communication.

Additionally, an emphasis will be placed on real barriers and how to address them—including role clarity and sustainability.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence, Legal

Avoiding the Performative, Building the Productive: Law Enforcement-Advocate Partnerships

Marie Sadanaga, Angela Weekes

Additionally, an emphasis will be placed on real barriers and how to address them—including role clarity and sustainability.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

A Balancing Act: Enhancing Efforts to Promote Survivor Engagement in Pretrial & Probation Supervision

April Higgs, Sara Dollard

Have you ever wondered how victim voices can be better incorporated into probation and pretrial supervision? Both offender accountability and victim safety can be integrated within the context of community supervision. The creation of a Victim Outreach Probation Officer (VOPO) position in Loudoun County, VA has proven to be effective in the enhancement of victim advocacy.

This workshop will explore how system gaps were identified and addressed through the creation of the VOPO, whose role involves demystifying community supervision for survivors by providing them with critical case information, explaining pretrial and probation processes, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders as part of a coordinated community response to intimate partner violence.

This presenter(s) will cover the origins of the VOPO position, its primary duties, evolution, and lessons learned, and discover the benefits of a VOPO working alongside pretrial and probation officers, as well as surveillance officers responsible for GPS and electronic monitoring of defendants/offenders. Case examples and how this position differs from victim-witness and other system-based advocate roles will be discussed.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Base it on Faith: Advocating for Victims & Survivors in Christian Communities

Ann Maree Goudzwaard

Often, victims and survivors look to faith-based communities for guidance and healing after abuse. Yet, repeatedly, these spaces prove to be the least safest place to disclose. Pastors and leaders lack formal training, structures for reporting and responding are often non-existent in the local church setting, and victims are frequently disbelieved, blamed, and/or their circumstances minimized or completely suppressed.

This workshop aims to raise awareness, equip advocates in Christian, faith-based communities, and mobilize communities to effectively care for survivors of abuse within the faith-based context. Additionally, topics such as understanding the reality, the role of clergy and community, practical steps for churches, stories of impact will be discussed.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Better Outcomes, Fewer Roadblocks: Combatting Human Trafficking with No Victims & No Resources

Ryann Jorban, Joel Balyeat

Human trafficking prosecutions often stall when investigators lack resources or when victims are unable or unwilling to participate. In response, actionable tools are needed to dismantle trafficking infrastructure, protect survivors, and achieve meaningful justice even in the most resource-constrained environments.

This workshop will offer a comprehensive model to overcome these challenges by transforming obstacles into opportunities through innovative investigative methods, alternative prosecution strategies, and sustainable victim support systems. Key topics will include the use of open-source intelligence, financial and pattern evidence, co-occurring criminality charges, regulatory and civil enforcement tools, and asset forfeiture mechanisms. Additionally, the workshop aims to highlight trauma-informed practices and victim-centered supports, including immigration services, housing solutions, and economic empowerment. Presenters will share practical approaches for building strong trafficking cases without relying solely on victim testimony or resource-intensive investigations.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

Beyond the Butch: Improving Cultural Competencies to Prevent Dual Arrests

Patrick Brady, Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis

Dual arrests and misidentification of victims remain persistent challenges in domestic violence investigations involving LGBTQI+ partners. Often rooted in heteronormative assumptions traditional frameworks for assessing intimate partner violence (IPV) fail to account for the unique dynamics present in queer relationships. Without culturally competent tools and training, officers and prosecutors may misinterpret mutual injuries, overlook coercive control, and inadvertently retraumatize victims.

This workshop brings together a criminologist specializing in LGBTQI+ IPV research, a victim advocate with extensive experience supporting queer survivors, and a domestic violence detective with years of experiencing investigating and training others on improving responses to IPV. Together, they will offer a multidisciplinary, evidence-informed approach to improving criminal justice responses to same-sex IPV. The presenters will share actionable tools to enhance their understanding of LGBTQI+ relationship dynamics, improve victim engagement, and strengthen case integrity. Moreover, this workshop is designed for law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates, and allied professionals committed to equitable and effective responses to domestic violence in all communities.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Conviction: Creating a Community Coordinated Response in a Rural Community

Staley Heatly, Rachel Lira

Beyond Conviction is a 30-minute documentary commissioned by Independent Lens/ITVS that follows a prosecutor’s and an advocate’s efforts to reduce domestic violence in three rural Texas counties. The film offers a rare multidimensional look at victims, offenders, and the criminal-justice system.

This workshop will begin with a screening of the film, followed by a presentation examining the practical strategies depicted on screen: the creation of a community-based Domestic Violence High-Risk Team (DVHRT), early-intervention approaches, improving law enforcement response, and building a coordinated response among law enforcement, probation, prosecutors, and victim-service agencies. The presenters will share how a rural jurisdiction implemented a replicable DVHRT model, pushed services to high-risk victims, and improved outcomes through cooperation rather than siloed practice. The workshop will conclude with a Q&A covering the film, DVHRT operations, and lessons for jurisdictions of all sizes.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

The Blue Print: Creating Survivor-Centered Systems Through Law Enforcement & Advocacy

Aubrie Bowyer

The first interaction a survivor has with law enforcement and victim services can shape their willingness to engage with the justice system and influence long-term healing. However, too often, survivors of gender-based violence encounter responses that unintentionally retraumatize or erode trust.

This workshop will explore how trauma-informed victim advocacy, paired with law enforcement’s role as first responders, can transform the experience of survivors and build pathways toward justice and healing. Drawing on case examples and lessons from the field, this presenter will highlight strategies for creating survivor-centered systems that bridge the gap between systemic reform and direct advocacy. Attendees will be encouraged to examine the importance of collaborative approaches, learn practical tools for improving initial interactions, and understand how advocacy can support law enforcement in providing compassionate, effective responses.

By the end of this workshop, attendees will be provided a “blueprint” for integrating advocacy and law enforcement practices in ways that reduce harm, foster trust, and empower survivors of gender-based violence.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Boofed & Bruised: Exploring the Complexities of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assaults in Queer Communities

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Patrick Brady

Multifaceted dynamics of drug-facilitated sexual assaults (DFSA) create unique vulnerabilities and challenges faced by queer communities. Additionally, prior trauma, particularly related to sexual and physical victimization, highly influences participation in drug cultures within these communities, which in turn increases susceptibility to DFSA.

The presenters of this workshop will delve into the ways DFSA opportunities arise, paying particular attention to the role of dating apps in facilitating unsafe encounters and will critically assess the extent to which popular dating platforms contribute to risk mitigation or exacerbate these vulnerabilities, questioning whether existing safety measures are sufficient.

The workshop is also designed to provide guidance for professionals by exploring ways to overcome victim-blaming narratives, and better equip practitioners to support survivors who are unfairly judged for their drug use or for being targeted by predators for abuse. Moreover, the workshop seeks to provide attendees with a deeper understanding of the intersection of trauma, technology, and vulnerability in queer communities, and provide practical tools for enhancing investigations.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Sexual Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Breath Before Words: Regulating the Nervous System in Survivor-Centered Care

Jewel West, Elizabeth Jones

Trauma often leaves the nervous system in a state of hyperarousal or collapse, making connection and communication difficult. The body holds what words cannot yet express, and until safety is restored, meaningful engagement may remain out of reach. Breath offers a direct and compassionate way to support regulation, helping the nervous system shift from a state of survival into one of presence, making space for clarity, connection, and care.

This workshop offers practical, trauma-informed breathwork strategies for professionals serving or working with survivors. The presenters will teach attendees how to recognize signs of nervous system dysregulation in both themselves and their clients, respond through co-regulation, and integrate invitational breath practices into interactions.

Drawing from yoga philosophy, somatic principles, and applied neurobiology, the session bridges ancient wisdom with modern care. Whether working in advocacy, clinical care, investigation, or multidisciplinary response teams, breath becomes a powerful tool to help stabilize the body and create conditions for safety and connection before words are spoken. Attendees will engage in guided practices and leave with simple, adaptable tools to support both client care and professional resilience.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Bridging Systems: Survivor-Led Strategies for Trafficking, DV, & Sexual Assault Cases

Rachel Fischer

Sex trafficking investigations require a trauma-informed, survivor-informed, and multidisciplinary approach to be successful. A critical dynamic that exists within sex trafficking is the presence of polyvictimization where victims and survivors may be subject to not only trafficking, but to domestic violence, sexual assault, and strangulation as well.

This workshop, led by a survivor of sex trafficking who is now a forensic nurse and private investigator, will provide unique insight into both the victim and offender perspectives. Drawing from firsthand experience in undercover operations and professional practice in healthcare, advocacy, and the courtroom, this workshop will bridge investigative and survivor-centered strategies to equip professionals across systems.

The presenter will share how to identify key crossover points between sex trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and strangulation, and why understanding these intersections is essential for effective prosecutions and lifesaving interventions. The workshop will also highlight investigative tips, digital trends in child and adult exploitation, and trauma-informed interview techniques to enhance rapport and information gathering. Designed for law enforcement, attorneys, healthcare professionals, and advocates, this workshop is designed to emphasize the power of collaboration. Survivor-informed advocacy strategies and multidisciplinary best practices will also be shared to empower professionals, strengthen justice responses, and create meaningful change for trafficked and exploited individuals.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare, Trafficking

Building Rapport: The Establishment of Effective Communication in Responding to Violence Against Women

Bryan Barlow, David Thompson

Communication is key when working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Rapport, a relationship designed to foster truthful communication between parties through mutual trust and understanding, is essential for effective communication. Successfully established rapport builds a foundation of continuous dialogue. Simply put…it’s how difficult conversations that are needed can occur to seek justice and create positive change.

Beyond interaction with survivors, communication among professionals of various disciplines is essential for an effective multidisciplinary response and enacting systemic change. Police, advocates, attorneys, and medical personnel are all seeking the best outcome for the survivor, but the focus of each discipline sometimes causes friction. Police seek to arrest an offender, advocates focus on survivors’ needs, medical professionals seek to provide quality patient care, and attorneys advocate for their clients (individual, organization or state).

This workshop will focus on current research on building and maintaining rapport and its application in conducting investigative interviews and building multidisciplinary teams.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Burning the Witch: Dismantling Rape Culture & Reclaiming Survivorship Through Advocacy-Based Communications Training

Kristin Daley, Kenny Smith

For centuries, women who spoke out about violence and injustice were branded liars, troublemakers, or even witches and faced very public consequences. Today, rape culture continues that legacy: shaming survivors, excusing perpetrators, and silencing truth – ultimately shaping public narratives and institutional responses that fall short of what survivors need and deserve in sexual violence prevention and response. By extinguishing the flames of rape culture, an open space for survivorship to be redefined on survivors’ own terms: resilient, powerful, and unashamed can occur.

This workshop will encourage attendees to explore how communication can either perpetuate harm or ignite healing and justice as well as challenge attendees to confront the language and narratives that keep rape culture alive. Law enforcement, advocates, and survivors will work side-by-side to unlearn harmful patterns of communication and reclaim advocacy as a tool of resistance.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

But, What If? Exploring Mental Health Focuses that Intersect with Sexual Assault

Tamara Jackson, Jaclyn Rodriguez

Forensic nurses and SANE Coordinators are exposed to numerous narratives recounting instances in healthcare facilities where practices fail to acknowledge mental health needs and medical forensic examination choices. Moreover, it becomes disheartening to witness a perplexed state of healthcare providers, advocates, law enforcement entities, and survivors when confronted with intricate mental health patient scenarios following reports of assault.

This workshop, featuring immersive case scenarios, aims to empower diverse team members with the essential skills to identify prevalent service discrepancies and equip them with a robust arsenal of resources to address mental and medical forensic needs. Through group discussion, trauma-informed practice, and a victim-centered approach, the presenters will catalyze a transformative shift towards nurturing a culture of comprehensive care and treatment within healthcare settings.

Advocacy, Campus, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Call an Advocate! A Coordinate Response to Human Trafficking

Kellye Arnold, Christine Labertew

“Success depends upon previous preparation.” (Confucius) Regardless of your profession, preparing in advance to ensure you and your organization are equipped to serve victims of human trafficking is the key to success.

Drawing from their combined 48 years of law enforcement experience as well as in their current roles in victim services, the presenters will walk attendees through a crisis recovery from start to finish. The end goal is a customized, coordinated plan of response, identifying both existing resources as well as potential service gaps within a specified region.

Presenters will use their own largely rural region of Texas to highlight strengths and creatively navigate potential weaknesses, showcasing specific examples from their professional experiences.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Caring for the Criminalized: Designing a Court-Ordered Group for Women Who Use Violence

Melissa Scaia

Are the women who are using violence against their intimate partners, getting arrested and/or court-ordered to nonviolence programs, battering/using coercive control against their partners, using resistive violence, or neither? Does the local coordinated community response have a differentiated response, or are all domestic violence cases treated the same? What are effective group interventions that address the violence women experience and the violence they use? To be effective, group interventions and for women who use violence must address the contextual factors of women’s lives and their motivation for their use of violence.

This workshop will explore a nonviolence program designed specifically to address women’s use of violence in intimate partner relationships. Topics addressed in this workshop will include assessing between three different types of domestic violence, working with criminalized survivors, women’s non-violence programs, and addressing the safety needs of survivors. This workshop will also discuss how groups for women who use violence are different and similar to men’s batterers intervention programs.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Centering Survivors Lived Experiences & Voices in a Coordinated Community Response to DV

Melissa Scaia, Amirthini Keefe

The murder of George Floyd put the city of Minneapolis under a microscope which, unfortunately for many cities across the country, siphoned attention, resources, and services away from victims of domestic violence. However, through coordinated community response work, advocates in Minneapolis were able to work together to navigate the complexities of focusing on the lived experiences and voices of survivors while the city was under that global spotlight.

This workshop will focus on how to conduct focus groups and interviews with survivors and how to centralize those voices as a part of systemic change work. The presenters will share how this systemic change respond goes “beyond training” to fix systemic issues in the city.

In addition, the presenters will describe the political, strategic, and coordinated efforts they navigated to keep the work of the CCR on task and share their highlights and mistakes while facilitating an interactive workshop. How to conduct focus groups and interviews with survivors will also be discussed with attendees.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Policy/Legislation

🎥 Media Allowed

Charmed & Dangerous: How Pop Culture Misconceptions About Stalking Impact Victim Safety & Criminal Justice Responses

Patrick Brady, Jennifer Landhuis

From romantic comedies to crime dramas, popular media often portrays stalking as a quirky or harmless pursuit by mentally ill strangers obsessed with celebrities. These depictions not only distort public understanding but also influence how victims, criminal justice professionals, and communities perceive and respond to stalking. In reality, most victims know their stalker, and those pursued by current or former intimate partners face significantly higher risks of harm, including sexual assault and homicide.

This workshop will use data from the National Crime Victimization Survey and research using case files from police and prosecutors to challenge common myths and explore how stalking motives and behaviors differ across relationship types. The presenters will also discuss a real-world case study to illustrate how stalking often begins subtly and escalates dangerously—especially when misunderstood or minimized.

Advocacy, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Coercive Control 101: Using Research & Practice to Help Identify Dominant Aggressors

Patrick Brady

Investigating and prosecuting domestic violence complaints is an ongoing challenge, especially in cases where both parties claim the other is responsible for the disturbance. While many jurisdictions require identification of the “predominant aggressor,” limited research and inconsistent practices can lead to misidentifying victims as offenders.

This workshop empowers change by integrating emerging research on coercive control with practical strategies for identifying the party posing the greatest risk of ongoing harm. Using real case studies and findings from recent studies, the presenter will define coercive control, explore common tactics used by abusers, and examine how these behaviors overlap with risk factors for future violence. Interview strategies to uncover power and control dynamics and improve decision-making in complex, seemingly mutual cases—ultimately enhancing victim safety and system accountability will also be shared and discussed.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborating for Change: Centering Survivor Voices to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence & Reduce Homicides

Dottie Davis, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

System and community professionals are continually working to develop preventative and intervention strategies that reduce the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and IPV-related homicides. While these efforts are well-intentioned, they risk falling short—or even causing harm—if the voices of survivors are not intentionally integrated into the planning and implementation process. Survivors bring lived experience, insight, and contextual knowledge that cannot be replicated by data alone. Without their perspectives, communities may overlook critical issues such as confidentiality, culturally responsive care, safety planning, and the long-term impacts of trauma.

This workshop will explore how and why centering survivor voices must be a foundational part of any initiative aimed at addressing IPV or preventing domestic violence homicides. Furthermore, practical guidance will be offered on building partnerships that honor survivor leadership, strengthen accountability, and align prevention strategies with the real needs of those most impacted.

The presenters will also discuss strategies to engage survivors in meaningful, trauma-informed ways that promote healing and empowerment rather than re-traumatization. Additionally, the presenters will examine how community-based and systems-level responses to IPV can incorporate survivor insights into risk assessment tools, lethality indicators, and recidivism data to create truly safer and more responsive communities.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborative Care: Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exams for Native Survivors

Jacque Bassett, Chenel Vanden Berk, Becki Jordan

Life circumstances and needs of Native survivors vary widely. They may live in rural, urban, or Tribal settings, and have very different connections to culture and community. Where the core principles of a trauma-informed care remain the same, providing healing-centered care for Native survivors requires an understanding of the unique experiences, varied identities, and sovereign status of Native communities.

This workshop, derived from the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam (SAMFE) Virtual Practicum, an interactive training series that covers each step of the medical forensic exam and beyond, will explore how to provide high-quality survivor-centered medical forensic care and advocacy for Native survivors of sexual assault. Additionally, it will highlight how professionals can provide appropriate care, honor survivor choice, and offer meaningful support — without making assumptions.

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare, Tribal

🎥 Media Allowed

Collateral Damage: Responding to the Needs of Children on Scene in Intimate Partner Violence Cases

Corine Moulton, Erika Callaway Kleiner

Children who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) are often the unseen victims. In the rush to ensure adult survivor safety, their emotional needs can be unintentionally overlooked. Yet every moment of response offers a chance to reduce harm, restore safety, and begin the healing process.

This workshop will examine the impact of IPV exposure on children of all ages and explores how multidisciplinary teams can respond with both skill and compassion. The presenters will discuss how exposure to violence affects a child’s psychological and emotional development, how responders can minimize additional trauma from the very first point of contact, and how trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate interventions can create a sense of safety in the midst of crisis.

By the end of the workshop, the aim is that attendees walk away better equipped to recognize trauma children experience, strengthen collaboration within multidisciplinary teams, and implement compassionate, immediate responses that support both the child’s well-being and the safety of the non-offending caregiver.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Decoding Coercive Control: The Quicksand Model® - A Framework for Professionals to Eliminate Coercive Control & Safeguard Survivors Systemically

Kate Amber

Coercive control has gained momentum within the domestic violence movement as the prevailing tactic used by offenders within abusive relationships. However, many first responders, practitioners, and service providers still struggle to identify and respond to coercive control as it relates to offender accountability which may result in revictimization of survivors.

The presenter of this workshop will introduce attendees to Decoding Coercive Control: The Quicksand Model® – A Framework for Professionals to Eliminate Coercive Control & Safeguard Survivors Systemically, a model for identifying, understanding, and mitigating coercive control aimed to unify professionals, systems, and survivors to foster dignity, safety, liberty and justice.

The Quicksand Model® offers a deep dive into patterns of coercion and control, providing a comprehensive framework to identify, navigate, and eliminate coercive control within organizations. Drawing from her mixed-methods research and personal experience, the presenter will demonstrate how the Model validates survivors’ experiences while equipping professionals with practical tools for systemic change. The findings underscore the Model’s potential to effect substantial impact in the field, enabling a more proactive, survivor-centered and comprehensive trauma-informed approach to tackling coercive control in families, groups, organizations and systems.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Defying Disclosure Difficulties! Ethically Safeguarding Victim Privacy in a Digital World

Jane Anderson

When victims disclose gender-based violence, they are often required to disclose intimate details of their private lives, including evidence that may exist in their phones, computers, or social media accounts. Prosecutors have an obligation to provide the defense with evidence that is material to a defendant’s guilt or punishment. How can that obligation be fulfilled, while also safeguarding victim privacy against unnecessary disclosure? How do these privacy considerations and obligations impact allied professionals?

This workshop will identify categories of confidential and/or privileged information, discuss threshold requirements for defense attempts to access the information, and introduce strategies that support the protection of victim privacy, including collaboration between allied professionals to safeguard private information.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Demonstrating the Work Within Networks (VINELink Computer Lab)

Karen Adams

Nationwide, fewer than one in ten victims of serious violent crime receive assistance from a victim service agency. In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the VINE (Victim Information & Notification Everyday) network leverages computer and mobile app technology to house incarceration data and service provider resources.

This computer lab includes a hands-on demonstration of how to search for custody, court case, and protective order status information on offenders, court cases, and protective orders, and provides the opportunity to “Get Notified” for real-time automated offender custody status and court case notifications.

In addition to demonstrating the search and registration features of VINE, this computer lab will instruct on how to navigate the “I Need Guidance” feature. The “I Need Guidance” feature guides victims to the appropriate local and national service providers, based on interactive questionnaires, depending on their individual needs – a critical feature of the VINE service.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Demystifying Myths & Misconceptions: Enhancing Understanding & Use of Missing & Endangered Person Alerts

Hannah Welsh, Carri Gordon, Brian Frost

Every year, thousands of people go missing in the U.S., with women and people of color especially vulnerable. When someone goes missing, every second counts, but multiple alerting systems (Ashanti, AMBER, Silver, Turquoise, and others) with varying criteria and names can cause confusion, delays, and frustration for families and investigators. Clear communication, collaboration, and understanding of these systems are essential to bringing missing and endangered persons (MEP) home safely. Therefore, it is essential that clarity in similarities, differences, and challenges across MEP alerts is attained.

This workshop will discuss eligibility requirements and criteria across alerting programs, resources and gaps that impact agencies and practitioners, and promising practices for collaboration among law enforcement, advocates, media, and the public. The presenters will also address myths and misconceptions, such as why certain cases don’t trigger alerts and how “alert fatigue” can affect public response.

The workshop will also highlight tools like the National Ashanti Alert Network, as well as direct support services and resources that help strengthen cross-state collaboration, showcase real-world success stories, and support MEP investigations.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Detecting Danger: Conducting Lethality Assessments for Advocates

Myra Strand

For most victims of domestic violence, the decision to leave makes them extremely susceptible by carrying the highest lethality risk. Yet, there are ways to determine if a victim is at risk of death by an abuser whether or not she chooses to leave.

This workshop aims to empower crime victim advocates with a clear, practical framework to recognize imminent danger through lethality assessment. The presenter will explore indicators, risk factors, and dynamic decision points that signal acute risk, and learn to document observations in a trauma-informed, human-centered manner. The workshop will also emphasize a structured, evidence-informed approach to screening, prioritizing safety planning, harm-reduction and coordinating with multidisciplinary teams to connect survivors with urgent resources.

Attendees will also be provided with actionable guidance on when to escalate concerns, how to communicate risk effectively to survivors, and how to balance urgency with empathy in high-stakes moments. The goal is to elevate advocates’ confidence and consistency in identifying potential lethality while upholding survivor autonomy and dignity, fostering a culture of proactive protection, informed advocacy, and collaborative safety.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Eat. Sleep. Tech. Repeat: Teens, Technology, & Dating Violence

Audace Garnett

Teen dating in a digital world heavily relies on social media for communication, flirting, and getting to know people, offering constant connection but also introducing pressures like instant gratification, unrealistic expectations, cyberbullying, and privacy concerns, requiring teens to navigate new challenges like managing public profiles, understanding online boundaries, and dealing with digital abuse

This workshop will explore how technology including social media, apps, gaming platforms, and emerging tools like Artificial Intelligence—shapes the daily lives and relationships of teens. The speaker will examine how digital spaces influence communication, attraction, and boundaries, as well as how new technologies can introduce unique risks or opportunities for harm.

The workshop will also offer practical safety planning tips and actionable strategies to help young people set and respect boundaries, navigate online interactions responsibly, and build safe, respectful, and empowering relationships both online and offline.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Echos of Violence: Addressing the Aftermath of Murder-Suicide

Kylee Elliott, Danielle Edwards

Murder-suicide leaves more than one victim—it sends shockwaves through families and communities, often trapping survivors in cycles of silence, trauma, and unacknowledged grief. These tragedies produce complex and long-term needs of survivors that require coordinated outreach, peer support, and community partnerships.

This workshop explores the devastating impact of murder-suicide on families through real-life case vignettes that highlight the cycle of abuse, unaddressed traumatic grief, and the urgent need for meaningful postvention. The presenters will examine how the intersection of domestic violence, mental health, and grief, when left unacknowledged, can lead to compounded harm. Moreover, the presenters will unpack the reality that postvention is prevention, and how timely, trauma-informed support for survivors can shift the trajectory for survivors.

Attendees will be introduced to Georgia’s groundbreaking Support for Survivors of Murder-Suicide Project and will be taught strategies on how to enhance their response efforts and gain a deeper understanding of how prevention, intervention, and postvention are not separate—but inseparable—paths to safety and healing.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Educate, Engage, Empower: Forensic Nursing Leadership in Rural SART Development

Beth Andrews

In rural communities, barriers to comprehensive sexual assault response are often intensified by limited resources, geographic isolation, and a lack of coordinated systems. Forensic nursing teams are needed to actively work to transform these challenges into opportunities for community growth by strengthening the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) model through education, engagement, and interagency collaboration.

This workshop will explore how one such SART, as forensic nurses, are leading community engagement efforts with a focus on equity, diversity, and victim-centered care. Through dynamic partnerships with law enforcement, emergency medical services, advocates, and other key stakeholders, how this particular SART has developed and implemented community education strategies that enhance the collective response to survivors of sexual violence will be discussed.

Additionally, the presenters will provide insights into how rural communities can build or strengthen multidisciplinary SARTs, create sustainable training programs for community partners, and foster a trauma-informed culture that prioritizes survivor autonomy and dignity. Real-world examples, lessons learned, and practical tools will be shared to help attendees apply similar approaches in their own communities—rural or urban.

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Fact or Expert: An Introduction to the Ethical Role & Use of Expert Witness

Margaret Bassett

Expert witnesses are professionals with specialized knowledge (skills, education, experience) who help courts understand complex technical or scientific issues beyond a layperson’s understanding, providing opinions and interpretations crucial for judges and juries to make informed decisions, with their testimony based on sound methodology and data, potentially influencing the entire case.

This workshop will provide attendees with the foundational knowledge and applied skills needed to professionally and ethically serve as, or engage, expert witnesses in cases of interpersonal violence. The presenter will clarify the legal and scientific distinctions between lay and expert testimony, introduce benchmarks for establishing and assessing “expertise,” and examine the practical and ethical considerations that accompany expert involvement. Drawing from current research, the presenter will also review empirical evidence demonstrating how expert testimony enhances factfinder understanding and is viewed favorably by courts when presented by qualified, credible professionals.

Attendees will be taught strategies for evaluating expert competency, preparing to qualify experts in court, and integrating expert perspectives into case development involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Through the use of real-world case examples, the workshop will address challenging factual scenarios—such as counterintuitive victim behavior, denial, and recantation—and demonstrate how expert testimony can clarify these complexities for judges and juries. The workshop concludes by emphasizing both the professional advantages (increased credibility, improved case outcomes) and ethical responsibilities (avoiding overreach, maintaining scientific and professional integrity) that define effective expert witness practice.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Faith, Masculinity, & Prevention: Engaging Males in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

Ron Clark

Toxic masculinity remains a pervasive ideology among many young males in the United States, fueled by increased consumption of pornography, rising misogynistic attitudes among Gen Z, and a resurgence of conservative religious influence. These trends blur the lines between healthy masculinity and cultural norms, complicating efforts to address men’s violence against women and vulnerable individuals. Despite the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA), faith-based communities and institutions often struggle to address these issues—both within their congregations and in the broader community. Faith-based universities face added challenges due to limited resources and staffing. These challenges and struggles affect community prevention and advocacy for survivors and those affected by IPV and SA.

This presenter of this workshop will explore strategies for engaging males in prevention efforts.

Drawing on research and lived experience, the presenter will highlight how positive male mentorship and community engagement can counter harmful narratives and foster healthy relationships. Attendees will be provided insights into how educators, community advocates and leaders, and faith communities can become proactive allies in addressing gender-based violence.

Advocacy, Campus, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

First Do No Harm: Internal Review of Survivor-Centered & Trauma-Informed International Investigations

Laura Ragan

All organizations operating in the humanitarian and development sector are mandated to ensure that their operations first “do no harm.” Whether responding to emergencies or focusing on development projects, anyone working for humanitarian organizations must follow ethical policy provisions that seek to protect children, prohibit the sexual exploitation of community members, and forbid human trafficking. While policies can act as a deterrent to negative behaviors, organizations recognize that violations may occur and maintain reporting pathways to ensure concerns can be reviewed.

This workshop will focus on the use of survivor-centered protocols (including the use of trauma-informed interview techniques) in an international context when concerns are reported. The presenter will discuss how organizations can provide care for survivors and step through how an internal review of these types of reports are conducted including discussing contextual risk-assessments, working with international law enforcement, conducting interviews utilizing translators, and managing survivor-centered investigations. The presentation will offer a “case study” for group discussion.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

"For Me, It Doesn’t End:" Safety Planning During & After Incarceration

Anna Nasset

In cases of stalking, domestic, and sexual violence where there has been successful prosecution resulting in incarceration, those surrounding the victim and survivor celebrate and then move on with their lives. The survivor, however, often faces ongoing anticipatory fear of the pending release and fall through the cracks of state and federal systems, and are not given the information, hand-off, or respect due to them. Supporting survivors during this time is an essential component of survivor safety. Through collaboration of criminal justice and community professionals, trauma-informed practices that center around the survivor, safety planning can serve as risk reduction and support.

This workshop will highlight a case study of stalking that spans eighteen years, where the victim/survivor is actively engaged in safety planning and asks the question: “what if we encourage survivors to participate in ongoing safety planning, specifically around the pending release of the offender?” This presenter will also investigate innovative and creative solutions and collaborations that are victim-centered with a particular focus on what happens AFTER an offender is incarcerated and before release.

Advocacy, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

From the VINE: Resources to Empower Victims from Incident to Release

Karen Adams

One in four women and one in nine men are victims of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, physical violence, or other crimes resulting in injury, fear, and/or a need for judicial help. Therefore, it is critical to keep victims informed from incident to resolution. Fortunately, a network like VINE can help protect victims from re-victimization, find greater peace of mind, and knowledgeably plan for their safety.

The presenter of this workshop will explore how VINE, in collaboration with Versaterm, leverages a national network of web, mobile, and interactive voice technology to help agencies provide the necessary resources and support to help keep crime victims who register for services informed, from the point of the 911 call initial incident, to release.

Additionally, the breadth of VINE resources and technology that are available to states across the nation will also be shared.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Getting Buy-In for Lethality Assessment Instruments: Lessons Learned from Implementation of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement

Sarah Wittig Galgano, Miles Earwood, Scott Michael

The Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE) is an evidence-based risk assessment instrument that identifies victims at the highest risk of intimate partner homicide and near-lethal assault. It was designed to be easily administered by responding law enforcement officers and supplement the police report. High-risk victims are immediately connected with services and the DA-LE is provided to the court to inform proceedings.

Buy-in is critical to achieve successful outcomes for law enforcement administered lethality assessments. However, law enforcement officers are often asked to engage with many new initiatives on top of the multitude of requirements that come with being first responders.

This workshop will discuss methods that communities can use to bring stakeholders to the table and increase the odds of achieving buy-in for the implementation of lethality assessments. The presenters will discuss the real-world challenges, successes, and outcomes of implementation of lethality assessment, with a focus on lessons learned that can help communities ensure success and sustainability. Additionally, the presentation will draw examples from both presenters’ police departments’ experience implementing the DA-LE approach at the local level and the Geiger Institute’s experience supporting implementation in more than 80 law enforcement agencies throughout the country.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Getting Everyone to Safety: Animal Abuse & Interpersonal Violence

Nancy Blaney, Claire Coughlin

When seeking to survive within or escape out of an abusive relationship, victims and survivors should not have to choose between personal safety and their pets. One way to advocate for both survivors and their pets is learning how to recognize signs of animal maltreatment and asking questions about animals in the home in an effort to identify people and pets at risk and implement interventions that are more likely to succeed.

This workshop will address the relationship between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence, with particular attention paid to implications for practice. Additionally, cross-training techniques and guidelines for assessing and addressing signs of abuse will be included, and attendees will be given practical tools for use in the field. The PAWS Act, pet protection laws, and cross-reporting policies will also be discussed.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: He Didn’t Look Dangerous Until He Wouldn’t Stop

Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis, Jennifer Landhuis

The crime of stalking is often complex and overlooked and poses a risk of not only mental and emotional harm, but physical violence that can lead to homicide. Many stalkers avoid being brought to justice because of their manipulative tactics and carefully curated benign demeanor. For this particular case, it took an extended period for the offender to be charged and tried due to the seemingly innocent behaviors of the strategic stalker, who looked like the nice guy next door.

This case study is tailored specifically for law enforcement and victim advocates and offers a deep dive into the realities of stalking crimes. The presenters will explore the diverse tactics used by a stalker, who was originally charged with six felonies and convicted of three misdemeanors and three felonies, with virtually no prior criminal history.

The presenters will also shed light on the psychological, social and economic impact on victims, equipping attendees with the knowledge to recognize escalating behaviors before they become dangerous. Victim advocates will be offered insights into providing holistic support from crisis intervention to legal advocacy to safety planning to effective collaboration with law enforcement. Through a real-world case study, attendees will lbe left with actionable strategies to strengthen their response to stalking, protect victims and pursue justice.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing Begins at the Root: Breaking Generational Cycles in Black Motherhood

Melissa Webb

Violence against women doesn’t end with the victim, it echoes through generations. For many Black women, the trauma of domestic violence, community harm, or systemic oppression is compounded by cultural expectations to be strong, silent, and self-sacrificing.

This workshop, especially relevant for practitioners working with mothers, survivors of trauma, and those committed to breaking generational cycles in marginalized communities, examines how unhealed wounds show up in motherhood shaping how women parent, protect, and see themselves. Through a culturally responsive and faith-informed lens, the presenter will explore the impact of generational trauma on emotional wellness, parenting practices, and identity.

The presenter will also share strategies on how to recognize inherited survival patterns, challenge harmful internalized beliefs, and begin the healing process to disrupt cycles of harm.

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing-Centered Safety Planning with Victims who are 1st or 2nd Generation in the U.S.

Elisabeth Swim

When an individual faces harm from more than one family member or community member, social pressure to stay with that person or not to “out” the people doing harm can isolate victims in debilitating ways whereby trust in sources of help can seem nearly impossible. A crisis call may be the only chance to show a victim you are a safe resource, even when their life is in danger. Moreover, survivors with head injury and those who are neurodiverse face added challenges to seeking help from existing systems, as do those who are new to the U.S. and who are traumatized by the abuse.

This workshop will help attendees to model choice and compassion during direct services to connect strongly with those who, at that moment, want to stay in abusive situations, building lasting trust which can, in the long run, maximize thier safety for when they ARE ready to leave. Drawing on thousands of hours of crisis-intervention experience, the presenter will equip attendees to work with people who are most prone to losing trust in even the most well-meaning providers.

Through evidence-based motivational interviewing strategies, the presenter will share strategies on how to stop struggling to “get clients to listen” to justified concerns for their safety, discover what to do when clients don’t recognize life-threatening levels of danger, and how to center client autonomy along the way.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healthy Masculinity in the Digital Age: Navigating AI Girlfriends, Online Influence, & Emerging Risks

Sloan Thompson

AI is rapidly reshaping how boys and men learn about relationships, intimacy, and power. AI girlfriend apps, “wingman” tools, and algorithm-driven Manosphere content are stepping in to fill gaps in connection and belonging—but often by reinforcing entitlement narratives and increasing the risks of coercive behavior, rejection violence, and rigid gender norms. At the same time, many young men are turning to these technologies to cope with loneliness and isolation, which can deepen emotional dependence on AI companions and make them more vulnerable to harmful or extremist messaging. These patterns are increasingly surfacing in advocacy work, law enforcement cases, clinical practice, and campus violence-response efforts.

In this workshop, the presenter will explore why AI companions and male-targeted online ecosystems resonate so strongly with young men, how they can escalate risk factors or normalize abuse, and how these dynamics shape survivors’ experiences and disclosure. The presenter will also examine emerging technologies – such as AI-generated images – that can be used to target, harass, or harm others.

All to be discussed will be practical strategies for integrating updated models of healthy masculinity into existing violence-prevention frameworks, supporting young men in building connection and emotional resilience, interrupting harmful digital narratives, and fostering safer, more grounded relationships in our new AI-driven world.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Hidden Frontlines: Expanding DV Prevention Through Unlikely Allies & Trusted Community Touchpoints

Kaitlyn Matthews, Stacy Karabetsos

When talking about prevention, the focus is often on courts, schools, and shelters. But what about the hidden frontlines? Tattoo shops, gyms, libraries, salons, even real estate offices—these trusted spaces often hear disclosures first, precisely because they are outside the system.

This workshop challenges participants to reimagine prevention strategy by engaging with these everyday but overlooked community touchpoints. It offers a shift in perspective—and the tools to build bold, lasting partnerships in the places survivors already turn for connection and care. Because this model is not resource-intensive, it is especially applicable to programs with limited staff or funding, however, it is more than expanding programs—it’s about expanding possibilities for who prevention is for and how we show up.

The presenters will provide a framework to expand their definition of “prevention partner;” a mapped ecosystem of their own local connection points; replicable tools to build informal, trauma-informed relationships with unlikely but high-trust allies; and a renewed approach to reaching underserved survivors who may never walk into a DV agency—but do walk into trusted places daily.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

How Culture Impacts Demand: Discussion on Human Trafficking Reduction

Tony Porter

Human trafficking does not occur in a vacuum—it is fueled, sustained, and normalized by cultural norms that shape how men and boys see women, girls, and marginalized groups.

This workshop explores how patriarchal culture, hypermasculinity, and the objectification of women drive the demand that allows sex trafficking to thrive. The presenter will examine how everyday beliefs, language, and behaviors collectively create an environment where exploitation becomes possible.

Moreover, the workshop will highlight practical approaches for shifting cultural norms, engaging men as allies, and implementing prevention strategies that reduce demand in meaningful and sustainable ways. The presenter aims to equip service providers, law enforcement, advocates, and community leaders with a deeper understanding of cultural dynamics and actionable tools to help dismantle the root causes of trafficking.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

"I Don't Want to Leave--Yet:" Examining Survivor Barriers to Exiting Abusive Relationships

Heena Khan

Survivors of domestic violence are forced to navigate a myriad of choices, decisions, challenges, and obstacles. Historically, it has been very easy for, not just laypersons but first responders and service providers, to victim-blame and judge survivors which could drastically impede their ability to obtain justice or seek services.

This workshop will explore the complex reasons why survivors of domestic violence may appear to “not want” to leave abusive relationships.

Through a trauma-informed lens, the presenter will examine psychological factors as well as practical barriers placing an emphasis on shifting from a “why doesn’t she leave?” mindset to a focus on survivors’ realities and how to support them with empathy, empowering interventions and safety planning.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

Identifying & Addressing the Impacts of Anti-Fat Bias in the Context of Violence Against Women

Alison Wine

“You could say she’s a little overweight, but she has a pretty face, huh?…[the victim might have been] a little flattered… because it is perhaps the first time that someone is interested in her.”- Statement from a Canadian Judge while he was presiding over a 2017 court case in which a 17 year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a 49 year-old taxi driver.

Anti-fat bias, or fatphobia, is best defined as an aversion, disdain, or fear of fatness and fat people. Often left unchallenged, it is one of the most socially accepted forms of discrimination. Fat-bodied people are routinely denied dignity through oppression at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Moreover, emerging research suggests fat-bodied women face higher risks of domestic and sexual violence than their thin counterparts and are more likely to experience discrimination and poor outcomes when accessing services or engaging with the legal system. Yet, many providers are unaware of how anti-fat bias affects survivors, often holding unconscious biases that worsen harm.

This workshop will explore how abusers use fatphobia as a tool of violence, how anti-fat bias shapes survivors’ experiences, and how providers can adopt anti-fatphobic, body-inclusive practices to better support people of all sizes impacted by violence.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Illusion of Consent: Sex & Strangulation

Gerald Fineman

Strangulation has long been a tool of power, manipulation, and control, for sex offenders, human traffickers, and domestic violence perpetrators and has become a prevalent part of sexual activity. Once thought of as fringe activity, strangulation is now firmly entrenched in adult and teen sexual behavior. Lacking knowledge of the dangers involved, participants may find themselves experiencing catastrophic injury within seconds. That’s when emergency response begins. For law enforcement and prosecutors, this creates a number of questions…how can one differentiate between abusive behavior and an agreed upon act? Was there criminal conduct? If it is a part of a criminal investigation, how can one eliminate the defense of consent?

This workshop will highlight the need for public education that there is no safe way to strangle someone, distinguish the differing ways the BDSM community and experimenters approach this act, and provide law enforcement tools to assess whether this was an accident or part of a pattern of abuse.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of Sex Trafficking in the Latina Community

Claudia Davila, Myrna Olaya

Although anyone from any background can be trafficked, certain populations are disproportionately vulnerable to being victimized by this crime. Therefore, it is critical for practitioners and service providers to explore the unique and distinctive determinants and circumstances that contribute to Latina women and girls’ exposure to the trafficking industry, as well as what keeps them trapped in the illegal sex trade.

The presenter will discuss these pervasive trafficking aspects that are specific to the Latina community and provide considerations for supporting Latina survivors through outreach and programming.

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

In Her Shoes: Domestic Violence Advocacy (INTERACTIVE)

Sara Campos, Victoria O'Connor

In Her Shoes® was created by Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and provides an opportunity for attendees to act, think, and make choices as a person experiencing an abusive relationship and has been used across the county to train hundreds of professionals and communities.

Through this experiential learning, attendees are provided the opportunity to walk away with a deeper understanding of how difficult it is to navigate systems, find effective support, and make the decision to leave an abusive partner. Following the simulation exercise, the presenters will lead a debrief for attendees to discuss what they learned and how this impacts their work.

*****PLEASE NOTE: This workshop is highly interactive with the engagement of multiple stations and is not designed as a working lunch. Attendees are encouraged to eat food before or after this session outside of the room designated for this activity*********

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Including the Invisible: Advocating for Individuals with Disabilities

Dorinda Edmisten, Monie Ballard

While sexual and domestic violence is a major problem in our society, the issue of interpersonal violence against individuals with disabilities is even greater than it is for others. Some estimates reveal that people with disabilities are twice as likely to experience violent victimization. Often, people working in both victim services organizations and disability services organizations have difficulty acknowledging how commonly individuals with disabilities are victimized and may not be knowledgeable or equipped to provide proper advocacy for this population.

This workshop will provide the tools and support necessary to become a strong and effective advocate for individuals with disabilities. The presenter will share the key components of serving and supporting victims of crime who have disabilities. With over 38 years of combined service as frontline advocates, prevention educators, and non-profit leaders, attendees will hear from real-life experiences that will hopefully leave them feeling inspired, energized, and ready to move to the next level as an advocate.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

It's All the Same: Victim Blame in Violence Against Women

Erin Kelley

Victim-blaming operates across multiple forms of gender-based violence which can severely compromise how justice is brought forth, offenders are held accountable, and victims seek healing. These potential hindrances are especially compounded when victim-blaming occurs within a practitioner or service provider environment.

Drawing on law, literature, neuroscience, and social science, the presenter will unpack DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender), a manipulation tactic first identified by psychologist Jennifer Freyd, that both perpetrators and institutions use to silence victims and deflect accountability.

The presenter will also describe how DARVO shows up in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment, with examples ranging from historical court rulings to high-profile cultural figures. Through interactive activities using narratives from novels and case studies, the workshop will highlight how DARVO is reinforced not only by individuals but also by institutions such as courts, corporations, and the media.

The workshop will also include a forward-looking discussion on solutions, including education, community conversations, institutional change, and legal reforms, empowering participants to better recognize DARVO in their professions and contribute to a cultural shift away from victim blaming.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

It’s Personal! When Offenders Sexually Assault their Intimate Partners

Sonia Sims, Beth Maeker

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a concerning, yet understudied form of intimate partner violence, has been historically invalidated as a serious crime, and is a hidden and poorly understood form of violence against women. Power and control play a major role in the intimate partner violence realm with IPSV incorporating a range of behaviors including rape, sexual assault, and sex obtained via coercion and threats. Estimates suggest that around 10% of women may have experienced IPSV. Given the stigma and silence surrounding this matter, it is highly likely that these figures are an underrepresentation.

The presenters of this workshop will describe how certain assailants will try to exert power and control prior and after their arrest. The workshop will highlight four case studies that will begin with the forensic nurse’s encounter and then follow two of the case studies through the criminal justice system to highlight their outcomes. The presenters will also emphasize how multidisciplinary teams can work together to achieve favorable outcomes for each survivor.

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Justice Metamorphosis: Courts Innovating e-Filing Technology to Provide Access & Empower Survivors

Alicia Davis, Kelsey Mullins, Elsa Robbins

Drafting a petition is a vital first step for survivors seeking protection orders, as it determines their eligibility for an ex parte order. Yet, the petition process is often confusing and time-consuming—particularly for pro se survivors managing it alone at the courthouse. Frequently, survivors must navigate this process without the guidance of an attorney or advocate. To best serve survivors, the petition process should be accessible, user-friendly, and trauma-informed, helping individuals feel supported and empowered throughout. E-filing offers a meaningful solution to many of these challenges.

This workshop will highlight insights and lessons learned by courts nationwide that are participating in a national TA initiative, assisting communities in leveraging innovative technology to enhance safety and accessibility in the e-filing protection process. Presenters will share best practices for trauma-informed e-filing design and provide strategies for engaging the advocacy community to expand access to these essential tools. Real-world success stories will show how e-filing technology can make the legal system more accessible while embedding trauma-informed practices, empathy, and survivor safety at every step.

Advocacy, Legal, Technology

Knock, Knock!: Engaging in Human-Centric Death Notifications with a Teams Approach

Russell Strand

Losing someone can be one of the hardest things in the world to deal with. It is a kind of pain that rocks one’s bones. For many, it can be suffering of the worst kind. Notifiers have a unique opportunity to create both short-term and long-term support for families in their time of great need. Within that moment of crisis, if handled inappropriately, notifications can generate tremendous emotional and psychological harm. Conversley, notifiers can be the ones who may prevent further crisis. If the death is unattended, there may be an investigation. This process is very confusing and stressful to people in bereavement. However, notifiers can lift the weight of this burden by being able to provide basic answers (on the investigation, on local funeral services, the role of the medical examiner, what will happen next, and/or who to call for extra help.

This workshop offers notifiers the skills necessary to notify individuals that someone who is in their life has died. The presenters will teach through a trauma-informed, healing-inspired lens that relies on the best practice of the “teams’ approach.” At the point of notification, how to help set up a formal support network to help people transcend this traumatic experience will also be discussed.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Learning from Survivors: Focus Groups in Rural Communities (INTERACTIVE SESSION)

Elena Anderson, Bree Adams Bill

Focus groups are an essential way for rural communities to learn directly from survivors about their experiences. Focus groups give participants space to connect and share their perspectives, which can be particularly powerful for more isolated survivors living in rural communities. Focus groups also provide an entry point for survivor involvement in efforts to create change.

In this interactive session, the presenters will explore how focus groups can be part of a survivor-centered approach to providing services. Attendees will be encouraged to consider how rural communities can engage survivors in changemaking through the use of focus groups and taught how focus groups have informed and improved the approaches of rural advocacy programs, interdisciplinary teams, and community partners. The presenters will also explore how-tos for planning and facilitation, including: How do we create a supportive space for rural survivors? Who might we want to consider as group facilitators and why? What do we do with the information we gather?

This interactive session will incorporate elements of lecture, discussion, demonstration, and role-playing. It will also illustrate the focus group process using examples from actual rural communities and provide examples of concrete changes that have resulted from information gathered in focus groups. Furthermore, attendees will be left with ideas for conducting survivor focus groups in their rural communities.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Lessons Learned: Creating a Positive Technological DV Program Through Legislation

LaVonda Fowler

When North Carolina created it’s technological DV Program, it had never been done before and there was no model to follow which forced them to create it’s own rule book and methods. Through trial and error, there response culminated into the CJIN Electronic GPS Monitoring Program. Since its inception, the Program has been very successful, but there have been a few snags along the way.

This workshop will outline those positive elements, touch on aspects to be avoided by other states or organizations that might want to follow the CJIN Model, and help attendees tailor the CJIN Model to the needs of the population they serve.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Let’s Talk About Sex: Erotophobia, Rape Culture, & How Sexuality Education Can Prevent Sexual Violence

Bree Kovac

Erotophobia is an intense, fear of sex, sexual intimacy, or erotic feelings, going beyond normal nervousness and causing significant distress, anxiety, and avoidance of sexual situations or partners, often stemming from negative past experiences, poor sex education, or cultural/religious beliefs. This often, cultural fear, can produce shame surrounding sexuality and can also fuel rape culture.

This workshop will examine how societal discomfort with open, affirming conversations about sexuality creates an environment where misinformation, stigma, and power imbalances thrive. The presenter will explore how erotophobia shows up in prevention efforts, institutions, and survivor responses, and why a sex-positive, comprehensive approach to sexuality education is a critical, yet often overlooked, tool in preventing sexual harm.

Through discussion, reflection, and evidence-based strategies, this workshop will highlight how comprehensive, inclusive, and pleasure-informed sexuality education can disrupt harmful norms, promote consent culture, and serve as a powerful tool in preventing sexual violence. The workshop ultimately aims to equip professionals with the insight and language to challenge harmful silences around sexuality, center consent and agency, and promote healthier, safer communities.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Let's Talk Tactics! How to Effectively Communicate with Survivors & Increase Participation

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

Have you ever found yourself feeling frustrated while working with a victim of domestic violence? Or, ever thought to yourself…”why won’t she listen?” It may feel taboo to say, but the truth is that we all feel frustrated at times.

This workshop will discuss typical reactions from victims that may affect their ability and/or willingness to participate in the investigation, prosecution, or therapeutic process based on where they are in the Stages of Change. The presenters will also lay out practical ways to address these reactions and overcome barriers to communicate with victims of domestic violence more effectively. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and practice effective phrasing and approaches using hypothetical scenarios.

While the scenarios in this workshop will be aimed at law enforcement and prosecutors, all service providers will be able to apply this knowledge to their specific job roles.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Link between Animal Abuse & Family Violence: Investigation & Prosecution Strategies to Keep Families Safe

Allie Phillips

Research studies worldwide have documented the link between animal abuse and family violence. With 70% of American homes having pets, domestic violence professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors and judges will encounter family violence cases that involve the abuse of family pets that are targeted to gain silence and compliance of child and adult victims. Understanding this dynamic can assist with effective safety planning, investigations, prosecutions and post-sentencing considerations.

This workshop will explore the research studies on how animal abuse links to violence against women, the importance of addressing animal abuse in homes experiencing interpersonal violence, the necessity for a multi-disciplinary agency response for better outcomes, and service strategies to help survivors with pets in crisis. Investigation, prosecution and courtroom strategies involving the link between domestic violence and animal abuse will also be discussed.

No abusive photos will be shown.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Making the Right Moves: Exploring Ethical Practices to Increase Survivor Engagement

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

Ethical responses to domestic violence are crucial for survivor safety, justice, and empowerment, moving beyond simple intervention to ensure fairness, respect, cultural sensitivity, and trauma-informed care, preventing re-victimization, upholding human dignity, and addressing systemic issues like poverty and inequality that fuel abuse.

The presenters of this workshop will discuss the ethical values related to best practices using a trauma-informed lens and will review typical trauma reactions from victims of domestic violence that may impact survivors’ ability and/or willingness to participate in the processes of our services/agencies.

The presenters will also discuss the Stages of Change model, how it informs our approach with clients, and what ethical and cultural considerations are relevant in each stage when operating from an empowerment model. Attendees will be provided the opportunity to practice effective phrasing and approaches using hypothetical ethical scenarios and review key skills for effective and ethical trauma-informed interviewing.

Additionally, it will be shared how service providers can fulfill their ethical duty to take care of themselves in this work. While the scenarios in this workshop will be aimed more towards counselors, case workers, and advocates, all helping professionals will be able to apply these skills to their own job roles.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

The Manipulation Matrix: Understanding Grooming, Aftermath, & Advocacy in Sexual Assault

Chris McGhee

Grooming is recognized as a specific, calculated process used by perpetrators to build trust and emotional connection with a victim for the purpose of sexual exploitation and abuse. It is a form of sexual abuse because its explicit intent is to facilitate non-consensual sexual activity or exploitation, and the manipulative nature of the process undermines true consent.

The presenter of this workshop will provide a critical examination of sexual assault, its psychological and legal aftermath, and the role of advocacy in supporting survivors. The workshop will begin by exploring the Grooming Model of Sexual Assault, as defined by Georgia Mae Winters and Elizabeth L. Jeglic, and analyzing the manipulative tactics offenders use to exploit and silence victims. The presenter will also examine the emotional and psychological toll on survivors and their families, highlighting the complexities of trauma and recovery.

Additionally, the presenter will will review the impact of deciding to press charges, including the legal process and the potential for secondary victimization within the criminal justice system and explore various advocacy strategies that empower survivors and their supporters, fostering resilience, systemic change, and community awareness.

By integrating research, lived experiences, and survivor-centered approaches, this workshop plans to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to navigate and challenge the broader social and legal landscapes of sexual assault.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Maximizing Resources, Serving Survivors: How to Improve Campus Sexual Assault Response

Courtney Morrison

Sexual assault on college campuses remains one of the most underreported and misunderstood crimes, with survivors facing not only the trauma of the assault itself but also the overwhelming complexities of navigating campus, community, and criminal justice systems.

This workshop examines the unique challenges survivors encounter in higher education environments and provides a roadmap for developing survivor-centered, trauma-informed approaches to response and prevention.

Advocacy, Campus, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Media Depictions of Black Women's Elevated Risk for IPV

Miltonette Craig

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) can affect individuals of all genders, this type of violence has a disproportionate impact on women. Moreover, Black women in particular face victimization at a disproportionately higher rate than other groups and are also at a much-increased risk of experiencing intimate partner homicide. Considering their significant overrepresentation in the victim population, advocates have called for increased attention to IPV prevalence and its associated risks for Black women.

One of the most effective ways to publicize important health-related information is through the media, and analyzing the potential impact that media framing can have is essential to the study and prevention of IPV. Depending on the ways in which media outlets frame a topic, they can produce messages that normalize or disapprove of various social phenomena– and can shape which social issues are of most importance as well as how those issues should be interpreted.

This workshop is designed to illustrate the influence of media coverage and framing of IPV and how that coverage relates to the high incidence of IPV amongst Black women. The presenter will review and analyze the findings of a study conducted on media depictions of Black women’s elevated IPV risk, explore sociocultural factors that contribute to this risk, and discuss the broader implications of media framing.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Missed Opportunities: Closing Gaps in Identifying Forced Labor

Gigi Scoles, Jane Anderson

Labor trafficking, involuntary servitude, and debt bondage are crimes that can be prosecuted at the federal, state, and local levels. Therefore, every level of government needs to be equipped to respond appropriately to these cases and coordinate accordingly. Forced labor manifests in many areas of the labor market – including but not limited to manufacturing, agriculture, construction, entertainment, service industries, and domestic labor – but these cases continue to be underreported and often undetected. Collaborative responses that include traditional and non-traditional partners can enhance the ability to identify and serve victims and hold offenders accountable.

This workshop will highlight the ways in which labor trafficking and its victims often intersect with systems, agencies, and individuals in ways that are not obviously related to labor trafficking. This can include victims entering court systems, accessing medical care, and attending schools and churches.

Various government agencies have oversight into industries and venues where forced labor may be occurring and may have the documentation and evidence that can build strong cases against traffickers. By understanding and leveraging these intersections, there are more opportunities to detect labor trafficking, and thereby to seek justice for labor trafficking victims and hold traffickers accountable.

Advocacy, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

On the Frontlines of Domestic Violence Services: Staff Perspectives from a Blueprint Study

Mackenzie Masters, Krystle Roman

The Florida Blueprint Study: Creating a Blueprint for a Safer Florida, a statewide evaluation of domestic violence services conducted in-depth interviews with a certified domestic violence center staff across diverse roles with staff reporting innovative adaptations, such as integrating batterer accountability specialists within DV centers and forging creative community partnerships, while also grappling with persistent challenges including limited funding, affordable housing shortages, transportation barriers, and uneven collaboration with law enforcement and other systems.

This workshop will illuminate the strategies agencies employ to meet the complex and evolving needs of survivors. By showcasing both promising practices and critical service gaps, this workshop will provide attendees with a comprehensive view of Florida’s domestic violence service landscape and highlight actionable lessons for advancing survivor-centered, resource-responsive, and community-based interventions nationwide.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

On-the-Ground & in the Field: Practical Strategies to Strengthen Victim-Centered Approaches to Human Trafficking

Summer Ghias, Erin Albright

The term ‘victim-centered’ is used in federal mandates, in notice of funding opportunities, in standards of care, in standard operating procedures, and in press releases. Tactics have not kept pace with rhetoric and there has been minimal focus on the practical realities of the implementation of a “victim-centered” approach across sectors.

This workshop will equip professionals, including law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, social service providers and other responders with context, concrete suggestions and specific resources and tools to improve victim-centered responses to human trafficking at an individual, organizational and task force level. Attendees will receive practical guidance to implement victim-centered approaches, including resources to support ethical and consent-based information sharing in a multi-disciplinary task force setting.

Advocacy, Trafficking

Operation RESPECT: Military-Informed Prevention of Sexual Violence Through Empathetic Leadership

Diandra Poe

Operation RESPECT—Recognizing, Educating, and Strengthening Prevention Efforts for Combating Threats—is a military-informed, survivor-centered training program and is designed to equip multidisciplinary professionals to detect early warning signs, interrupt grooming behaviors, and cultivate cultures that prevent sexual assault and harassment.

Drawing on lessons from installations such as Fort Sill, Fort Bragg, Korea, and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, the presenter and creator of Operation RESPECT, will share strategies on how to recognize manipulative tactics, establish professional boundaries, identify cultural norms that enable violence, and apply practical bystander-intervention tools. The workshop will also incorporate real-world case scenarios and downloadable templates to implement evidence-based prevention strategies in law enforcement, advocacy, campus, or community settings.

Advocacy, Clinical, Military, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Out of the Man Box & Across The Manosphere: Strategies for Engaging Boys and Men

Kimya Motley, RaKim Lash

While elements and characteristics of the Man Box and Manosphere have long existed before being named, social connectedness through platforms and online spaces have created new challenges to be addressed in preventing violence against women. The Manosphere has influenced the threshold of men’s violence against women through its radicalization of men and boys, directly and indirectly impacting public safety while creating unique challenges for law enforcement.

How do we continue to engage boys and men in the presence of a growing radicalization that promotes misogyny, outdated gender norms, and the blaming of women for challenges facing men? What can we do in the face of a deeply seated sphere of control that promotes and legitimizes violence against women?

The practice and promotion of healthy manhood continues to be a solution and guiding light forward. Therefore, this workshop will provide a foundational overview of the Manosphere in definition, timeline, and impact while sharing several considerations for engaging boys and men in prevention.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Path to Justice & Healing: State v. Matthew Osborn from a Survivor's Perspective

Stephanie Simpson, Ashleigh Persons

In 2022, Matthew Osborn physically assaulted, strangled and raped his girlfriend at the time who was able to escape and seek help from local police. Osborn was ultimately charged, tried, and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Together, the assistant district attorney of the case and the survivor of the attack, Ashleigh will discuss the case study of State of Texas v. Matthew Osborn, provide individual perspectives on the criminal justice process, and discuss strategies in preparation for trial.

The goal of this case study will be to provide the audience with an inside perspective on what a survivor goes through after the initial investigation is complete and the impact of preparing for trial.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Partners in Justice: Strengthening Advocate & Law Enforcement Collaboration

Lori Nelson, James Farris

Law enforcement and advocates working together helps victims by creating a comprehensive support system that combines the legal authority of police with the trauma-informed expertise of advocates, leading to better investigations, increased victim engagement, improved access to crucial resources, enhanced safety planning, and a clearer understanding of their rights, ultimately fostering trust and better justice system outcomes for survivors.

This workshop willl dive into the vital collaboration between advocates and law enforcement, highlighting how strong professional relationships, cross-training, and intentional communication can break down barriers to working together effectively. The presenter will explore how the goals of advocacy intersect with the mandates and responsibilities of law enforcement under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures, identifying areas where shared understanding can improve outcomes for survivors.

Through real-world examples and practical strategies, the presenter will also demonstrate how community-based advocacy agencies and law enforcement can work in tandem to provide survivor-centered support while ensuring offender accountability. By gaining insight into each other’s roles, responsibilities, and limitations, attendees will be taught how a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach strengthens investigations, enhances safety, and fosters trust—ultimately creating a system in which survivors’ needs are met with compassion, expertise, and accountability.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

The PERF Roadmap to Best Practices for Response & Investigation: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, & Dating Violence

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw, Rachael Thompson, Kristen McGeeney

Law enforcement gender bias in investigations involves officers allowing stereotypes and prejudices to affect how they treat victims and handle cases, particularly in sexual assault and domestic violence, leading to misclassification, underreporting, inadequate investigation, and failure to hold perpetrators accountable, undermining justice and community trust.

The presenters of this workshop will highlight a tool created by the Police Executive Research Forum and Ujima, The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community that provides law enforcement with a roadmap and resources to align their policies, practices, and training with the eight principles of the Department of Justice’s 2022 revised guidance on “Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.”

The presenters will also discuss the collaborative process between the two agencies in planning, developing, and implementing the roadmap to illustrate the benefit of fostering partnerships between organizations that have not traditionally worked together to address violence against women to increase safety for all.

****A listening session will be held after the workshop for law enforcement to discuss successes and challenges with their response and investigation practices in their local jurisdiction.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

The Phantom Toll: Mental Health Impacts of Stalking

Jennifer Landhuis, Lauren Dennis

Stalking is a serious public health issue that too often remains unidentified or unaddressed by those tasked with assisting survivors. Healthcare providers, advocates, and other professionals can serve as a critical source of support for survivors, helping them address stalking’s impact on their health and quality of life and connecting them with additional resources.

Ninety-two percent of stalking victims report one or more psychological impacts from their victimization including higher rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation. Despite these severe consequences, stalking is often omitted from existing protocols aimed at identifying and addressing intimate partner violence or sexual violence. Therefore, healthcare providers play a critical role in violence and homicide prevention y inquiring about, identifying and addressing the unique needs of stalking victims.

This workshop is designed to equip forensic nurses and mental health professionals with the tools and resources to enhance their ability to identify stalking victims, recognize the emotional and physical risks stalking poses to patients, and make informed referrals with the appropriate level of urgency.

Advocacy, Medical/Healthcare, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Pressing the Reset Button: How Attorneys Can Advocate for Clients & Gain Survivor Trust

Shakira Ali Kelley

Often lawyers fall into preconceived notions and judgments of others. Its inherently embedded in the work that they do (analyze, critique, and ultimately judge). In fact, some lawyers go on to become actual judges. Therefore, it is in a laywer’s nature to judge a case or a client. However, when representing women who are victims and survivors of abuse and horrific crimes, lawyers must actually press the re-set button.

Lawyers need all the details, plus more. However, most survivors are unwilling to immediately share their story, and the details of the crime, the person, the relationship and most women are going to be cautious, if not distrustful, of the lawyer, prosecutor, or special victim advocate. Thus before lawyers get into the “what happened, who are the witnesses, what photos or videos do you have, the text messages, etc.”, they have the responsibility to establish the trust and rapport with the client.

As a survivor of domestic violence and abuse, and an trial attorney, the presenter will provide concrete steps and examples of how to ensure that client-centered representation remains at the forefront of every decision an attorney makes.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

Raising The Bar: Justice through Victims' Lens, Legal Challenges, & Trauma

Ameen Nusrat, Gayatri Joshi

All victims of crime face internal and external barriers when seeking help. However, immigrant victims of crime often face unique barriers that make seeking help even more difficult. When working with victims of intimate partner violence, these barriers such as cultural traditions, family structures and fears regarding immigration status are often multiplied due to the strong social taboos associated with these crimes. Moreover, legal barriers become more challenging when the victim’s immigration is tied to the abuser. This leads to survivors often feeling unheard when facing legal situations and victims often question if they will get justice due to barriers.

This workshop will introduce service providers to barriers faced by immigrant victims and discuss the tools and ways to embrace a flexible, out-of-the-box thinking, and trauma-informed, victim-focused approach to address these challenges when working with immigrant victims from diverse backgrounds.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Reaching an Understanding: Introduction to Interpretation & Translation Planning

Jose Juan Lara Jr.

Optimal language services for victims involve using professional, trauma-informed interpreters who are culturally competent, ensuring confidentiality, and communicating with clarity to empower survivors and avoid re-victimization. Many survivors, where English is not their first language, face compounded barriers to seeking services which reinforces the need for proper training and resources.

This workshop will introduce attendees to interpretation and translation planning for access and will cover what an interpretation and translation plan is, and isn’t, why it matters, and what it should include.

Additionally, attendees will be introduced to core components of both organizational plans and frontline procedures, key terminology, and common challenges. The presenter will also explore how geography, staffing, and service settings can shape the development and implementation of access planning.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

Real Love, Right? Artificial Intimacy & the Future of Violence Prevention

Sloan Thompson

Artificial intimacy is reshaping how people form connections, seek support, and experience harm and AI companion apps, marketed as romantic partners, friends, and therapists, are increasingly used by adults, teens, and survivors looking for validation, safety, or escape. Using these apps can feel rewarding and provide benefits to users, but they can also normalize coercive dynamics, create emotional dependency, and heighten risks for individuals already navigating trauma, isolation, or mental-health challenges.

This workshop will help violence-prevention and response professionals understand how AI companion relationships mirror familiar patterns of abuse – love-bombing, manipulation, surveillance, and cyclical harm – and why these dynamics complicate disclosure and safety planning. Drawing on EndTAB’s work with advocates, law enforcement, social workers, and clinicians, we will explore emerging concerns related to AI therapy apps, the normalization of gender-based violence through chatbot roleplay, and the rapid spread of sexualized or abusive companion chatbots on youth-driven platforms.

The presenter will provide practical strategies for talking about AI use without shame or stigma, assessing risk, supporting survivors who rely on these apps, and preparing agencies for the next wave of tech-enabled abuse. Moreover, this session positions artificial intimacy as a critical new frontier in understanding victimization and an essential component of modern prevention work.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Reimagining Legal Access: Expanding Survivor Pathways Through Alternative Legal Models

Amanda Elkanick Oder, Bronwyn Blake

Survivors of abuse often face overwhelming barriers to securing full legal representation, leaving many without the protection they urgently need.

This workshop will highlight how Texas Advocacy Project is reimagining survivor access to justice through a range of innovative approaches, including the Assisted Pro Se program, pro bono partnerships, and exploration of paraprofessional and limited license legal professional roles. Presenters will share lessons from Texas Advocacy Project’s statewide initiatives, such as protective order assistance, coerced debt relief, and legal navigation in family violence cases, and connect these to national trends in bridging the justice gap.

By showcasing practical models that reduce retraumatization and expand safety options, this workshop will provide attendees with strategies to strengthen survivor-centered responses in their own communities.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Release & Revictimization: Building Bridges to Support Survivors During Plea-Bargaining Processes

Libby Hamilton

When an offender is held accountable for their actions, that accountability is often characterized by a jail sentence. However, various factors come into play as to how much of that sentence the offender will actually serve. Oftentimes, these factors are discussed behind closed doors amongst legal and penal officials. In many scenarios, the final decisions related to the offender are not communicated to the victims and they find out that their abuser, rapist, or trafficker may not serve time or may be released sooner than anticipated.

This workshop will address revictimization that often occurs during the plea-bargaining process, and provide valuable information regarding post-conviction victim services.

Prosecutors, victim assistance coordinators, and crime victim liaisons are encouraged to attend this workshop and bring all their questions about parole eligibility and parole review!

Advocacy, Legal, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Relief Responses: Improving Access to Family Court Proceedings for Immigrant Crime Victims

Leslye Orloff, Rosemary Collins

Research has found that with the support of advocates and attorneys, immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence will turn to state family courts seeking civil protection orders, custody, divorce and economic remedies including in times when victims are reticent to seek immigration relief.

This workshop, co-presented by a judge and a family law expert, will provide an overview of immigration relief options available to survivors of crime and share best practices for addressing the unique issues that arise in cases of immigrant survivors seeking help from family courts. The presenters will highlight the importance of protection orders, including creative remedies that most effectively protect immigrant victims and their children.

Attendees will be taught skills for responding to issues commonly raised by perpetrators in custody cases and securing economic remedies for immigrant survivors. The presenters will also address the impact of divorce on immigration status and tools judges, attorneys and victim advocates can use to ensure that immigrant victims can use to promote compliance with federal statues and ICE policies help ensure that immigrant victims can safely access the help available from state family courts.

Advocacy, Civil Law, Domestic Violence, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

S.W.A.T.--Special Weapons Against Trauma: Reducing Officer Fatalities

Russell Strand

S.W.A.T. stands for Special Weapons Against Trauma, a holistic approach that integrates evidence-based psychology, neuroscience of stress, and practical wellness strategies into high-risk policing. By linking self-regulation to safer decision-making, officers can maintain clarity, control impulses, and communicate effectively in volatile environments.

This workshop examines the critical role of self-regulation, trauma-aware decision-making, and sustained professional wellness in reducing officer fatalities. The presenter will describe how acute and cumulative trauma can alter perception, attention, and judgment under pressure, and how pre-incident preparation, during-incident choices, and post-incident recovery are intertwined. Moreover, this workshop will emphasize practical, implementable tools such as breathing techniques, cognitive reframing, micro-discipline for pause-and-assess, and structured debriefs that normalize seeking support. Additionally, it will highlight organizational responsibilities—leadership modeling, peer support networks, and wellness programs—that create environments where officers can acknowledge stress without stigma.

Ultimately, attendees will be provided with a concrete, scalable framework for trauma-informed operations that include recognizing signs of stress, applying quick-regulation strategies in the field, and committing to ongoing wellness routines.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

SAFE Learning: An Interdisciplinary Resource Model for Victim Advocacy on College Campuses

Tanya Smith, Jamie Lewis Saye

The SAFE (Safety, Advocacy, Forensics, Empowerment) Model, established at Kennesaw State University in 2023, represents a groundbreaking approach to addressing sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and other forms of victimization on campus. Unlike traditional community-based models, which often require survivors to navigate multiple providers and locations, the SAFE model unites advocacy, forensic medical care, counseling, academic support, and legal resources in one centralized, trauma-informed facility. Situated within the Department of Public Safety, the Center allows for immediate collaboration between advocates, law enforcement, medical professionals, and counselors, ensuring survivors receive coordinated care from the moment a crime is reported.

This workshop will highlight the development and implementation of the SAFE model, its pioneering placement within a university police department, and the resulting improvements in survivor engagement, trust, and academic retention.

The presenters will explore how integrating advocacy into public safety operations closes service gaps, enhances institutional transparency, and empowers survivors to make informed decisions. Data from the Center’s first year of operation will be shared, illustrating both successes and challenges, and attendees will be provided with actionable strategies for adapting elements of the model in their own communities.

Advocacy, Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety for Seniors: Exploring Elder Mistreatment Arcs

Julia Hiner

Undetected elder abuse is widespread due to victim isolation, shame, fear, confusion, and perpetrators often being family members or caregivers. Moreover, unexplained injuries, neglect, or changes in finances are often hidden, misdirected, or overlooked.

In this workshop, attendees will journey together with an older woman as she navigates screenings, evaluations, and interventions for elder mistreatment she experienced. Through an academic and community advocacy lens, research on elder mistreatment screening tools and the work of four elder mistreatment multidisciplinary teams will be explored, as well as the case management efforts of each highlighted organization along her experience to recovery and wholeness.

Additionally, the importance of advocacy and collaboration will be highlighted, as well as individuals’ roles and responsibilities in keeping communities safe for everyone.

Advocacy, Campus, Domestic Violence, Legislation/Policy

Safety from Multiple Perspectives: What Survivors & Law Enforcement Say about the Role of Firearms in Domestic Violence

Annie Struby, Jennifer Becker

Law enforcement must balance concerns for both their own safety and that of the victim with the rights of those accused of domestic violence and limited resources. This can be especially complicated in rural areas, where gun ownership and lawful usage are often a normal part of the culture or necessary for sustenance. Understanding these complex considerations is helpful for practitioners throughout the criminal and civil legal system.

During the fall of 2025, BWJP conducted listening sessions with both survivors and rural law enforcement to better understand their perspectives on the role of firearms in domestic violence. The listening sessions with survivors provide insight into the ever-changing and complex safety calculations that survivors make as they navigate a relationship with an armed, abusive partner.

The presenters of this workshop will share qualitative and quantitative data learned from these sessions and discuss how attendees can use this information to increase survivor and community safety and promote offender accountability. By understanding the additional dynamics that exist when firearms are present, practitioners in all aspects of the criminal and civil legal system can better assist survivors in staying safe.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Searching Beneath the Surface: Exploring Abuser Criminogenic Needs & DV Offending

Carolina Frane, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

There is a critical intersection of criminogenic needs and domestic violence offending with abusers having unmet needs, such as a history of antisocial behavior, lack of stable employment, and substance misuse, which are known to fuel and sustain patterns of intimate partner violence. By examining these underlying factors, practitioners can move beyond traditional batterer intervention programs to a more holistic, evidence-based approach.

This workshop will highlight the importance of coordinated community responses that integrate risk-need-responsivity (RNR) principles. The presenters will discuss clinicians’ experiences on how adverse childhood experiences are slowly uncovered throughout offender treatment, and explore gender-responsive programming for people who use violence.

The workshop will also emphasize the crucial role of partnerships between community providers, courts, and service agencies in creating comprehensive and effective interventions. A central theme will be how cultural considerations must be woven into the fabric of support and intervention to ensure accessibility and effectiveness for all individuals.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

See the Value! How Austin’s EMDR Project Brings Free Trauma Therapy to Survivors

Claire Godfrey, Rick Levinson

Eight years ago, the Austin Police Department and their local Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (SARRT) launched the EMDR Project to address a critical gap in accessible, trauma-informed therapy for crime victims. By training local therapists in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) in exchange for pro bono sessions, this innovative program leverages a $50,000 annual budget to provide over $350,000 in free therapy—delivering more than 2,000 sessions annually to victims in Austin.

This workshop will provide an EMDR 101 overview, addressing what EMDR is, how it works, and why it is an effective modality for survivors. The presenters will also teach attendees how the project operates and receive a practical roadmap to implement this cost-effective, trauma-informed, grassroots model in their own community.

Advocacy, Clinical, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Silent Warning: Understanding Strangulation as the Strongest Predictor of Homicide in Intimate Partner Violence

Nichole Schmidt

The Gabby Petito tragedy made international headlines for months that primarily focused on Gabby’s interaction with police while traveling cross-country with her abusive boyfriend that ultimately led to her death. What was not covered in detail by media and public discourse were the subtle signs of strangulation that so often go unnoticed, and the devastating, too-often fatal impact they carry.

Nichole Schmidt, mother of Gabby Petito, will share insights into warning signs present in Gabby’s relationship, including disclosures to a friend that non-consensual “sexual strangulation” was something her partner pressured her into. These patterned behaviors, often dismissed or normalized, are crucial predictors of future violence. The presenter will examine the realities of strangulation through both evidence-based research and lived experience and guide attendees through the critical warning signs.

Through insights from Gabby’s story and evidence-based research on strangulation dynamics, attendees will be offered the opportunity to dive deeper into the physical, emotional, and lethal consequences of strangulation and receive practical, trauma-informed strategies to strengthen safety planning and response.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Silent Witness Screaming to Be Heard: Processing a DV Crime Scene

Kimberly Korrin

Despite significant advancements in law enforcement over the past two decades, many aspects of domestic violence investigations remain antiquated and overlooked. While crime scene attention is prioritized in homicides and other “major” crimes, domestic violence calls often receive less scrutiny. When these scenes are taken for granted, critical evidence is lost, leaving investigations reliant on verbal accounts alone. This lack of thorough documentation weakens arrest and prosecution opportunities and leaves victims at risk of continued and escalated harm.

However, investigators never know which detail may prove pivotal—sometimes it is the smallest piece of evidence that shifts a case from probable cause to proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

This workshop emphasizes how applying the same methodical practices used in major crimes can elevate non-fatal domestic violence cases. The presenter will share practical strategies for identifying and documenting evidence that speaks when victims cannot or will not. Focus areas include recognizing patterns of coercive control in the environment, capturing photographic and digital evidence, preserving physical details often overlooked, and documenting injuries and property damage with an eye toward corroboration.

Through real case examples and investigative strategies, attendees will be provided tools to “listen to the crime scene,” strengthen reports, inform decision-making, enhance victim safety, and support stronger prosecutorial outcomes.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Sit, Stay, HEAL: Animal Allies within Animal-Assisted Counseling

Tina Bevans

About 71% (94 million) American families are pet owners with an abundance of evidence demonstrating how pets can positively contribute to physical, emotional, and/or psychological well-being. In abusive homes, pets often serve as lifelines to women and children under siege from violence.

The presenter of this workshop will introduce the intersection of Animal-Assisted Counseling (AAC) with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and review research on the human-animal bond and using of animals in therapy.

The presenter will also discuss the benefits and risks of AAC with survivors and the benefits of a therapy animal for staff. We will also discuss the difference between therapy animals, service animals, and emotional support animals.

Advocacy, Clinical, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Speak with Style: Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Victim Advocates

Kathleen Watson

With 40 years of empirical evidence to support its utility with individuals and families, motivational interviewing is a widely-used communication style which aims to help clients ignite their intrinsic motivational to change, grow, and heal.

The presenter of this workshop will share strategies on how to identify the ways in which clients experience ambivalence about change. Attendees will be provided with the opportunity practice four (4) basic skills for enhancing one’s motivational to take steps forward in the aftermath of trauma and adversity.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Stalking: A "Love" Story

Nicole Bialko

For far too long, our society has romanticized or dismissed stalking as a harmless obsession. In reality, it is a dangerous, pervasive form of abuse that hides in plain sight.

This workshop centers on the lived experience of stalking survivor and advocate, Nicole Bialko. Through her presentation, Stalking: A “Love” Story, Nicole will unpack the emotional and psychological toll of stalking, the manipulation of love bombing and sob stories, and the isolating impact of abuse. She will also share her journey navigating law enforcement and the criminal justice system—offering a survivor-informed roadmap for institutional accountability and personal empowerment and reinforce the urgency of survivor-centered response.

Attendees will be provided with practical tools for documentation, boundary setting, and outreach, as well as deeper insight into how confidence, intuition, and self-prioritization can foster healing and advocacy.

Advocacy, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Sticks & Stones: The Language We Use to Talk About Sexual Violence Matters

Kristin Daley

What’s the difference between saying sexual assault versus rape? Does it matter whether we call someone who’s experienced sexual violence a victim or a survivor? When someone states they have been assaulted, is it an allegation, a statement, or a report? Is consent a tricky topic, or are we conditioned to believe it’s as simple as “yes or no”? The way society talks and writes about sexual violence and how it falls short of being survivor-centered creates an urgent need to correct course and shift the cultural narrative.

The presenter of this workshop will illustrate how justice system professionals and media commentators play critical roles in how the public views sexual violence and will share strategies on how to cultivate a culture that prioritizes, amplifies, and expands the rights of sexual violence survivors.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Still May Not Be Over: Community Supervision of Stalking Offenders

Jennifer Waindle

Stalking is a prevalent, dangerous, and often misunderstood crime. Moreover, the stealthy nature of stalking makes it a highly challenging task to supervise offenders who engage in this form of domestic violence when they are no longer under the scrutiny of incarceration.

This workshop explores the dynamics of stalking, focusing on the highly contextual nature of the crime by discussing common tactics used by perpetrators, tips for identifying stalking behaviors, and guidance on how to provide effective supervision for offenders that promotes the safety of victims and the community.

The presenter will also explore the co-occurrence of stalking with domestic and sexual violence and the risk factors that accompany such behaviors, while providing practical tools to plan for victim safety and hold offenders accountable.

Advocacy, Offender Accountability, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Strategic Parenting: Analyzing How Domestic Abusers Involve Children in the Abuse

Scott Hampton

On 8/13/2013, Muni Savyon, 54, shot and killed his 9-year-old son, Joshua, during a supervised visit at the Manchester, NH YWCA and then died by suicide. This tragedy raised a whole host of issues about the nature and risks inherent in domestic abuse cases, not the least of which have to do with abusers as parents and the involvement of children. Despite a still popular belief, domestic violence includes far more than one spouse physically assaulting the other. To control their intimate partners, abusers target many areas of their victims’ lives, including their children with devastating consequences. With identification, understanding and a well thought out plan, practitioners can enhance the safety and welfare of the affected children and their non-offending parents.

The presenter of this workshop will highlight the above-referenced case and others, review the abuser’s agenda and various types of abuse employed including the use of children, describe the ways that children are used as pawns and the impact on those children and the vulnerable parent, and examine the nature and severity of separation violence, especially when children are involved.

The presenter will also expose the tactics abusers use to avoid accountability including blaming the victim (e.g., accusations of failure to protect or parental alienation), examine effective interventions, and help attendees identify training and TA resources.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Survivor-Centered Solutions: Collaborative Approaches to Safety Planning

Kaitlyn Eberhardt

Safety planning is one of the most vital tools in supporting survivors of intimate partner violence, yet it is too often delivered as a static, one-size-fits-all checklist. Safety planning offers crucial benefits like reducing risk, empowering individuals, and creating concrete action steps for crises, especially for suicide prevention and domestic violence, by providing a personalized, step-by-step guide to coping, accessing support, and increasing immediate safety, fostering autonomy and hope.

This workshop will reframe safety planning as a collaborative, evolving process rooted in survivor expertise and autonomy. Through a clear framework, real-life conversation strategies, and guided activities, the presenter will explore approaches that address physical safety, digital security, emotional well-being, and legal protections.

The workshop also emphasizes trauma-informed advocacy, while also fostering audience connection so participants can learn from one another and leave with practical tools to bring survivor-centered safety planning into their everyday work.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

There is More than One Way! Expanding Forensic Nursing Access

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Forensic nursing is a critical intersection between health care and the legal system, ensuring trauma-informed, evidence-based care for victims of violence while preserving the integrity of forensic evidence. Across the U.S., forensic nursing programs have evolved within two primary models: hospital-based programs and community-based programs. Each model offers distinct advantages, challenges, and opportunities for patient-centered care.

This workshop will explore the structural, operational, and clinical differences between hospital-based and community-based forensic nursing programs. The presenters will examine how each model approaches access to care, collaboration with multidisciplinary partners, sustainability, funding, staffing, and quality outcomes. Case examples will illustrate how programs in diverse geographic and demographic settings adapt to meet the needs of survivors while balancing medical, forensic, and judicial responsibilities.

By comparing the two models, the providers will provide insight into: strengths and limitations of hospital-based versus community-based approaches, considerations for rural, urban, and underserved populations, strategies for integrating forensic nursing into broader systems of health care and justice, and policy, training, and funding implications that shape program design and long-term sustainability.

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Tools for Your Toolbelt: Connecting with the Neurodiverse Community

Jamiel Owens, Cheryl Stehle

Autism and neurodivergent awareness are crucial for fostering acceptance, understanding, and inclusion, moving beyond simple recognition to valuing unique perspectives, promoting early support, challenging stereotypes, and creating accessible environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive, benefiting society with diverse talents in problem-solving and creativity.

The presenters of this workshop provide practical tools, critical knowledge, and compassionate insight into the experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum and those who are neurodivergent to accurately assess and support autistic individuals during traffic stops, crises, or community engagement. Designed especially for first responders, law enforcement, security personnel, educators, and community advocates, this workshop will explore the unique communication styles, behaviors, and sensory sensitivities that can impact interactions during emergencies or everyday encounters.

Drawing from real-world scenarios, lived experiences, and best practices, this workshop will cover understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder and other common neurodivergent conditions, how to recognize and respond to behaviors such as stimming, meltdowns, elopement, and lack of eye contact. Effective, respectful de-escalation strategies and communication techniques, the impact of sensory overload, and how to reduce overstimulation on scene will also be discussed.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

The Trajectory of Trauma: Using the Lens of Neurobiology for Self-Resilience

Ruby Jo Walker

Trauma dysregulates the nervous system, hijacking the autonomic system to keep the body in high alert, flooding it with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and altering brain structures involved in memory, emotion, and threat detection, leading to chronic hyperarousal, anxiety, intrusive memories, emotional numbness, and physical tension long after the actual event, essentially wiring the brain to expect ongoing danger.

This workshop will provides attendees with clinical insight on how trauma shapes the nervous system and will equip them with tools to strengthen their own regulation and resilience. Using a Polyvagal Theory lens, the presenter will explore the neurobiology of adaptive threat states of the nervous system and share practical strategies to maintain calm, presence, and effectiveness in high-stress clinical situations.

The aim of the workshop is to offer attendees actionable skills to recognize their own nervous system states, restore agency, and sustain resilience while working with trauma-impacted populations.

Advocacy, Clinical, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

Transcending Violence: Shifting the Culture of Harm Towards the Transgender Community

Sabrina Blevins

In recent years, violence against the transgender and gender-diverse community has surged at an alarming rate, sparking widespread concern and urgent calls for action.

This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of the social-ecological model of violence, a framework that examines the multifaceted factors influencing violence within societies. By dissecting the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels within this model, the presenter will uncover how these interconnected factors collectively contribute to the systemic violence faced by transgender individuals.

After laying the groundwork for understanding how violence against the trans community is perpetuated, the workshop will then pivot to solutions. Actionable strategies that can be employed at each level of the social-ecological model to combat these factors and reduce the prevalence of violence will also be explored.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Trial by TikTok: Deconstructing Pop Culture's Role in Perpetuating Victim Blaming

Lauryn Fjell

Popular culture and media reports on crimes against women are often complicit in victim-blaming. From this practice, the destructive concept of the “myth of the perfect victim,” emerges that leads to the unrealistic, often-misogynistic standards society demands and how survivors who deviate from this narrow mold are swiftly discredited.

This workshop is designed to deconstruct the specific mechanisms of this narrative failure by highlighting the media’s sensationalization of trauma and algorithmic bias, how public scrutiny and ridicule are fueled on social media platforms, and discuss the deployment of perpetrator tactics like DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) to manipulate the public narrative.

Using examples from high-profile, televised events such as the public frenzy surrounding the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, the presenter will illustrate how these forces converge to create an environment hostile to survivors. Moreover, attendees will be offered insight into media disinformation tactics and provided practical strategies to advocate for truth and accountability in the digital age.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Turning the Case Upside Down: Strategies for Human-Centric Suspect Interviews

Russell Strand

It’s time to take a fresh look at an age-old problem – suspect interviews. For centuries, suspect interviews have been the topic of great controversy. Numerous techniques and strategies have been employed throughout history in order to educe information from those suspected of committing crimes. Torture, manipulation, and mind games are common tools that have been (and in some locations are still) used to develop evidence in various crimes. Conversely, interview and interrogation technique development have started to be heavily influenced by a desire to gather truth that is not impacted by fear or prejudice. Reducing false confessions and obtaining solid, honest information have long been at the center of criminal justice interest and research.

The presenter of this workshop will review the history of interrogation and discuss the impact of numerous suspect interview techniques and their efficacy including substantial research that will assist fact-finders in determining some short falls in current interview methods.

This presenter will also challenge long-held beliefs in what works and what doesn’t. Recommendations, including the newly developed suspect human centric interview techniques focused on genuine empathy and human connection will be discussed.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Unbroken: Resilience, Justice, & the Power to Rise

Lavinia Masters

Improved legislation related to sexual violence is needed to address existing legal loopholes, eliminate barriers to justice for survivors, and ensure that laws reflect a modern understanding of trauma and sexual abuse dynamics. Strong advocacy and focused legislation can affress outdated statues of limitations, inadequate survivor rights, and gaps in legal definitions and scope.

This workshop advances equity and helps end sexual violence by centering survivor voices, challenging systemic injustice, and equipping professionals with trauma-informed tools for change. Through the lens of the presenter’s lived experience and legislative leadership, the workshop will expose barriers like rape kit backlogs, institutional bias, and delayed justice—issues that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

Moreover, by promoting survivor-led advocacy, culturally competent care, and accountability in first response systems, the workshop fosters inclusive healing and equitable access to justice. It empowers attendees to become changemakers—whether through policy reform, empathetic leadership, or survivor-informed training—ensuring that survivors are not only heard but protected, respected, and uplifted.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Untold Story: Recantation & Domestic Violence

David Martin, Amy Bonomi

Recantation is not rare. Studies show that up to 80 percent of domestic violence cases that reach the judicial system involve some form of it. Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court has formally recognized witness tampering as a significant issue in these cases, with abusers often pressuring their victims to recant to reduce or avoid criminal penalties. While research has identified various reasons victims recant—such as fear of retaliation or financial dependence—until the early 2000s, little was known about the specific ways abusers tamper with victims in real time.

The goal of this workshop is to empower individuals and communities by deepening their understanding and skills in handling domestic violence cases that involve victim recantation—situations where victims take back or change what they initially told law enforcement, courts, or victim advocates.

The presenters will walk attendees through a five-stage model of recantation tampering which was later expanded into a book, Recantation and Domestic Violence: The Untold Story by playing actual audio clips, engaging the audience in identifying manipulation of third parties by abusers, and more.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

The Upside Down Case: Avoiding Misidentification & Advancing Justice

Margaret Bassett, Jeana Lungwitz

In cases involving perpetrators of IPV, appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes the person who seems to be the offender is actually reacting to the threat posed by the perpetrator. These “upside down” cases challenge law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates to look beyond surface-level evidence and initial impressions to uncover the full story. Even in the most serious incidents—including those resulting in lethal violence—the roles may not be clear-cut. Batterer behavior and threat may not be well understood, victim behavior may appear counterintuitive, and systemic pressures to act quickly can contribute to misidentification. The result risks re-victimizing survivors and obstructing justice.

This workshop provides attendees with strategies to avoid these errors by recognizing batterer tactics/risks/threats, understanding the impact of trauma & fear, and using discretion when initial evidence points in conflicting directions.

Presenters will highlight these dynamics through a case example that illustrates the complexities of an “upside down” situation, offering practical takeaways for real-world application. Discussion will cover the role of expert consultation, the importance of assessing batterer behavior and threat, and the impact of trauma. Tools to strengthen investigations, improve charging decisions, and prevent misidentification—ensuring greater safety and justice for survivors will also be provided.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Valuing Rejuvenation: How To Help Sexual Assault Survivors Heal Sexually

Leslie Morgan Steiner, Kate Simon

Sexual assault has existed for thousands of years, but most people rarely discuss the impact and aftermath when it comes to sexual assault and sexuality. When author Katie Simon was sexually assaulted, she discovered that even therapists trained in human sexuality had few tactics or strategies for helping victims of sexual assault. In response, Katie found survivors willing to tell their stories and created the first manual for survivors looking to reconnect with their sexuality after assault.

This workshop explores how sexual assault survivors can rediscover their sexuality and discuss survivor-driven data on how sexual assault victims heal their sexuality and relationship with their body.

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

VAWA Confidentiality’s Impact on Discovery in Family and Criminal Court Cases

Leslye Orloff, Jane Anderson

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) includes confidentiality protections that prevent perpetrators from learning about, interfering with, or obtaining information contained in survivors’ applications for legal immigration relief under VAWA, including Battered Spouse Waivers and U and T visas.

The presenters of this workshop will examine how VAWA confidentiality affects discovery motions in family, civil, and criminal court cases. The attendees will be introduced to the ethical and legal responsibilities related to discovery, pretrial motions, and trial strategies to counter common defenses in cases involving immigrant victims of crime.

The workshop will also include best practice tips for anticipating, preparing for, and addressing confidentiality issues to promote victim safety and offender accountability. Recent VAWA confidentiality case law and DHS policies will also be reviewed.

Advocacy, Civil Law, Legal, Legislation/Policy, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Victim to Offender: The Aftermath of Mandatory Arrest Policies

Jeanne Mullane

Significant progress has been made in the criminal justice system’s response to intimate partner violence (IPV). However, alongside these advances, unintended consequences have emerged—consequences that often go unrecognized. One increasingly common and complex issue is the criminalization of IPV victims who assault their abusers. These cases, while rooted in survival, can escalate already high-risk situations. When victims become offenders in the eyes of the justice system, they may face heightened safety risks, loss of employment and financial stability, disqualification from advocacy services, negative child custody outcomes, and the emotional and psychological trauma associated with arrest and prosecution. Compounding these issues are the structural incentives within the justice system that may unintentionally create additional barriers for victims seeking safety and justice.

This workshop will explore the unique challenges faced by victims-turned-offenders and offer insight into how advocates, law enforcement, court personnel, and allied professionals can better support this often-overlooked population.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Virtual Justice: Human-Centric Online Interviewing

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

Successful interviewing of crime victims by law enforcement relies heavily on a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach that prioritizes the victim’s well-being and memory retrieval while gathering accurate information. This approach builds trust, leading to more detailed and reliable accounts. Additionally, the more and more society conducts social and business interactions digitally, it is imperative that technology’s role in the interview process is optimal within victim services.

This workshop aims to equip law enforcement officers, advocates, and prosecutors with the essential skills to conduct effective and secure interviews with victims and witnesses via Zoom or other online video platforms. Designed with real-world investigative needs in mind, the presenter will emphasize human-centered practices that help to address and minimize retraumatization, improve the detail of victim statements, and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Attendees will be taught how trauma impacts memory and behavior, key interviewing strategies in a virtual environment, and gain confidence in using Zoom securely and professionally. Through interactive discussions, tutorials, and practical checklists, attendees will be provided the opportunity to be prepared to balance investigative priorities with compassion, dignity, and human-centered care.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Technology

The Voice Behind the Call: A 911 Survivor’s Journey from Trauma to Purpose

Dominique Mathis

Serving others while dealing with personal trauma creates intense challenges like burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion, stemming from absorbing others’ pain alongside their own that could lead to physical symptoms, detachment, irritability, and impaired functioning, making it hard to maintain empathy and effectively help. However, with dedication, strong support, and consistent self-care, external service and internal pain can work cohesively side-by-side.

The presenter of this workshop, a veteran 911 dispatch and telecommunicator and a survivor of domestic violence, will share her personal story of pain, perseverance, and purpose, describing how she answered calls that saved others for over two decades while silently surviving her own. Through raw honesty and reflection, the presenter will reveal what it means to serve and survive simultaneously, the cost of compassion, and the courage to heal when justice never came.

Moreover, this workshop sets to challenge the stigma of silence, inspire resilience, and remind responders and survivors that even after the darkest call, there is still a voice—and a purpose—waiting to be heard.

Advocacy, Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

Walking Her Path: A Reentry Simulation on the Experiences of a Human Trafficking Survivor

Miltonette Craig, Marie LeBlanc

Survivors of human trafficking who are formerly incarcerated face compounded barriers during reentry, including legal, social, economic, and psychological obstacles. Although several reentry simulation programs exist to help the public, students, and service providers understand the challenges faced by individuals coming home from prison, such simulations often overlook the specific, intersecting hurdles that trafficking survivors encounter. These hurdles include complex trauma, stigma, mental health challenges, unstable housing, re-victimization risk, and lack of tailored support services, such as employability skills, workforce training, and formal education.

Drawing on successful examples of reentry simulation (e.g., Prison Policy Initiative’s ReEntry: A Look at the Journey Back to Life), this workshop will use an adapted simulation combined with lived experience testimony to foster deeper understanding and empathy for the difficult situations faced by reentering survivors, and to generate actionable ideas for policy, practice, and advocacy.

Advocacy, Legislative/Policy, Probation & Parole, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

What are Her Symptoms Telling You?: Diagnosing Domestic Violence

Ruth Guerreiro

Defense attorneys often accuse victim advocates of believing everyone who says they experienced domestic abuse. Additionally, victims often receive misdiagnoses that negatively impact their court case or treatment options.

To address these isses, this workshop will present trauma-informed screening questions and assessment skills to better equip service providers during initial evaluations to recognize intimate partner violence. Typical trauma symptoms will be looked at as they relate to various mental health diagnoses that victims often receive, including post traumatic stress disorder.

The presenter will share strategies on how to explain maladaptive coping mechanisms in the context of trauma as well as discuss appropriate treatment goals to address danger and the effects of domestic violence. Using case scenarios, attendees will practice how to verbalize why they believe the victim and what services are indicated based on the initial evaluation.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

"What is That?" Identification & Documentation of Sexual Assault Injuries

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Accurate, thorough, and objective injury documentation is essential not only for forensic nurses but for every professional involved in responding to violence and trauma. From medical providers to law enforcement officers, victim advocates, and attorneys, each partner relies on clear, defensible documentation to support patient care, investigative integrity, and judicial outcomes.

This workshop provides a comprehensive framework for understanding injury documentation, highlighting how different disciplines contribute to and rely upon these records, and offering practical strategies to strengthen collaboration. The presenters will explore how documentation serves dual purposes: promoting healing for survivors while creating an evidentiary record that may be scrutinized in court.

Using case scenarios and real-world examples, the workshop demonstrates how multi-disciplinary partners can work together to ensure documentation is accurate, consistent, and trauma-informed.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Legal

CASE STUDY: When Bad Things Happen to Our Elders

Lisa Tieszen, Marie Sadanaga, Ronaldo Padilla

Nancy Tieszen, the 87-year-old mother of presenter Lisa Tieszen, was brutally assaulted and abducted from her home in the Chicago, Illinois area.

This case study will provide an account of the victim’s experience and resilience as well as the unique aspects of an elder sexual assault victim.

The presenter will also discuss how trauma-informed practices were successfully used in this case and how working with multiple jurisdictions presents both opportunities and challenges.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

CASE STUDY: When Leaving Isn’t Safe: Coercive Control, Murder-Suicide, & Survivor Recovery

Kylee Elliott, Danielle Edwards

When survivors make the brave decision to leave abusive relationships, they often face their highest risk of lethal violence. If the abuse does result in a fatality, not only is it tragic for the victim but also leaves a deep and lasting impact on surviving family members: the physical recovery, emotional devastation, and the complex grief and guilt carried by survivors.

This case study will examine the tragic murder-suicide of a Georgia family—a mother attempting to flee her abusive partner, a life taken, lives forever altered, and a system that offered too few protections. Through police reports, photos, and firsthand accounts, the presenters will walk attendees through the events leading up to the fatal incident, highlighting the escalating coercive control, financial abuse, and systemic barriers that prevented the victim from safely escaping.

Additionally, the workshop will challenge attendees to reconsider what safety and justice look like for survivors and how communities can better show up after the violence and will share how the Georgia Commission on Family Violence responded—supporting the survivors through Crime Victim Compensation, grief and trauma support, and ongoing care.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

When Predators Take Flight: A Bird's Eye View of Sexual Assault

Scott Hampton

Due to the risks of air travel (e.g., pilot error, mechanical failures, extreme weather, or terrorist attacks, etc.) the top priority of the airline industry is passenger safety. It is ironic, then, that while airline disasters are extremely rare, the sexual safety of its passengers is far from assured and rarely even considered. Instead, the nature of commercial air travel continues to create a paradise for potential perpetrators and a nightmare for potential victims.

The purpose of this workshop is to take a (literally) birds-eye view of sexual assault by examining actual cases that occurred at 30,000 feet. This will lead us into a discussion of a wide range of topics including: offender tactics, barriers to reporting, victim blame, drug-facilitated assaults, the role of first responders and other members of a sexual assault response team, bystander intervention, jurisdictional ambiguities, cross-cultural variations, the intersection with human trafficking, investigative components, and prevention strategies.

After attending this workshop, your experience of the “Friendly Skies” nor your understanding of sexual assault, might not be quite the same as they were before.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Legal, Sexual Violence

When Seconds Count & Words Matter: Redefining the Role of 911 in Criminal Justice

Heather Joyner, LaVonda Fowler

What if we stopped seeing 911 telecommunicators as simply “dispatchers” and started recognizing them as critical contributors to the criminal justice process? Burke County, NC, did just that—redefined the 911 role and built a full-scale training and career development pipeline in partnership with their local community college. The Career in a Year Telecommunicator Academy equips students with more than just technical know-how—it trains them as evidence gatherers, professional documenters, and trauma-informed communicators at the frontlines of victim and community response.

This workshop will bring together 911, law enforcement, court personnel, and victim advocates to explore how this collaborative program addresses real challenges: staffing shortages career readiness documentation gaps court case failures and the need for better support for victims of domestic violence and vulnerable populations.

The presenters aim to inspire and equip attendees to build similar programs that bridge gaps between the call, the case, and the courtroom.

Advocacy, Campus, Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

When Stalking is Taken Seriously: How Law Enforcement Can Save Lives

Anna Nasset

Stalking is one of the most misunderstood and under-acknowledged crimes, yet it can escalate into severe violence or homicide when not properly addressed. These pitfalls challenge law enforcement to move beyond minimal legal thresholds and instead become proactive allies in stalking prevention.

This workshop, presented by stalking survivor, Anna Nasset, will describe her harrowing, ongoing story of being stalked for over a decade. Marked by relentless pursuit, emotional trauma, and a conviction, the workshop highlights both the devastating impact of stalking and the life-saving difference made when law enforcement takes action.

The presenter will explore how early recognition, consistent documentation, and trauma-informed response by law enforcement were critical in securing her safety and justice. Often-missed warning signs, the intersection of stalking with other crimes like sexual assault, domestic violence, and homicide, and how believing and supporting victims can shift the outcome from tragedy to survival will also be discussed.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

When Survival Becomes a Crime: How Abusers Turn the Justice System into their Last Weapon

Ariel Santillian, McKenna Smith

What happens when an abuser’s favorite tactic—gaslighting—gets a badge, a gavel, and a case number? Too often, women who defend themselves against intimate partner violence are arrested, charged, and labeled as perpetrators, while the real abuser walks away empowered.

This workshop pulls back the curtain on how abusive partners weaponize police responses, mandatory arrest policies, and civil courts to recast women acting in self-defense as “offenders.”

With a focus on practical civil advocacy, the presenter offers trauma-informed strategies to challenge abuser-driven legal narratives and to support women navigating separation safely in systems that too often mistake control for “mutual conflict.”

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Who Can They Count On? Addressing the Variety of Institutional Betrayals within DV Cases

Geneece Goertzen

Research continually reveals survivors’ negative experience when seeking help in spite of the fact that both interpersonal and institutional support are both known to make a positive difference in recovery after abuse. Being believed, validated, supported, and properly resourced is important and the presence of support improves outcomes that leads to healing, growth, and resilience. Institutional courage is the antidote!

This workshop will highlight the unfortunate encounters of betrayal when seeking assistance for domestic violence from a variety of entities including advocates, counselors, law enforcement, healthcare, teachers, banking, and the courts. This isn’t to discredit those organizations, but to shed some light on experiences in order to improve service delivery and ways to focus on what leads to the more positive outcomes. While success for all survivors cannot be guaranteed, work toward improving institutional and community conditions that allow them to heal with a willingness to change the systems they themselves are involved in can certainly take place.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Does She Stay? Supporting Clients When Survival Doesn't Mean Leaving Abuse

Hannah Hill

The question, “why does she stay?” challenges the common narrative that leaving an abusive relationship is always the safest or most feasible option. However, a more empowering and less shame-based question that clinicians’ could use to reframe is “why was staying the safest option for her?” or “how can I support her safety and autonomy?”

Utilizing a trauma informed, client-centered, and culturally responsive framework, this workshop will explore the complex realities that influence a survivor’s decision to stay, including financial dependence, fear of escalation, community pressure, and love for the abuser or children involved.

Additionally, the presenter will offer practical strategies for professionals working with survivors of violence – emphasizing safety planning, and the importance of validating each client’s lived experience and choices.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Won't She Leave? A National Study of Sex Trafficking Survivors Motivations for Exit

Jeanne Allert

A 2025 national survey of 189 female survivors of sexual exploitation provided valuable insight into what motivates a victim of sexual exploitation to exit, what binds them to that life, and what helps enable them to exit permanently. Survivors provided insights on the relationships and services that were instrumental to their exit and made recommendations for how the anti-trafficking movement can better reach those who are still caught in victimization. Key to the findings is the role of family, relational ties, and economic or drug dependency.

The presenter of this workshop will discuss the findings of this study that speaks to a victim’s tenure in exploitation, recidivism rate, and what factors keeps someone in sexual exploitation.

Advocacy, Clinical, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Zombies & Gang Fights: How Police Experience Can Help Us Better Understand Trauma Victims

Trent Dressen

One of the biggest myths in the world of sexual assault is that a victim is supposed to act a certain way both during and after a sexual assault or domestic violence. Many misinformed people expect survivors to run, fight, or scream during an assault, to contact police immediately afterward, and to remember all of the events in perfect detail. However, that is rarely the case. During critical incidents, police officers fall back on their habits and typically have a difficult time recalling sequence and detail during those events. Survivors of sexual assault often follow the same pattern. This parallel helps create a mutual understanding and respect that can bridge the divide between survivors and professionals in the criminal justice system.

This workshop explores common victim responses, but does so by first examining what police officers do during and after their own traumatic events as well as facets from Utah’s Trauma Informed Victim Interviewing three day training to sexual assault investigators across the state which has resulted in a significant increase of cases screened by local attorneys, charges filed, successful prosecution, victim satisfaction, and victim participation.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Campus Safety

Alcohol: A Sex Offender's Weapon & Shield

Julie Germann

Alcohol is the cheap, legal, culturally acceptable intoxicant that is present in many sexual assaults that also results in victims being more vulnerable, causes gaps in their memories, makes them less likely to report the assault, and less likely to be believed. Additionally, victims of alcohol-facilitated sexual assault may not be able to provide a complete account of the assault or may only have suspicions or heard rumors of what happened to them. Conversely, perpetrators of sexual assault use alcohol or drugs as a weapon to create or exploit vulnerabilities in their victims and will use their own intoxication as a shield to deflect responsibility.

This workshop will examine the role alcohol plays in facilitating sexual violence by increasing victim vulnerability and blurring the lines of consent. The presenter will focus on investigative and prosecution strategies for supporting victims of alcohol-facilitated sexual assault and uncovering and identifying predatory behavior.

Campus, Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

But, What If? Exploring Mental Health Focuses that Intersect with Sexual Assault

Tamara Jackson, Jaclyn Rodriguez

Advocacy, Campus, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Faith, Masculinity, & Prevention: Engaging Males in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

Ron Clark

This presenter of this workshop will explore strategies for engaging males in prevention efforts.

Advocacy, Campus, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Handle with Care: Responding to Trauma on Campus

Tom Gibbons

Higher education institutions can effectively implement a trauma-informed response to dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) by integrating it into policies, training, and protocols for public safety departments and community law enforcement partners. This creates an environment that emphasizes safety, trust, and empowerment to minimize re-traumatization and promotes healing.

This workshop focuses on techniques and practices departments can implement that are designed to support individuals who have experienced trauma or have been the victim of DVSAS on campuses. The presenter will discuss best practices in creating a safe and empathetic environment, the use of non-judgmental language, and being sensitive to the potential impact of trauma on responses.

Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Maximizing Resources, Serving Survivors: How to Improve Campus Sexual Assault Response

Courtney Morrison

Advocacy, Campus, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

SAFE Learning: An Interdisciplinary Resource Model for Victim Advocacy on College Campuses

Tanya Smith, Jamie Lewis Saye

Advocacy, Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety for Seniors: Exploring Elder Mistreatment Arcs

Julia Hiner

Additionally, the importance of advocacy and collaboration will be highlighted, as well as individuals’ roles and responsibilities in keeping communities safe for everyone.

Advocacy, Campus, Domestic Violence, Legislation/Policy

When Seconds Count & Words Matter: Redefining the Role of 911 in Criminal Justice

Heather Joyner, LaVonda Fowler

The presenters aim to inspire and equip attendees to build similar programs that bridge gaps between the call, the case, and the courtroom.

Advocacy, Campus, Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Case Studies

CASE STUDY: The Derrick Davis Stalking Case: Overcoming Investigative & Legal Obstacles

Leah Dintino, Garrick Whaley, Kristen Jackson

Derrick Davis stalked his former dating partner from March to April 2021. Despite multiple calls to law enforcement, Davis’s victim was dismissed and unprotected as he repeatedly harassed her by calling, texting, breaking into her home, and driving around the neighborhood. The situation escalated in April 2021 when the victim shot Davis as he attempted to enter her home. A detective later recognized this as a stalking case. Key testimony from Davis’s ex-wife, and his prior conviction for stalking, reinforced the severity of his actions.

This case study will explore the failures of the initial law enforcement response, highlighting how officers’ lack of understanding of domestic violence and stalking put the victim at risk. The presenters will discuss the retrial of Davis in 2025, after his conviction was overturned in 2023 due to a jury charge error. The prosecution corrected the mistakes of the first trial, leading to a guilty verdict and a 20 year sentence. From this case study, the presenters will also underscore the importance of proper training in stalking cases and the role of the prosecution in correcting the trial errors for justice.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: He Didn’t Look Dangerous Until He Wouldn’t Stop

Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis, Jennifer Landhuis

The presenters will also shed light on the psychological, social and economic impact on victims, equipping attendees with the knowledge to recognize escalating behaviors before they become dangerous. Victim advocates will be offered insights into providing holistic support from crisis intervention to legal advocacy to safety planning to effective collaboration with law enforcement. Through a real-world case study, attendees will be left with actionable strategies to strengthen their response to stalking, protect victims and pursue justice.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: "Hey Siri, Play the Murder Song:" A Case Study in Escalating Intimate Partner Violence & Hidden Lethality

Megan Reed, Caitlin Paver

What does an abuser “look like”? On the surface, Elijah Alaniz was a young, sociable bartender from a seemingly good family, who maintained a polished image through fitness, friendships, and an active social media presence. But behind closed doors, his intimate partners saw a darker side. In 2023, his pattern of escalating violence culminated in a brutal, 90-minute assault against his live-in girlfriend. After fighting for her life, she was left unrecognizable, with a collapsed lung, broken jaw, and brain bleed, among other serious injuries.

This case study will explore how the prosecutors used the testimony of prior victims and expert testimony to establish the defendant’s violent trajectory and future danger to women. The presenters will also discuss how they used that testimony, combined with the defendant’s own social media, to prove that the defendant’s hands, feet, and knees were used as deadly weapons.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Navigating Abuser & Victim Behavior Through the Court Process: A Focus on Manipulation & Escalation

Rachel Ashe

Domestic violence cases rarely follow a straight line. Both offender and victim behavior throughout the life of a case can alter the trajectory of prosecution, investigation, and ultimately, justice.

This case study that began with a seemingly straightforward simple battery arrest but escalated into multiple felony charges for aggravated stalking and terroristic threats will be discussed. This cycle of violence, hidden from law enforcement for months, illustrates the dangerous dynamics at play and the challenges professionals face in identifying, documenting, and addressing offender conduct while supporting victims who may appear reluctant, recanting, or conflicted.

Through the use of actual recordings and text messages between the victim and offender, attendees will hear firsthand how he manipulated the victim—beginning with promises, shifting into guilt and pressure, and ultimately escalating to threats.

Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Path to Justice & Healing: State v. Matthew Osborn from a Survivor's Perspective

Stephanie Simpson, Ashleigh Persons

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Teamwork Made the Dream Work: State v. Austin Rodhouse

Leecia Carnes, Jordan Gerard

Austin Rodhouse, an abuser and rapist, committed heinous crimes of violence towards his wife and children. The offender exacted a lifelong trail of abuse from childhood to adulthood and was well-versed in his ability to terrorize others. With his level of criminality, an all-hands-on-deck approach was necessry to ensure he was brought to justice. Ultimately, Rodhouse was tried on 19 felony counts, was found guilty on all 19, and sentenced to natural life.

The presenters of this case study will discuss the intricacies of the case and the swiftness of its inception to conclusion starting from the case being reported on May 8, 2024, a trial starting on October 28, 2024, and jury verdict on Nov. 8, 2024 due to the work of an entire team of individuals from multiple agencies.

The workshop will explore ways that practitioners from various departments can work together as a team to optimize offender accountability and faciliate victim safety. Witness interviews, videoed stories, special tech teams, and law enforcement collaboration will also be discussed.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Value of Training in the Investigation & Prosecution of Serial Rapist Larry Lee Johnson

Eric Trojanowski, Kristi DeCluitt, Tom Tremblay

Larry Lee Johnson was known in the East Waco community as a “really nice guy” that would often help women in need. He was also known to law enforcement as a local, licensed security guard and bounty hunter. What wasn’t known was that from 1989 – 2023, Larry Lee Johnson was a serial rapist that operated in Waco, TX, preying on and assaulting an untold number of vulnerable women. In 2020, Det. Eric Trojanowski was assigned to work a sexual assault case involving Johnson as the suspect. The case was eventually closed/suspended without charges. In 2022, Det. Trojanowski attended a Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigations Training that also emphasized victim-centered principles and offender-focused investigation strategies. Following that training, Det. Trojanowski reopened the Larry Johnson case applying the new training principles. The reopened investigation resulted in Johnson being identified as a serial rapist culminating in his 2023 arrest and 2025 conviction. Ultimately, Johnson was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

This case study will examine the lessons learned, the value of training throughout one’s career, and how applying trauma-informed, victim-centered, and offender-focused strategies will improve outcomes for past, present, and future cases, as well as ensuring compassionate service to the victims/survivors. The case study will conclude with a Q & A session moderated by Thomas Tremblay Consulting & Training.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

CASE STUDY: When Bad Things Happen to Our Elders

Lisa Tieszen, Marie Sadanaga, Ronaldo Padilla

Nancy Tieszen, the 87-year-old mother of presenter Lisa Tieszen, was brutally assaulted and abducted from her home in the Chicago, Illinois area.

This case study will provide an account of the victim’s experience and resilience as well as the unique aspects of an elder sexual assault victim.

The presenter will also discuss how trauma-informed practices were successfully used in this case and how working with multiple jurisdictions presents both opportunities and challenges.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

CASE STUDY: When Leaving Isn’t Safe: Coercive Control, Murder-Suicide, & Survivor Recovery

Kylee Elliott, Danielle Edwards

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

Civil Law

Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims & Perpetrators of Labor Trafficking

Kirsta Melton

We are missing them–adults and children from this country and others compelled to labor in agriculture, massage, drug trafficking, hospitality, landscaping, domestic servitude, construction and even teaching under the force, fraud, and coercion of their traffickers. To combat labor trafficking requires first responders, practitioners, and service providers to reckon with past and current forms of racial, ethnic, and gender-based exploitation to ensure a future focused on the inherent value of people rather than the profit they can generate. It also requires them to get very practiced at identifying victims who aren’t calling on a system they don’t trust.

Through the examination of criminal and civil cases, this workshop will focus on the hidden networks of perpetrators profiting from these crimes and the multi-layered intersectionality of victim vulnerabilities. The presenter will explore recruiting methodologies, perpetrator disguises, the exploitation of system failures including the opacity of the international financial system, and the added danger that female workers face in an exploitative labor environment. Moreover, the workshop’s aim is for attendees to leave with fresh perspective on how to develop resilient cases with trial-ready evidence of force, fraud, and coercion.

Civil Law, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Relief Responses: Improving Access to Family Court Proceedings for Immigrant Crime Victims

Leslye Orloff, Rosemary Collins

Advocacy, Civil Law, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

VAWA Confidentiality’s Impact on Discovery in Family and Criminal Court Cases

Leslye Orloff, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Civil Law, Legal, Legislation/Policy, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Clinical

Am I Crazy? The Ramifications of Gaslighting & its Impact on Survivors

Whitney Hartzell

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Fight/Flight/Freeze: The Neurobiology of Fawning & Appeasement

Ruby Jo Walker

Fawning and appeasement are commonly observed responses in survivors of both domestic violence and sexual assault. These responses are survival mechanisms that often arise from down-power positions, and are also correlated to the mammalian need to belong and connect. Like all trauma responses, they are directly linked to the neurobiology of threat. Therefore, supporting victims and survivors is essential, as it restores agency and empowers healing and knowing the definitions and distinctions of these two terms is vital for providing clinical advocacy.

This workshop will explore how fawning and appeasement are connected to biological drives to stay safe, including how down-power positions can inhibit the healing process. The presenter will describe the neurobiology underlying these trauma responses and share practical strategies for identifying them, as well as ways to support clients in moving from victimhood to survivorship.

Clinical, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Breath Before Words: Regulating the Nervous System in Survivor-Centered Care

Jewel West, Elizabeth Jones

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Decoding Coercive Control: The Quicksand Model® - A Framework for Professionals to Eliminate Coercive Control & Safeguard Survivors Systemically

Kate Amber

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing Begins at the Root: Breaking Generational Cycles in Black Motherhood

Melissa Webb

The presenter will also share strategies on how to recognize inherited survival patterns, challenge harmful internalized beliefs, and begin the healing process to disrupt cycles of harm.

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

"I Don't Want to Leave--Yet:" Examining Survivor Barriers to Exiting Abusive Relationships

Heena Khan

This workshop will explore the complex reasons why survivors of domestic violence may appear to “not want” to leave abusive relationships.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

Identifying & Addressing the Impacts of Anti-Fat Bias in the Context of Violence Against Women

Alison Wine

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of Sex Trafficking in the Latina Community

Claudia Davila, Myrna Olaya

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

In Her Shoes: Domestic Violence Advocacy (INTERACTIVE)

Sara Campos, Victoria O'Connor

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Let's Talk Tactics! How to Effectively Communicate with Survivors & Increase Participation

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

While the scenarios in this workshop will be aimed at law enforcement and prosecutors, all service providers will be able to apply this knowledge to their specific job roles.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Making the Right Moves: Exploring Ethical Practices to Increase Survivor Engagement

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Motherhood & Madness: Discussing Domestic Violence Safety During Pregnancy & Postpartum

Heena Khan

Intimate partner violence can affect maternal and infant health, attachment, and safety, while also creating systemic barriers that limit survivors’ access to care.

This presenter of this workshop will address the intersection of domestic violence and the perinatal period, highlighting the unique risks, challenges, and impacts of abuse during pregnancy and postpartum. The presenter will also emphasize trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and survivor-centered approaches that support both maternal mental health and family well-being.

Clinical, Domestic Violence, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Operation RESPECT: Military-Informed Prevention of Sexual Violence Through Empathetic Leadership

Diandra Poe

Advocacy, Clinical, Military, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Trauma-Informed Policing & LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Gender-Based Violence Response

Kyle McCall, Kyle Pelligrino

Issues between policing and the LGBTQI+ community include pervasive harassment (verbal, physical, sexual), profiling, disproportionate stops and arrests, biased treatment (especially for trans/non-binary individuals and LGBTQ+ people of color), and inadequate responses to crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals, leading to deep mistrust and historical conflict rooted in discriminatory laws and practices, with severe impacts on mental health and safety.

This workshop will explore how trauma-informed and mental health–integrated policing can enhance safety, trust, and equity for survivors who have historically faced barriers within the criminal justice system. Attendees will be provided insight into the intersection of trauma, identity, and implicit bias, and how these factors influence both victim and offender behavior. Using case studies, clinical frameworks, and real-world examples from policing and crisis intervention, the presenters will share strategies to reduce secondary trauma, increase survivor engagement, and foster cultural competence in interviews, investigations, and advocacy collaboration.

The workshop will also address challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ officers and first responders, highlighting peer support and wellness models that promote inclusivity and resilience within public safety agencies. Through interactive discussion, scenario-based learning, and small-group reflection, attendees will practice applying trauma-informed communication and de-escalation skills to improve survivor experiences and multidisciplinary collaboration.

By combining law enforcement practice with clinical insight, this session provides participants with concrete, evidence-based tools to strengthen relationships between officers, advocates, clinicians, and LGBTQIA+ communities—bridging the gap between policy and practice to ensure safety, dignity, and justice for all survivors of crime.

Clinical, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Trust Matters: Building Relationships in Human Trafficking Cases

Naomi Rijpstra, Gabe Sifuentez

Survivors of human trafficking have experienced profound levels of trauma at the hands of those they should most be able to trust. Additionally, many trafficking survivors have either had negative encounters with law enforcement or been conditioned to fear and avoid them.

The presenters of this workshop will explain the complexities of trauma and the brain while providing tangible ways law enforcement can develop trust and enhance investigative success.

Referencing actual cases as well as example vignettes, the presenters will provide attendees with new tools to aid in counteracting trauma responses and improving outcomes for survivors.

Clinical, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Searching Beneath the Surface: Exploring Abuser Criminogenic Needs & DV Offending

Carolina Frane, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

See the Value! How Austin’s EMDR Project Brings Free Trauma Therapy to Survivors

Claire Godfrey, Rick Levinson

Advocacy, Clinical, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Sit, Stay, HEAL: Animal Allies within Animal-Assisted Counseling

Tina Bevans

Advocacy, Clinical, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Speak with Style: Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Victim Advocates

Kathleen Watson

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Trajectory of Trauma: Using the Lens of Neurobiology for Self-Resilience

Ruby Jo Walker

The aim of the workshop is to offer attendees actionable skills to recognize their own nervous system states, restore agency, and sustain resilience while working with trauma-impacted populations.

Advocacy, Clinical, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

The Upside Down Case: Avoiding Misidentification & Advancing Justice

Margaret Bassett, Jeana Lungwitz

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

What are Her Symptoms Telling You?: Diagnosing Domestic Violence

Ruth Guerreiro

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Who Can They Count On? Addressing the Variety of Institutional Betrayals within DV Cases

Geneece Goertzen

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Does She Stay? Supporting Clients When Survival Doesn't Mean Leaving Abuse

Hannah Hill

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Won't She Leave? A National Study of Sex Trafficking Survivors Motivations for Exit

Jeanne Allert

The presenter of this workshop will discuss the findings of this study that speaks to a victim’s tenure in exploitation, recidivism rate, and what factors keeps someone in sexual exploitation.

Advocacy, Clinical, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Dispatch/EMS

Critical Incident Recognition for E911 Telecommunicators: Domestic Violence, Strangulation, Stalking, & Child Abuse

Ricky Lynn

E911 professionals are the “first first responders,” serving as the critical link in the chain of survival by rapidly assessing emergencies, dispatching the right resources (police, fire, EMS), and providing life-saving pre-arrival instructions, like dispatcher-assisted CPR, while managing high-stress situations, thereby initiating early intervention and dramatically improving outcomes for medical crises, crimes, and disasters before field units even arrive.

This workshop is designed to strengthen dispatcher confidence, promote consistent use of updated language, and reinforce the critical role E911 professionals play in early intervention and life-saving response. The presenter will provide attendees with updated, evidence-based language and best practices for identifying and responding to calls involving domestic violence, strangulation, stalking, and child abuse. Attendees will be taught how to recognize verbal and behavioral indicators of high-risk and escalating situations, including non-obvious signs of coercive control, strangulation-related medical risk, stalking behaviors, and abuse involving children.

Additionally, the workshop will emphasize trauma-informed communication, accurate call documentation, and effective information gathering to support responder safety and victim protection. Attendees will review current terminology, legal considerations, and call-handling strategies that enhance situational awareness and improve outcomes for victims, responders, and the public.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

The Dark Reality: Shining a Light onto Human Trafficking

Ricky Lynn

Dispatchers and telecommunicators are often the initial point of contact for victims and survivors who are attempting to flee or receive help from an abusive relationship. However, trafficking is an insidious crime which makes it challenging for both investigators and victims alike to pinpoint and respond and even harder for dispatchers who are tasked to rely heavily on only what they hear and not what they see.

The presenter of this workshop will delineate the definitions of human trafficking and sex crimes and describe the different types of exploitation and delve into the interrelation with societal problems like poverty, gender inequality, and migration.

The presenter will particularly provide insights to individuals who work in the fields of law enforcement and emergency response.

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of 911: Leveraging Calls for Investigation & Admissibility

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Gorman

911 dispatch refers to the emergency call-taking and dispatch centers staffed by trained telecommunicators who act as the crucial first link between the public and police, fire, or medical first responders, gathering critical details like location and nature of the emergency using protocols to dispatch help and provide lifesaving instructions until responders arrive. Most violent crime investigations begin with a 911 call, yet these calls are often overlooked, causing lost evidence and weakening prosecutions.

This workshop will demonstrate how 911 calls can be used as powerful tools to strengthen evidence-based investigations and hold offenders accountable through evidence-based prosecutions, even without survivor participation. The presenters will cover best practices for collecting and reviewing calls, developing investigative leads, and addressing prosecution intake and case filings. They will also explore courtroom considerations, including objections, admissibility, the Confrontation Clause, and Crawford v. Washington.

The workshop will also feature case studies and interactive discussions, allowing attendees to apply these strategies in real-world contexts. Attendees will be taught how calls from victims, abusers, family, and witnesses can influence investigations, inform arrest decisions, and guide trial preparation—ultimately leading to stronger prosecutions to hold offenders accountable and safer outcomes for survivors.

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Legal

Unseen Advocates: The Vital Role of First Responders in Domestic Violence Advocacy

James Schmidt

First responders play a vital, multi-faceted role in domestic disturbance calls by ensuring immediate safety, de-escalating volatile situations, providing critical medical care, collecting evidence, and connecting victims with crucial social services, acting as a unique link to intervention before abuse escalates, as these calls are often high-risk and offer early chances to prevent future, more severe violence.

This workshop is designed for 911 dispatchers, Fire and EMS personnel, and law enforcement officers to strengthen their response to domestic violence incidents. The presenter will emphasize the need for comprehension of the complex dynamics of domestic violence, maintaining scene safety, recognizing indicators of strangulation, and applying trauma-informed practices.

Attendees will also be offered practical tools for effective intervention, explore strategies to enhance interagency collaboration, and become familiar with key local and national support resources.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

The Voice Behind the Call: A 911 Survivor’s Journey from Trauma to Purpose

Dominique Mathis

Advocacy, Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

When Seconds Count & Words Matter: Redefining the Role of 911 in Criminal Justice

Heather Joyner, LaVonda Fowler

The presenters aim to inspire and equip attendees to build similar programs that bridge gaps between the call, the case, and the courtroom.

Advocacy, Campus, Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

Intimate partner violence is often hidden, leaving law enforcement to rely too heavily on victim and suspect statements. This reliance overlooks a vital source of corroborating and independent evidence: witnesses. While officers may focus on eyewitnesses to the event, effective investigations require broadening that lens. Witnesses can include family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or even strangers who observe patterns of abuse, behavioral changes, or moments of escalation. Others—such as 911 callers, first responders, and those who encounter the parties before or after an incident—offer critical insight into context and aftermath. In today’s digital world, “electronic witnesses” are equally important. Surveillance cameras, text messages, social media posts, and recorded calls can reveal a history of abuse, document escalation, and provide circumstantial evidence that strengthens cases beyond “he said-she said” testimony to reflect the broader depth and reality of abuse.

This workshop will equip participants with strategies to identify, interview, and extract relevant information from diverse witnesses to strengthen and support evidence-based prosecutions. Emphasis will be placed on overcoming reluctance, using trauma-centered approaches, and weaving diverse accounts into a cohesive case.

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Diverse Populations

Avoiding Collateral Consequences: Strategies for Incorporating Legal Services & Cultural Considerations

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence, Legal

Beyond the Butch: Improving Cultural Competencies to Prevent Dual Arrests

Patrick Brady, Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Boofed & Bruised: Exploring the Complexities of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assaults in Queer Communities

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Patrick Brady

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Sexual Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Faith, Masculinity, & Prevention: Engaging Males in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

Ron Clark

This presenter of this workshop will explore strategies for engaging males in prevention efforts.

Advocacy, Campus, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing Begins at the Root: Breaking Generational Cycles in Black Motherhood

Melissa Webb

The presenter will also share strategies on how to recognize inherited survival patterns, challenge harmful internalized beliefs, and begin the healing process to disrupt cycles of harm.

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing-Centered Safety Planning with Victims who are 1st or 2nd Generation in the U.S.

Elisabeth Swim

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

How Culture Impacts Demand: Discussion on Human Trafficking Reduction

Tony Porter

Human trafficking does not occur in a vacuum—it is fueled, sustained, and normalized by cultural norms that shape how men and boys see women, girls, and marginalized groups.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of Sex Trafficking in the Latina Community

Claudia Davila, Myrna Olaya

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Including the Invisible: Advocating for Individuals with Disabilities

Dorinda Edmisten, Monie Ballard

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Media Depictions of Black Women's Elevated Risk for IPV

Miltonette Craig

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Out of the Man Box & Across The Manosphere: Strategies for Engaging Boys and Men

Kimya Motley, RaKim Lash

Advocacy, Diverse Popuations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Raising The Bar: Justice through Victims' Lens, Legal Challenges, & Trauma

Ameen Nusrat, Gayatri Joshi

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Reaching an Understanding: Introduction to Interpretation & Translation Planning

Jose Juan Lara Jr.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

Relief Responses: Improving Access to Family Court Proceedings for Immigrant Crime Victims

Leslye Orloff, Rosemary Collins

Advocacy, Civil Law, Domestic Violence, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Tools for Your Toolbelt: Connecting with the Neurodiverse Community

Jamiel Owens, Cheryl Stehle

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Transcending Violence: Shifting the Culture of Harm Towards the Transgender Community

Sabrina Blevins

In recent years, violence against the transgender and gender-diverse community has surged at an alarming rate, sparking widespread concern and urgent calls for action.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Trauma-Informed Policing & LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Gender-Based Violence Response

Kyle McCall, Kyle Pelligrino

Clinical, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Walking Away with Insight Into Financial Abuse & Economic Justice (2-Part)

Ruth Guerreiro

Studies show that financial abuse happens in 94-99% of abusive intimate partner relationships, yet, it is the least understood form of abuse. Furthermore, there exists numerous tactics by offenders that fall into various categories of financial abuse including coerced debt and financial fraud. The presenter(s) will discuss the many ways financial abuse impacts a woman while she is in the abusive relationship as well as the long-lasting effects it can have after leaving the abusive relationship. The workshop will explore ways advocates, attorneys, and other professionals can help support a survivor of financial abuse. In Part Two, attendees will participate in the Economic Justice version of In Her Shoes(R), developed by Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Through this experiential learning, participants come away with a deeper understanding of how difficult it is to navigate systems, find effective support, and make the decision to leave an abusive partner, all while being impacted by a lack of financial resources.

Ruth Guerreiro

Domestic Violence

Am I Crazy? The Ramifications of Gaslighting & its Impact on Survivors

Whitney Hartzell

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding Collateral Consequences: Strategies for Incorporating Legal Services & Cultural Considerations

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence, Legal

A Balancing Act: Enhancing Efforts to Promote Survivor Engagement in Pretrial & Probation Supervision

April Higgs, Sara Dollard

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Behind Closed Doors: How Offenders Silence Survivors—and What We Can Do

John Guard

Witness intimidation in domestic violence cases are a serious barrier to justice and reveals the often hidden and coercive tactics offenders use to silence survivors, including threats, emotional manipulation, stalking, financial control, and psychological abuse—all intended to prevent testimony or cooperation with law enforcement, advocates, and prosecutors.

This workshop will explore how intimidation functions within abusive relationships and its legal impact, particularly through the lens of Crawford v. Washington, a landmark Supreme Court case that heightened the importance of in-court testimony. The presenter will discuss how this decision intersects with intimidation, creating complex challenges in prosecution while simultaneously reducing investigative and advocacy fatigue. Using real case examples, the presenter will offer practical strategies to detect, prevent, and address intimidation. Additionally, the workshop will highlight the essential roles of law enforcement, legal professionals, and advocates in ensuring survivor safety, supporting participation, and safeguarding the justice process.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Arrest: The Role of Jail Calls in Domestic Violence Cases (Pt. 1 & 2)

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Goman

Abuse doesn’t end when a perpetrator is arrested, and the pressure abusers place on their victims often intensifies. Jail calls provide powerful evidence, frequently exposing admissions, threats, manipulation, and coercive control. Monitoring these calls enables practitioners to detect patterns of intimidation, identify safety risks, and strengthen case outcomes overall.

This workshop is designed to offer strategies for examining jail calls from both the investigative and prosecutorial perspectives with the goal of providing insight into the coercive dynamics used by abusers and how to leverage this valuable jail call evidence to enhance victim safety, corroborate testimony, and hold offenders accountable.

During Part 1, the presenters will discuss best practices for archiving calls, protective order compliance and filing charges for violations, evidentiary admissibility, overcoming recantations, and other trial strategies to include increasing bonds, forfeiture by wrongdoing evidence, and impeachment evidence. During Part 2, the presenters will dive deeper into specific real-world examples to highlight the concepts discussed in the first part through case study presentations and interactive discussions.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Conviction: Creating a Community Coordinated Response in a Rural Community

Staley Heatly, Rachel Lira

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond the Headlines: Lessons from the Gabby Petito Case on Predominant Aggressor Determination & First Responder Impact

James Schmidt, Dave Thomas

Gabby Petito was a young, carefree, travel blogger who was also in an abusive relationship with her fiance’ who ultimately took her life while they were on a cross-country journey. During the trip, Gabby and her fiance’ were stopped by police officers in which abusive tactics by the offender were actively being administered right before and while in the presence of law enforcement.

This workshop will take attendees inside the impact of domestic violence cases through the eyes of Gabby Petito’s family and law enforcement experts with a goal to challenge existing perspectives, spark critical discussions, and provide actionable strategies for identifying the predominant aggressor and implementing trauma-informed approaches for first responders.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Breath Before Words: Regulating the Nervous System in Survivor-Centered Care

Jewel West, Elizabeth Jones

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Caring for the Criminalized: Designing a Court-Ordered Group for Women Who Use Violence

Melissa Scaia

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Catch a Killer by the Tail: A Practical Guide to Building a Better Cross-Examination

Kerri New

Manipulation is the universal tool that abusers use to obtain and maintain control over the lives of their victims. With varying degrees of sophistication, abusers use fear, love, guilt, anger, sex, money, charm and humiliation to move their victims like pawns on a chess board. They also employ similar tactics of manipulation on family, friends, co-workers, anyone within the victim’s reach to ensure their control does not crumble should the victim decide to ask for help. In a trial setting, a much higher percentage of cases, and generally against advice of counsel, offenders will testify on their own behalf. They believe that given the chance to make themselves the hero, or maybe the victim, of the story, the jury will believe them, and often they are not wrong.

Using a successful cross from a domestic violence homicide as the guide, this workshop will concentrate on cross-examination techniques by analyzing an abusers’ absolute faith in their own powers of persuasion, their M.O. as life-long manipulators, and how they consider themselves masters of the trade. Additionally, the presenter will focus on the practicalities of preparation, structure, admissibility, and adaptability in cross-examination. Which elements create a successful cross-examination of a highly manipulative offender and the skills to build a framework for cross-examination that can be adapted for success in any set of circumstances will also be discussed.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

Centering Survivors Lived Experiences & Voices in a Coordinated Community Response to DV

Melissa Scaia, Amirthini Keefe

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Policy/Legislation

🎥 Media Allowed

Coercion, Control, & Technology: A Prosecutor’s Approach to Domestic Violence Cases

Frances Manzo

Domestic violence is rooted in power and control—but in the digital age, that control increasingly extends through technology.

This workshop explores how abusers use psychological manipulation and digital tools to dominate their victims and evade accountability. The presenter will examine the intersection of coercion, trauma, and technology in domestic violence cases and share strategies on how to identify patterns of digital coercion, interpret victim behavior through a trauma-informed lens, and use digital evidence to tell a compelling story of control and accountability in court.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Coercive Control 101: Using Research & Practice to Help Identify Dominant Aggressors

Patrick Brady

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborating for Change: Centering Survivor Voices to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence & Reduce Homicides

Dottie Davis, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Collateral Damage: Responding to the Needs of Children on Scene in Intimate Partner Violence Cases

Corine Moulton, Erika Callaway Kleiner

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Critical Incident Recognition for E911 Telecommunicators: Domestic Violence, Strangulation, Stalking, & Child Abuse

Ricky Lynn

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

Decoding Coercive Control: The Quicksand Model® - A Framework for Professionals to Eliminate Coercive Control & Safeguard Survivors Systemically

Kate Amber

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Demystifying Myths & Misconceptions: Enhancing Understanding & Use of Missing & Endangered Person Alerts

Hannah Welsh, Carri Gordon, Brian Frost

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Eat. Sleep. Tech. Repeat: Teens, Technology, & Dating Violence

Audace Garnett

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Echos of Violence: Addressing the Aftermath of Murder-Suicide

Kylee Elliott, Danielle Edwards

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Fatal Patterns: Firearms, Domestic Violence, & the Hidden Risks to Communities & Cops

John Guard

Every domestic violence call has the potential to escalate, and the decision to seize a firearm can mean the difference between prevention and tragedy. Legal frameworks including the Fourth Amendment pose concerns and civil liability risks tied to both seizing and not seizing weapons.

This workshop offers a detailed, real-world look at law enforcement’s authority to enforce federal and state gun prohibitions—highlighting recent legislation, court rulings, and agency practices. The presenter will discuss civil liability risks, both from improper seizures and from failures to act, along with proven practices that improve safety outcomes. With a focus on real case examples and national data on domestic homicides, mass shootings, and officer fatalities, this workshop will also address the practical and legal complexities of firearm seizure.

Attendees will be taught how to act decisively and legally without putting their agency or community at risk. Designed for seasoned professionals, this workshop goes beyond theory, equipping attendees with actionable tools to make high-stakes decisions that protect lives—and careers.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

The First 48 Hours: Early Intervention in High-Risk Domestic Violence Cases

Brandon Wootan

First responders address high-risk danger such as domestic disturbances by prioritizing scene safety, rapidly assessing hazards, activating coordinated systems, and using specialized tactics, equipment, and training for dynamic environments, all while managing physical and psychological stress to keep themselves and victims out of harms way. Therefore, the hours immediately following an intimate partner violence incident can be the most dangerous—and the most decisive. One such tactic is the utlization of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE), an evidence-based risk assessment instrument used on scene by responding officers to help identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of homicide or near-lethal assault.

This workshop will highlight the critical window where swift, coordinated action can prevent the escalation of violence and save lives. The presenters will review the typical timeline leading to intimate partner homicide, be taught how to use the DA-LE scores to prioritize urgent cases, and explore best practices for law enforcement and advocacy collaboration the first two days after a crisis.

Additionally, attendees will participate in an interactive mock case exercise and work together to design a 48-hour response protocol that transforms early intervention into long-term safety.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

From Recognition to Response: Improving Frontline Practices in Strangulation Cases

Katherine Brown, Billy Cordell, Casey Davis

Strangulation, a high-scoring risk factor within domestic violence cases, is applying external pressure to the neck, obstructing airflow or blood to the brain, leading to unconsciousness in seconds and potential death within minutes. Distinct from internal “choking,” it requires surprisingly little force. Even non-fatal attempts are serious, causing internal injuries, brain damage, and signaling high risk for future lethal violence, requiring immediate medical and legal intervention.

This workshop explores the nature and extent of IPV-related strangulation, its dangers, and adverse medical consequences, alongside a review of Burleson, TX’s Strangulation Ordinance. The Ordinance mandates comprehensive training for first responders and establishes a city-wide response protocol that includes on-scene medical intervention. In addition to examining the Ordinance’s features, implementation strategies, and outcomes from an independent evaluation, the workshop will highlight recent enhancements to training and response protocols.

Information will also be shared about replication initiatives underway in other jurisdictions inspired by Burleson’s model, along with a discussion of lessons learned and the role of non-testimonial witnesses in strangulation cases.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

Getting Buy-In for Lethality Assessment Instruments: Lessons Learned from Implementation of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement

Sarah Wittig Galgano, Miles Earwood, Scott Michael

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Getting Everyone to Safety: Animal Abuse & Interpersonal Violence

Nancy Blaney, Claire Coughlin

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: "Hey Siri, Play the Murder Song:" A Case Study in Escalating Intimate Partner Violence & Hidden Lethality

Megan Reed, Caitlin Paver

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Hidden Frontlines: Expanding DV Prevention Through Unlikely Allies & Trusted Community Touchpoints

Kaitlyn Matthews, Stacy Karabetsos

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

"I Don't Want to Leave--Yet:" Examining Survivor Barriers to Exiting Abusive Relationships

Heena Khan

This workshop will explore the complex reasons why survivors of domestic violence may appear to “not want” to leave abusive relationships.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

Identifying & Addressing the Impacts of Anti-Fat Bias in the Context of Violence Against Women

Alison Wine

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Illusion of Consent: Sex & Strangulation

Gerald Fineman

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

In Her Shoes: Domestic Violence Advocacy (INTERACTIVE)

Sara Campos, Victoria O'Connor

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Invisible Victims: Analyzing Undetermined Female Deaths & Missed Red Flags of Violence

Aleksandra Treglown, Audra Kerwin

Despite advances in forensic science and coordinated community responses, many women’s deaths remain classified as “undetermined,” leaving families without answers and potentially allowing violent offenders to escape accountability.

This workshop will provide an in‑depth analysis of one such death from a multi‑phase research project.

Using autopsy findings, medicolegal death investigator reports, and law enforcement narratives, the presenters will examine how intersecting vulnerabilities—particularly being unhoused or experiencing intimate partner violence—may contribute to a woman’s death while falling short of evidentiary thresholds for a homicide ruling. Additionally, attendees will be taught how systemic blind spots, investigative gaps, and lack of follow-up leave many victims invisible.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Knock, Knock!: Engaging in Human-Centric Death Notifications with a Teams Approach

Russell Strand

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Learning from Survivors: Focus Groups in Rural Communities (INTERACTIVE SESSION)

Elena Anderson, Bree Adams Bill

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Lessons Learned: Creating a Positive Technological DV Program Through Legislation

LaVonda Fowler

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Let's Talk Tactics! How to Effectively Communicate with Survivors & Increase Participation

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

While the scenarios in this workshop will be aimed at law enforcement and prosecutors, all service providers will be able to apply this knowledge to their specific job roles.

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Link between Animal Abuse & Family Violence: Investigation & Prosecution Strategies to Keep Families Safe

Allie Phillips

No abusive photos will be shown.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Looking Out for Lethality: How to Establish an Interagency Domestic Violence High-Risk Protocol

Joshua Dougan

Despite advances in domestic violence legislation, technology, and awareness, prosecutors, victim advocates, and law enforcement often lack the time to apply every available tool to every case—resulting in a scattered, inefficient approach. An inter-agency domestic violence high risk protocol identifies the most dangerous abusers and guides the strategic resource deployment. By moving away from an unfocused approach, jurisdictions can maximize the impact of their most powerful tools on defendants who pose the greatest threat.

This workshop provides a practical framework for establishing and implementing a jurisdiction-specific high-risk protocol. The presenter will share strategies on how to identify which cases warrant inclusion through evidence-based risk factors, including lethality indicators, offender history, and victim vulnerability. The workshop will also outline concrete action steps for high-risk cases, from enhanced supervision and coordinated safety planning to targeted deployment of specialized investigatory techniques. The presenter will also discuss strategic decision-making: which investigatory methods and prosecutorial approaches to apply to specific abusers, when to deploy resource-intensive interventions, and how to ensure the right tools reach the right cases.

Ideal for prosecutors, law enforcement professionals, victim advocates, this presentation offers actionable strategies to enhance offender accountability, improve victim safety, and break cycles of abuse.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Making the Right Moves: Exploring Ethical Practices to Increase Survivor Engagement

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Media Depictions of Black Women's Elevated Risk for IPV

Miltonette Craig

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Motherhood & Madness: Discussing Domestic Violence Safety During Pregnancy & Postpartum

Heena Khan

Intimate partner violence can affect maternal and infant health, attachment, and safety, while also creating systemic barriers that limit survivors’ access to care.

Clinical, Domestic Violence, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Navigating Abuser & Victim Behavior Through the Court Process: A Focus on Manipulation & Escalation

Rachel Ashe

Domestic violence cases rarely follow a straight line. Both offender and victim behavior throughout the life of a case can alter the trajectory of prosecution, investigation, and ultimately, justice.

Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

On the Frontlines of Domestic Violence Services: Staff Perspectives from a Blueprint Study

Mackenzie Masters, Krystle Roman

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Overlooking the Non-Obvious: Law Enforcement Investigation of Coercive Control Cases

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

Domestic violence is not limited to physical assaults. Increasingly, research and legislation recognize coercive control—patterns of intimidation, isolation, manipulation, and domination—as the core of abusive relationships. Although law enforcement professionals are often the first responders to these situations, many forms of coercive control can be subtle, non-physical, and easy to overlook.

This workshop will provide officers with the knowledge and tools to identify coercive control, understand its risks, and respond effectively to protect victims and strengthen cases.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Path to Justice & Healing: State v. Matthew Osborn from a Survivor's Perspective

Stephanie Simpson, Ashleigh Persons

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Pre-Hire Through Retire: Addressing Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence

Michael Rizzo, John Guard, Doug Burig

Cases of domestic violence in the relationships of law enforcement agency members are a reality and incidents of violence in law enforcement families are no different from those in the general population. Distinct features of law enforcement culture may create additional challenges to navigate and hurdles to resolving these complex cases.

The presenters of this workshop will share lessons learned from response to cases, promising agency efforts pre-hire to retire, and successful practices to hold offenders accountable while supporting victims of these complex crimes. The presenters will also discuss agency policy and response, comprehensive training, effective leadership, and family and victim support that agencies can implement to strengthen the health and wellness of officers and build agency-wide and community trust.

Law Enforcement, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Pressing the Reset Button: How Attorneys Can Advocate for Clients & Gain Survivor Trust

Shakira Ali Kelley

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

Real Love, Right? Artificial Intimacy & the Future of Violence Prevention

Sloan Thompson

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Reimagining Legal Access: Expanding Survivor Pathways Through Alternative Legal Models

Amanda Elkanick Oder, Bronwyn Blake

Survivors of abuse often face overwhelming barriers to securing full legal representation, leaving many without the protection they urgently need.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Relief Responses: Improving Access to Family Court Proceedings for Immigrant Crime Victims

Leslye Orloff, Rosemary Collins

Advocacy, Civil Law, Domestic Violence, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety for Seniors: Exploring Elder Mistreatment Arcs

Julia Hiner

Additionally, the importance of advocacy and collaboration will be highlighted, as well as individuals’ roles and responsibilities in keeping communities safe for everyone.

Advocacy, Campus, Domestic Violence, Legislation/Policy

Safety from Multiple Perspectives: What Survivors & Law Enforcement Say about the Role of Firearms in Domestic Violence

Annie Struby, Jennifer Becker

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Searching Beneath the Surface: Exploring Abuser Criminogenic Needs & DV Offending

Carolina Frane, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

Silent Testimony: What the Body Reveals in Domestic Violence Investigations

Kenneth Rosgen

Description pending.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Silent Warning: Understanding Strangulation as the Strongest Predictor of Homicide in Intimate Partner Violence

Nichole Schmidt

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Silent Witness Screaming to Be Heard: Processing a DV Crime Scene

Kimberly Korrin

However, investigators never know which detail may prove pivotal—sometimes it is the smallest piece of evidence that shifts a case from probable cause to proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Speak with Style: Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Victim Advocates

Kathleen Watson

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Strategic Parenting: Analyzing How Domestic Abusers Involve Children in the Abuse

Scott Hampton

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Target Prosecution: Federal Firearms Laws & the Domestic Violence Initiative

Marissa Aulbaugh, Jake Nelson

Many local and state jurisdictions may be restricted in what they can and cannot charge a domestic violence offender with. Results from these restrictions may be perceived as unjust through the lens of victims, survivors, and their families. However, legislative options that may create an opportunity to upgrade charges to federal status do exist.

This workshop is aimed at educating law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates on federal firearms statutes as well as introducing the federal domestic violence initiative with a goal to build confidence in identifying cases that may qualify for federal prosecution, while also giving attendees the resources necessary to enter the world of federal prosecution and detailing ways to be successful in the federal system.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

CASE STUDY: Teamwork Made the Dream Work: State v. Austin Rodhouse

Leecia Carnes, Jordan Gerard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Trial by TikTok: Deconstructing Pop Culture's Role in Perpetuating Victim Blaming

Lauryn Fjell

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Unseen Advocates: The Vital Role of First Responders in Domestic Violence Advocacy

James Schmidt

Attendees will also be offered practical tools for effective intervention, explore strategies to enhance interagency collaboration, and become familiar with key local and national support resources.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

The Untold Story: Recantation & Domestic Violence

David Martin, Amy Bonomi

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

The Upside Down Case: Avoiding Misidentification & Advancing Justice

Margaret Bassett, Jeana Lungwitz

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Victim to Offender: The Aftermath of Mandatory Arrest Policies

Jeanne Mullane

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

The Voice Behind the Call: A 911 Survivor’s Journey from Trauma to Purpose

Dominique Mathis

Advocacy, Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

What are Her Symptoms Telling You?: Diagnosing Domestic Violence

Ruth Guerreiro

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

When Intuition Meets Evidence: Predicting & Preventing Domestic Violence Homicide (INTERACTIVE SESSION)

Brandon Wootan

Warning signs exist for most domestic violence homicides. Some are seen only in hindsight and some are completely missed. These disparities support the need to bridge the instincts of frontline professionals with the power of evidence-based lethality assessment. In particular, the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE) is an evidence-based risk assessment instrument used on scene by responding officers to help identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of homicide or near-lethal assault.

The presenters of this interactive session will unpack the psychology and patterns of intimate partner homicide, highlight red flag lethality factors that too often go unnoticed, and explore proactive strategies for keeping victims safe. The interactive session will also include an interactive case review that will challenge participants to work in teams, identify missed opportunities, and reimagine how coordinated responses can turn hindsight into lifesaving foresight.

🎥 Media Allowed

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

CASE STUDY: When Leaving Isn’t Safe: Coercive Control, Murder-Suicide, & Survivor Recovery

Kylee Elliott, Danielle Edwards

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Domestic Violence

When the Badge Becomes a Barrier: Addressing Officer-Involved Domestic Violence Through Policy, Prevention, & Accountability

Bruce Bieber, Brandon Wootan, Carol Ann Peterson, Chynna Ratner

Deputy Abigail Rose Bieber, a Florida deputy sheriff was murdered by fellow deputy Daniel Leyden. Missed opportunities for intervention started years earlier when Leyden was accused of DV by another partner, Chynna Ratner. Despite this known history, Abby’s agency maintained that before her murder, they had no documented reports or allegations of domestic violence involving Leyden and Bieber, claiming that they could not have anticipated this tragedy without such information.

OIDV is one of the most complex and under-addressed issues in the field of domestic violence. It includes all typical forms of abuse but is exacerbated by the abuser’s access to unique tools, training, and the systemic power of their profession.

This workshop will introduce attendees to a sobering view of the systemic failures that allowed abuse to escalate unchecked with a focus on the broader institutional challenge of when departments fail to acknowledge warning signs whereby failing to prevent tragedies as well. Drawing on lived experience, frontline law enforcement expertise, and academic research, workshop will provide both a deeply personal case study and practical, actionable strategies. The presenters aim to leave attendees with a blueprint for prevention, accountability, and policy reform designed to protect victims and build trust in law enforcement.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

When the Victim Recants: Using Expert Witnesses to Explain Victim Behavior & Save Your Family Violence Case

Staley Heatly

Family violence prosecutions can collapse in an instant when a victim minimizes, recants, or contradicts prior statements. Jurors often interpret these behaviors as dishonesty, not realizing they are common responses to abuse. Therefore, there is a pressing need for practitioners to develop expert witnesses in their communities and use that testimony to educate juries, strengthen victim credibility, and ensure that abusers are held accountable.

This workshop equips prosecutors with practical tools to prevent their cases from falling apart. Using real-world examples, the presenter will examine how expert witnesses can contextualize victim behavior, explain the dynamics of intimate partner violence, and counter defense attacks on credibility. The workshop also covers how to identify, qualify, and prepare experts, when and how to call an expert, what topics they may address, how to use the Cycle of Violence and Power and Control Wheel effectively, and how to tailor testimony to the expert’s background.

This presentation is especially valuable for rural jurisdictions where access to formally credentialed experts is limited.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Who Can They Count On? Addressing the Variety of Institutional Betrayals within DV Cases

Geneece Goertzen

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Does She Stay? Supporting Clients When Survival Doesn't Mean Leaving Abuse

Hannah Hill

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

When Survival Becomes a Crime: How Abusers Turn the Justice System into their Last Weapon

Ariel Santillian, McKenna Smith

This workshop pulls back the curtain on how abusive partners weaponize police responses, mandatory arrest policies, and civil courts to recast women acting in self-defense as “offenders.”

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Forensic Nursing

But, What If? Exploring Mental Health Focuses that Intersect with Sexual Assault

Tamara Jackson, Jaclyn Rodriguez

Advocacy, Campus, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborative Care: Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exams for Native Survivors

Jacque Bassett, Chenel Vanden Berk, Becki Jordan

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare, Tribal

Educate, Engage, Empower: Forensic Nursing Leadership in Rural SART Development

Beth Andrews

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

The Forgotten Patient: A Multi-disciplinary Evaluation of Suspect Medical Forensic Exams

Jaclyn Rodriguez

A comprehensive sexual assault or intimate partner violence investigation requires detectives to incorporate a wide variety of tactics, including suspect medical forensic exams. While much attention is given to victim-centered forensic examinations, suspect exams remain an essential yet often underutilized investigative tool. Suspect exams can play a crucial role in evidence collection, case resolution, and justice outcomes. These exams focus on identifying potential forensic evidence, documenting injuries, and assessing biological material that may link a suspect to a crime.

This workshop will explore the purpose, barriers, and recommendations for suspect medical forensic exams, examining how forensic nurses, law enforcement, and legal professionals collaborate in their execution. Topics will include standards for evidence collection, the role of forensic biology, challenges in conducting these exams, and ethical considerations in balancing investigative needs with medical ethics. Case studies will highlight how suspect exams have influenced legal proceedings, contributed to forensic analysis, and supported justice efforts.

By understanding the significance and limitations of suspect forensic exams, professionals can enhance investigative approaches and ensure comprehensive forensic evaluation in sexual assault and intimate partner violence cases.

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Interstate Intersection: A Rural County’s Collaborative Approach to Combat Human Trafficking

Beth Andrews, Sharita Godwin

Human trafficking often hides in plain sight—especially in rural communities situated along major transit routes. In rural counties, along a key stretch of interstate between New York City and Miami, have become a strategic location for traffickers. In response, forensic nurses joined forces with local law enforcement to proactively identify, intervene, and prevent human trafficking through a comprehensive, community-centered initiative.

This workshop will explore how an interdisciplinary team developed and implemented a trafficking prevention and education program tailored to rural realities. The presenters will describe how targeted outreach and training for first responders, engaged local businesses (hotels, gas stations, and transportation hubs) to support compliance with state trafficking statutes, and developed trauma-informed protocols that prioritize victim safety and recovery was conducted.

The presenters will also share how forensic nurses can extend their influence beyond the clinical setting to lead county-wide anti-trafficking efforts. Implementation strategies, partnership models, and lessons learned that can be adapted in both rural and urban settings facing similar trafficking threats will also be discussed.

Forensic Nursing, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

It’s Personal! When Offenders Sexually Assault their Intimate Partners

Sonia Sims, Beth Maeker

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Protecting Your Practice: Forensic Nursing Considerations

Khara Breeden, Julie Germann, Brookley Delbosque

Forensic nursing is a specialized field where clinical expertise intersects with legal responsibility. While forensic nurses provide critical, trauma-informed care to patients experiencing violence, they also face unique professional risks related to documentation, chain of custody, courtroom testimony, and adherence to scope of practice. Protecting one’s practice is essential to ensuring both patient safety and professional integrity.

This workshop will equip forensic nurses with the knowledge and strategies necessary to safeguard their clinical and forensic responsibilities. Through real-world examples and case reviews, the presenters will examine common pitfalls in documentation, evidence collection, and interprofessional collaboration that can place practice at risk. The workshop will also highlight strategies for mitigating liability, maintaining professional boundaries, navigating ethical dilemmas, and preparing for testimony in legal proceedings.

Attendees will be offered practical tools to strengthen their practice, reduce professional vulnerability, and promote best practices that support both the nurse and the patient within the health care and justice systems.

Forensic Nursing, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

There is More than One Way! Expanding Forensic Nursing Access

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

What About Body Worn Cameras?: Law Enforcement Response to Clinical Settings

Angelita Olowu

In many jurisdictions and communities, law enforcement officers are equipped with body worn cameras. Through agency policy or in some instances, state mandates, officers may be required to use the cameras in their day-to-day working interactions within the communities that they protect and serve. While the usage may be ideal in many situations, the use of these cameras within healthcare settings raise concerns for those working within clinical settings.

This workshop will highlight the concerns with law enforcement officers utilizing their body worn cameras in clinical settings. The presenter will address the need for the development of healthcare facility policies that address the use of body worn cameras by law enforcement within the facilities.

With the development of such policies, there will be a need for education and implementation of the policies, and therefore, recommendations will be provided for both internal and community implementation.

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

"What is That?" Identification & Documentation of Sexual Assault Injuries

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Using case scenarios and real-world examples, the workshop demonstrates how multi-disciplinary partners can work together to ensure documentation is accurate, consistent, and trauma-informed.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Legal

Gender-based Violence

Aiming for Safety: Harm Reduction, Safety Planning & Escape Planning

Myra Strand

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding the Performative, Building the Productive: Law Enforcement-Advocate Partnerships

Marie Sadanaga, Angela Weekes

Additionally, an emphasis will be placed on real barriers and how to address them—including role clarity and sustainability.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

Base it on Faith: Advocating for Victims & Survivors in Christian Communities

Ann Maree Goudzwaard

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Fight/Flight/Freeze: The Neurobiology of Fawning & Appeasement

Ruby Jo Walker

Clinical, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Blue Print: Creating Survivor-Centered Systems Through Law Enforcement & Advocacy

Aubrie Bowyer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Bridging Systems: Survivor-Led Strategies for Trafficking, DV, & Sexual Assault Cases

Rachel Fischer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare, Trafficking

Building Rapport: The Establishment of Effective Communication in Responding to Violence Against Women

Bryan Barlow, David Thompson

This workshop will focus on current research on building and maintaining rapport and its application in conducting investigative interviews and building multidisciplinary teams.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Defying Disclosure Difficulties! Ethically Safeguarding Victim Privacy in a Digital World

Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Demonstrating the Work Within Networks (VINELink Computer Lab)

Karen Adams

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

Detecting Danger: Conducting Lethality Assessments for Advocates

Myra Strand

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Faith, Masculinity, & Prevention: Engaging Males in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

Ron Clark

This presenter of this workshop will explore strategies for engaging males in prevention efforts.

Advocacy, Campus, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Fact or Expert: An Introduction to the Ethical Role & Use of Expert Witness

Margaret Bassett

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

First Do No Harm: Internal Review of Survivor-Centered & Trauma-Informed International Investigations

Laura Ragan

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

From the VINE: Resources to Empower Victims from Incident to Release

Karen Adams

Additionally, the breadth of VINE resources and technology that are available to states across the nation will also be shared.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Handle with Care: Responding to Trauma on Campus

Tom Gibbons

Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing Begins at the Root: Breaking Generational Cycles in Black Motherhood

Melissa Webb

The presenter will also share strategies on how to recognize inherited survival patterns, challenge harmful internalized beliefs, and begin the healing process to disrupt cycles of harm.

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healing-Centered Safety Planning with Victims who are 1st or 2nd Generation in the U.S.

Elisabeth Swim

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healthy Masculinity in the Digital Age: Navigating AI Girlfriends, Online Influence, & Emerging Risks

Sloan Thompson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Including the Invisible: Advocating for Individuals with Disabilities

Dorinda Edmisten, Monie Ballard

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Insufficient Evidence: Considerations, Strategies, & Trauma-Informed Practices in Declining to Charge Gender-Based Violence Cases

Justin Boardman, Suzy Boylan

Prosecutors serve as the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system—charged with keeping out cases that lack a legal foundation while also being brave enough to pursue difficult ones. That gatekeeping function is especially challenging in gender-based violence cases. Prosecutors must decide whether there is “sufficient evidence” or a “reasonable probability of prevailing at trial,” but what do those phrases really mean in practice?

This workshop will examine how charging standards, ethical duties, and trauma-informed practices (or lack thereof) intersect with the realities of victim participation, public expectations, juries, and the challenges posed by defense tactics, most commonly the defense of consent. The presenters will discuss real cases and explore strategies for strengthening investigative and screening practices in order to improve communication among criminal justice partners around the very real difficulties involved in charging and declination decisions.

By promoting transparency and collaboration across disciplines, this workshop seeks to empower all stakeholders to better navigate the complexities of declination decisions, improve the quality of investigations and charging analyses, and uphold both justice and victim dignity.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

It's All the Same: Victim Blame in Violence Against Women

Erin Kelley

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

On the Hunt: Exploring the Link Between Serial Killers & Violence Against Women

AJ Greer

Serial killers are individuals who murder three or more people in separate events with a cooling-off period in between, often driven by psychological needs like thrill, power, or financial gain characteristic of a lack of empathy and distorted emotional responses. In the context of gender-based violence, more and more evidence reveal a link between serial killers and acquaintances/relationships involving domestic violence.

This workshop will take a deep dive into serial killers and how they target women and women-presenting populations, how serial killers are defined and what behavioral traits they may exhibit, specifically psychopathy. The presenter will examine the link between domestic violence and serial killers using data collected and analyzed by the presenter and will examine how serial killers target sex workers and the implications for investigators.

The workshop will include case studies and practical tools that criminal justice practitioners can use.

Gender-based Violence

Out of the Man Box & Across The Manosphere: Strategies for Engaging Boys and Men

Kimya Motley, RaKim Lash

Advocacy, Diverse Popuations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Partners in Justice: Strengthening Advocate & Law Enforcement Collaboration

Lori Nelson, James Farris

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

The PERF Roadmap to Best Practices for Response & Investigation: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, & Dating Violence

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw, Rachael Thompson, Kristen McGeeney

****A listening session will be held after the workshop for law enforcement to discuss successes and challenges with their response and investigation practices in their local jurisdiction.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Reaching an Understanding: Introduction to Interpretation & Translation Planning

Jose Juan Lara Jr.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

SAFE Learning: An Interdisciplinary Resource Model for Victim Advocacy on College Campuses

Tanya Smith, Jamie Lewis Saye

Advocacy, Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Sit, Stay, HEAL: Animal Allies within Animal-Assisted Counseling

Tina Bevans

Advocacy, Clinical, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Small Town Scenarios: Sharing Prosecutorial Strategies for VAW in Rural Spaces

Suzy Boylan

Rural prosecutors face unique challenges in responding to violence against women and prosecuting these crimes requires specialized knowledge, training and experience. So what happens in jurisdictions too small to afford the training or gain the experience? One answer to this question is that when prosecutors lead, the system follows, and survivors take notice.

In this workshop, the presenter will explore the pivotal role prosecutors play in setting the tone for a community’s response to these crimes and discuss creative, practical strategies for rural prosecutors to build expertise, analyze and prosecute cases effectively, and ultimately strengthen public trust in the criminal justice system.

The presenter will also examine ways in which prosecutors risk losing community trust when they fail to keep pace with current practices and pose a critical question: What do you want your community to say about your office? An interactive discussion period will invite attendees to share local challenges and innovative solutions, fostering connection, collaboration and the exchange of practical, field-tested ideas.

Gender-based Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Solving Cases & Saving Lives: Discussing the Regional Information Sharing Systems Suite of Services

Doug Burig, Eric Kasper

Cities across the country are grappling with violent crimes, human trafficking, and other emerging priorities. With nearly half of all local police departments having fewer than 10 officers, 75 percent having less than 25 officers, and many agencies having limited or no specialized units, ensuring officers have the training, resources, and services they need is critical to helping advance investigations, support victims, and safeguard citizens.

One program vital for every law enforcement officer’s toolkit is the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS). For more than 50 years, law enforcement agencies, officers, and criminal justice professionals have turned to RISS for trusted, quality services and resources to assist them in detecting, deterring, investigating, and prosecuting all types of crime. RISS is comprised of six regional centers and the RISS Technology Support Center and provides support to more than 11,000 law enforcement agencies at all levels.

In this workshop, the presenters will provide an overview of RISS and explore two to four recent cases where RISS services and resources (such as analytical, digital forensics, cryptocurrency, equipment loans, information sharing, and more) were used by agencies and officers in the field to help identify leads, advance investigations, and enable the successful prosecution of offenders. Case scenarios will include those related to domestic abuse, strangulation, human trafficking, and property theft.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Technology

Survivor-Centered Solutions: Collaborative Approaches to Safety Planning

Kaitlyn Eberhardt

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Transcending Violence: Shifting the Culture of Harm Towards the Transgender Community

Sabrina Blevins

In recent years, violence against the transgender and gender-diverse community has surged at an alarming rate, sparking widespread concern and urgent calls for action.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Gender-based Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Words That Win or Wreck: Report Writing That Honors the Victim & Survives the Courtroom

Robert Fanelli, Denise Jones, Robert Frechette

Case documentation in law enforcement is crucial for prosecuting cases, ensuring accountability, maintaining evidence integrity, aiding investigations, and protecting officers, acting as the official record of events, evidence, and actions to build a solid case, verify facts, and uphold transparency and justice.

This workshop will explore how proper case documentation can be used as advocacy, investigation, and legal strategy. The presenters will emphasize writing the best reports that avoid harmful language, document trauma accurately, integrate medical and behavioral observations appropriately, and explain the complex victim behavior clearly through a trauma-informed lens.

Additionally, the presenters will discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential pitfalls and opportunities of its use.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Working Together: Forensic Healthcare Examiners & Care of Military Patients in the Civilian Sector

Allyson Cordoni, Chelsea Hassell

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is committed to provide superior, comprehensive, health care services to the men, women and children who serve in the U.S. Armed Services. Specifically, the DHA’s forensic healthcare leadership has developed a forensic healthcare program that takes a step beyond sexual assault and examines patients who report any interpersonal violence which can include sexual assault for victims and the accused, domestic violence, child abuse and strangulation.

These particular exams can be completed as an acute examination, provides follow up services for these patients, and are offered at all 24/7 Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF’s) by dedicated forensically-trained providers. When a patient presents to a non 24/7 clinic, a patient is referred to an approved community hospital that requires a collaborative effort to not only provide initial care but to arrange follow up services.

While these services are relatively accessible, this workshop will discuss how military members are cared for in a deployed and/ or austere environment and describe all of the personnel who may come in contact with a patient from advocacy to the courtroom.

Gender-based Violence, Medical/Healthcare, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

Zombies & Gang Fights: How Police Experience Can Help Us Better Understand Trauma Victims

Trent Dressen

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Law Enforcement

The Art of Asking: Writing Effective Prompts for AI Tools (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

The key to unlocking the potential of AI lies in asking the right questions. This hands-on, computer lab session introduces practical techniques for writing effective prompts that harness the power of AI tools like conversational agents, research assistants, and coding platforms. Learn how to break down complex topics, uncover free investigative resources, and even generate scripts to streamline your workflows. Designed with beginners in mind, this computer lab will equip attendees with actionable skills to use AI effectively, empowering you to work smarter and more efficiently in addressing crimes against women.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Avoiding Cascading Affects: Understanding the Nexus Between Natural Disasters & Exploitation

Ben Greer, Brittany Barrios Hadaway

Natural disasters create chaos and vulnerability human traffickers seek to exploit. Post-Hurricane Harvey, The Dept. of Health and Human Services began identifying emergency management and disaster responding personnel as uniquely positioned to identify and report trafficking-related suspicious behavior.

This workshop will summarize research on this nexus, case studies on exploitation post-Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, the Haitian Earthquake of 2010, and articulate how traffickers may seek to exploit displaced persons as well as the disaster recovery framework.

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding the Performative, Building the Productive: Law Enforcement-Advocate Partnerships

Marie Sadanaga, Angela Weekes

Additionally, an emphasis will be placed on real barriers and how to address them—including role clarity and sustainability.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

Behind Closed Doors: How Offenders Silence Survivors—and What We Can Do

John Guard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Better Outcomes, Fewer Roadblocks: Combatting Human Trafficking with No Victims & No Resources

Ryann Jorban, Joel Balyeat

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

Beyond Arrest: The Role of Jail Calls in Domestic Violence Cases (Pt. 1 & 2)

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Goman

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond the Butch: Improving Cultural Competencies to Prevent Dual Arrests

Patrick Brady, Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond the Headlines: Lessons from the Gabby Petito Case on Predominant Aggressor Determination & First Responder Impact

James Schmidt, Dave Thomas

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

The Blue Print: Creating Survivor-Centered Systems Through Law Enforcement & Advocacy

Aubrie Bowyer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Bridging Systems: Survivor-Led Strategies for Trafficking, DV, & Sexual Assault Cases

Rachel Fischer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare, Trafficking

Building the Case: Investigative Strategies & Challenges in Sexual Assault Investigations

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Sexual assault cases are highly complex and require an expanisve investigative toolkit to yield optimal results that lead to justice for victims and accountability for offenders. Tools such as DNA evidence, consensual phone calls, jail call monitoring, forensic and victim interviews, suspect interrogations, and even apology letters can strengthen case development and prosecution.

The presenters of this workshop will explore said tools and use a series of brief, real-world case studies to highlight a range of investigative techniques that can be employed in sexual assault cases. The presenter will also examine the unique challenges faced when pursuing cases involving delayed disclosures, recantation, or lack of physical evidence.

Additionally, attendees will be walked through how multidisciplinary collaboration, trauma-informed practices, and strategic case-building can help overcome these obstacles and support victim-centered outcomes.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Building Rapport: The Establishment of Effective Communication in Responding to Violence Against Women

Bryan Barlow, David Thompson

This workshop will focus on current research on building and maintaining rapport and its application in conducting investigative interviews and building multidisciplinary teams.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Call an Advocate! A Coordinate Response to Human Trafficking

Kellye Arnold, Christine Labertew

Presenters will use their own largely rural region of Texas to highlight strengths and creatively navigate potential weaknesses, showcasing specific examples from their professional experiences.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborating for Change: Centering Survivor Voices to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence & Reduce Homicides

Dottie Davis, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Combatting the Cold Trail: How to Conduct an Effective Sexual Assault Pretext Call

Tanya Wollstein, Kristen Arnaud

Cold sexual assault reports are common, often challenging to investigate and successfully prosecute, commonly present with no physical evidence available for collection, and suspects often provide a consent defense. A recorded pretext call between the suspect and victim, with law enforcement present, can provide the evidence needed to effectively investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases.

This workshop will teach attendees how to conduct an effective pretext call between the victim and suspect and how to use pretext calls in prosecution of sexual assault cases. Attendees will listen to actual pretext call recordings and learn how these recordings were used in the successful prosecution of cases that otherwise likely would never have moved forward in the criminal justice system.

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

Complex Crossroads: Discussing the Intersection Between Native American Institutional & Generational Trauma & Full Faith & Credit of Protection Orders

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

Native American communities continue to face the long-term impacts of institutional oppression and generational trauma, including forced relocation, boarding schools, jurisdictional barriers, and systemic discrimination in the justice system. These experiences shape how survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault interact with courts and law enforcement. When law enforcement overlooks these dynamics, victims may lose trust, protection orders may not be enforced consistently, and community safety is compromised.

The presenters of this workshop will underscore how essential this context is for enforcing Full Faith and Credit (18 U.S.C. § 2265) for protection orders issued by tribal and state courts.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Tribal

🎥 Media Allowed

Critical Incident Recognition for E911 Telecommunicators: Domestic Violence, Strangulation, Stalking, & Child Abuse

Ricky Lynn

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

CASE STUDY: The Derrick Davis Stalking Case: Overcoming Investigative & Legal Obstacles

Leah Dintino, Garrick Whaley, Kristen Jackson

Law Enforcement, Legal, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Delving into the Mind: Typologies of Pimp-Controlled Sex Traffickers

Vanessa Bouche, John Jones

Sex traffickers remain one of the least studied groups of offenders, yet understanding who they are and what drives them is critical to prevention, survivor recovery, effective prosecutions, and sentencing. An approach to this understanding is to explore a typology of sex traffickers grounded in the “dark tetrad” of personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—along with frameworks from cult psychology.

Drawing on qualitative data including pimp memoirs, federal court cases, and interviews with convicted traffickers, the presenters of this workshop will discuss how this typology categorizes traffickers by intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, as well as their deepest fears, and will illustrate the different types of profiles’ distinct methods of control, victim management strategies, and relationships to power, money, and violence.

By highlighting these differences, the research challenges the misconception that trafficking is solely economically motivated and instead reveals personality-driven patterns. Understanding these typologies equips practitioners with new tools to better protect vulnerable populations, guide survivor treatment, and tailor investigative strategies.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

Demystifying Myths & Misconceptions: Enhancing Understanding & Use of Missing & Endangered Person Alerts

Hannah Welsh, Carri Gordon, Brian Frost

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

The Difference Between Justice & Injustice: Writing Accurate Sexual Violence Police Reports

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

Report writing is one of the most fundamental – yet most impactful – responsibilities in law enforcement. A well-written report is often the single greatest tool to create meaningful change in communities and in the lives of those law enforcement serve. For crimes against persons, accuracy and attention to detail can significantly impact whether an investigation is successful and whether offenders are held accountable or not.

The presenter of this workshop will focus specifically on report writing for sexual violence cases. Through guided discussion and practical exercises, attendees will be taught how to document with accuracy, clarity, and sensitivity—building reports that support thorough investigations, withstand scrutiny, and honor the voices of victims.

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Dark Reality: Shining a Light onto Human Trafficking

Ricky Lynn

The presenter will particularly provide insights to individuals who work in the fields of law enforcement and emergency response.

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Digital Dangers: How to Increase Accountability & Safety in Cyberstalking Cases

Denise Jones, Jennifer Landhuis

As technology evolves, so do the tactics used by perpetrators of interpersonal violence, especially in cases involving stalking and online abuse. From GPS tracking and spyware to spoofing and surveillance through everyday devices, these tools are increasingly used to monitor, control, and terrorize victims. For many law enforcement agencies, especially those without specialized cyber units, keeping pace with these shifting threats can feel overwhelming. Digital investigations are often time-consuming and technically complex, yet they are vital to victim safety and offender accountability.

This workshop will explore the intersection of stalking, technology, and digital abuse. Presenters will share practical strategies for investigating these cases with limited resources, discuss current trends in tech-facilitated abuse, and emphasize the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration. Attendees will also be provided with tools to support victim engagement and strengthen safety-focused responses in technology-enabled stalking cases.

Law Enforcement, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Failing Profits: Scrutinizing Sexually-Oriented Businesses, Sex Trafficking, & Organized Crime

Vanessa Bouche, Dominique Roe-Sepowitz

Organized crime groups are not monolithic. They operate through diverse structures, motives, and methods that often exploit women and girls in ways overlooked by traditional investigations. Evidence shows that sexually-oriented businesses, in particular, function not only as trafficking venues but also as recruitment pipelines and grooming sites. Moreover, survivor testimonies and federally-prosecuted cases reveal that strip clubs provide traffickers with a steady supply of vulnerable women, opportunities for customer solicitation, and environments that normalize exploitation. Despite this, trafficking in these venues remains systematically under-investigated and under-prosecuted, often due to misconceptions about prevalence and flawed data analysis.

This workshop introduces a typology of organized crime groups involved in human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. By combining criminological theory, survivor-centered evidence, and policy analysis, the presenters will highlight how sexually-oriented businesses form part of organized crime economies that profit from exploitation.

Attendees will be offered insights into recognizing the criminal patterns that disguise trafficking as consensual adult entertainment, the systemic vulnerabilities that facilitate recruitment, and strategies for prosecutors, investigators, and advocates to hold traffickers and complicit businesses accountable.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Fatal Patterns: Firearms, Domestic Violence, & the Hidden Risks to Communities & Cops

John Guard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

The First 48 Hours: Early Intervention in High-Risk Domestic Violence Cases

Brandon Wootan

First responders address high-risk danger such as domestic disturbances by prioritizing scene safety, rapidly assessing hazards, activating coordinated systems, and using specialized tactics, equipment, and training for dynamic environments, all while managing physical and psychological stress to keep themselves and victims out of harms way. Therefore, the hours immediately following an intimate partner violence incident can be the most dangerous—and the most decisive. One such tactic is the utlization of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE), an evidence-based risk assessment instrument used on scene by responding officers to help identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of homicide or near-lethal assault.

This workshop will highlight the critical window where swift, coordinated action can prevent the escalation of violence and save lives. The presenters will review the typical timeline leading to intimate partner homicide, be taught how to use the DA-LE scores to prioritize urgent cases, and explore best practices for law enforcement and advocacy collaboration the first two days after a crisis.

Additionally, attendees will participate in an interactive mock case exercise and work together to design a 48-hour response protocol that transforms early intervention into long-term safety.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

The Forgotten Patient: A Multi-disciplinary Evaluation of Suspect Medical Forensic Exams

Jaclyn Rodriguez

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

From Hashtags to Handcuffs: Tracking Traffickers with OSINT

Joseph Scaramucci

OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) is the practice of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information from publicly available sources to produce actionable intelligence for uses like national security, law enforcement, cybersecurity, and business research

This workshop is designed to equip investigators and analysts with practical tools to leverage OSINT in identifying both victims of sex trafficking and their traffickers. Attendees will be taught how to gather and analyze publicly available digital information—from social media profiles to escort ads, hashtags, tags, and usernames—to develop actionable leads in trafficking investigations. This workshop emphasizes low-cost, high-impact techniques that can be executed with minimal personnel and without the need for expensive software or databases. The presenter will walk attendees through real-world examples that show how OSINT can help identify networks, uncover hidden connections, and support proactive victim recovery efforts. Attendees will also be provided insight into how these techniques apply beyond trafficking—extending to narcotics, gangs, exploitation, and other criminal enterprises.

Whether a seasoned investigator or new to OSINT, this workshop will arm attendees with scalable, street-tested tools to take your cases from digital clues to handcuffs.

Law Enforcement, Technology, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

From Recognition to Response: Improving Frontline Practices in Strangulation Cases

Katherine Brown, Billy Cordell, Casey Davis

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

From Spreadsheets to Solutions: Turning Data into Actionable Insights (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Microsoft Excel isn’t just a spreadsheet tool—it’s a powerful ally in uncovering crucial details for your cases. In this hands-on computer lab session, the presenters will teach how to sort, filter, and format data to reveal key patterns and insights. Discover how to quickly convert time zones, pinpoint frequently occurring information, and transform large datasets into clear, actionable details highlighting essential information to simplify your workflow. This computer lab will equip you with practical Excel techniques to streamline your processes and strengthen your ability to analyze complex data in support of your work addressing crimes against women.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Getting Buy-In for Lethality Assessment Instruments: Lessons Learned from Implementation of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement

Sarah Wittig Galgano, Miles Earwood, Scott Michael

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Handle with Care: Responding to Trauma on Campus

Tom Gibbons

Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: He Didn’t Look Dangerous Until He Wouldn’t Stop

Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis, Jennifer Landhuis

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of 911: Leveraging Calls for Investigation & Admissibility

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Gorman

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Legal

Information is Powerful!: How Law Enforcement Can Use It to Further Cases

Teri Harsin

Proper resources are crucial for law enforcement investigations because they ensure accuracy, efficiency, and legality, enabling officers to collect and analyze evidence effectively, share critical information across jurisdictions, utilize advanced forensics to link suspects, and present credible cases in court, ultimately leading to successful prosecutions, crime prevention, and public safety.

This workshop is intended for the law enforcement investigator/detective responsible for working cases involving crimes against women. Throughout the presentation, attendees will be taught about a resource already at their fingertips that can assist with their investigations. This resource provides access to state-level information on sex offenders, state warrants, parole/probation/corrections information and corrections photos, concealed weapons permit, mobile device data, etc. The presenter will discuss in detail each of these resources and provide case studies to validate the importance of having access to this type of information.

During the presentation, there will be opportunities for attendees to use an interactive app on their phones to submit questions, answer questions, take polls, and submit final thoughts.

Law Enforcement, Probation & Parole, Technology

Insufficient Evidence: Considerations, Strategies, & Trauma-Informed Practices in Declining to Charge Gender-Based Violence Cases

Justin Boardman, Suzy Boylan

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Invisible Victims: Analyzing Undetermined Female Deaths & Missed Red Flags of Violence

Aleksandra Treglown, Audra Kerwin

This workshop will provide an in‑depth analysis of one such death from a multi‑phase research project.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Going After the Admission: Investigative Strategies for Sexual Assault Suspect Interviewing

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Interviewing sexual assault suspects requires the sophisticated approach of rapport building, using trauma-informed techniques, focusing on the suspect’s behavioral patterns, looking for deception cues, while carefully gathering crucial details about the crime’s specifics.

This practical, skills-based workshop is designed to equip attendees with the tools, confidence, and mindset necessary to conduct effective investigative interviews. Through the use of real-world case studies, the presenter will share strategies on how to prepare for, structure, and execute interviews ethically and effectively.

The workshop will feature video demonstrations of both effective and ineffective interviewing strategies, based on the presenters’ firsthand experience. Attendee participation and feedback will be used to analyze interview performance and reinforce key concepts. Moreover ,emphasis will be placed on building rapport, eliciting accurate information, and applying best practices across investigative contexts.

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Knock, Knock!: Engaging in Human-Centric Death Notifications with a Teams Approach

Russell Strand

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Leadership on the Front Lines: Patrol-Level Leadership in Law Enforcement

Kenny Smith

Patrol officers are often the first on scene—the “boots on the ground” who set the tone for every law enforcement response. Officers’ words, actions, and decisions in those first critical moments shape community trust, influence outcomes, and impact victims of crime. From this perspective, there is a vital role of patrol-level leadership, emphasizing that every first responder, by definition, is a leader.

Through real-world scenarios and guided discussions, this workshop will highlight how integrity, professionalism, and accountability can be practiced at the patrol level. A special focus will be placed on trauma-informed approaches, ensuring that officers are equipped to respond in ways that minimize harm, build trust, and provide meaningful support to victims while maintaining officer safety and upholding the law.

Additionally, this workshop is designed to reinforce that leadership is not confined to rank—but begins with the patrol officer in the field.

Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Making Sense of Mobile Forensics (Part 1) (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Mobile devices often hold critical evidence in cases involving crimes against women. This two-part, hands-on computer lab session will introduce you to the essentials of mobile device investigations. Attendees will be taught how to identify and recover evidence, interpret forensic reports, and extract key insights using tools like Cellebrite Reader. Covering everything from seizure considerations to data parsing, this computer lab provides practical skills and knowledge to handle mobile evidence confidently and efficiently, ensuring no detail is overlooked in your pursuit of justice.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Making Sense of Mobile Forensics (Part 2) (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

"Marco…Polo…": Identifying the Predator in Adolescent-on-Adolescent Sexual Assault

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine

Sexual assault investigations involving an adolescent predator assaulting another adolescent are some of the most challenging an investigator will work in their career. They deal with the issue of consent which is not present when a child is assaulted by an adult and requires the investigators to obtain evidence of the lack of consent, where the suspect has used force, fear, or coercion. Determining these elements may be challenging for some investigators and prosecutors who are not experienced in working child sexual assault cases involving the lack of consent. Their inexperience can lead to cases being discounted and subsequently dismissed.

This workshop will provide attendees with clear actionable investigative tools to hold adolescent perpetrators accountable. By doing so, the cycle of doubt many adolescent survivors face in not being believed and correct the negative behavior of perpetrators before that behavior magnifies itself in adulthood can be stopped.

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Missing & Stolen: Understanding the Issue & Trends of MMIW & Trafficking of Indigenous Individuals

Andrew Workman

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) are confronted with a devastating crisis of violence, disappearances, and unsolved cases disproportionately affecting Native American and Indigenous women and girls across North America, highlighting systemic issues like jurisdictional complexities and historical oppression. This tragic phenomenon is also exploited by traffickers who use force fraud, or coercion in making these highly vulnerable victims engage in sex trafficking activities.

The presenter of this workshop will introduce attendees to the results of work done with law enforcement and in the research field over the last five years specifically highlighting trafficking of Indigenous individuals in the Midwest and their connections to hunting season, natural resource exploitation, and casinos.

The presenter will also discuss a recently published report that examines MMIW and sex trafficking of Indigenous individuals in Canada.

Law Enforcement, Trafficking, Tribal

Overlooking the Non-Obvious: Law Enforcement Investigation of Coercive Control Cases

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

This workshop will provide officers with the knowledge and tools to identify coercive control, understand its risks, and respond effectively to protect victims and strengthen cases.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Password Attacks: Strategies for Accessing Password-Protected Digital Evidence (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Digital devices often hold vital evidence, but locked devices can be a significant obstacle in investigations. This hands-on, computer lab session will teach practical strategies to overcome these barriers. Explore techniques for using open-source tools, analyzing breach databases, and applying password intelligence to unlock critical data. Whether equipped with advanced tools or working with limited resources, this computer lab provides the skills and knowledge to access password-protected evidence and uncover the clues essential to supporting victims and solving cases.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Partners in Justice: Strengthening Advocate & Law Enforcement Collaboration

Lori Nelson, James Farris

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

The PERF Roadmap to Best Practices for Response & Investigation: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, & Dating Violence

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw, Rachael Thompson, Kristen McGeeney

****A listening session will be held after the workshop for law enforcement to discuss successes and challenges with their response and investigation practices in their local jurisdiction.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Pre-Hire Through Retire: Addressing Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence

Law Enforcement, Domestic Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Regulators, Mount Up! Using Code Enforcement to Address Human Trafficking

Dennis Domagas

Certain types of businesses, such as massage parlors and bars, have become an important element in the business model for prostitution and human trafficking. Pimps and human traffickers are opening criminal enterprises disguised as legitimate businesses, allowing them to operate out in the public, next to legitimate businesses and imbed themselves in communities. Unfortunately, there are times that due to limited resources, manpower and time, traditional forms of law enforcement have had difficulties in dealing with these illicit businesses.

This workshop will discuss the ways in which pimps and traffickers disguise their criminal enterprise as a legitimate business and how regulations and code enforcement can help derail their tactics.

Law Enforcement, Trafficking

S.W.A.T.--Special Weapons Against Trauma: Reducing Officer Fatalities

Russell Strand

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

SAFE Learning: An Interdisciplinary Resource Model for Victim Advocacy on College Campuses

Tanya Smith, Jamie Lewis Saye

Advocacy, Campus, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety from Multiple Perspectives: What Survivors & Law Enforcement Say about the Role of Firearms in Domestic Violence

Annie Struby, Jennifer Becker

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

See the Value! How Austin’s EMDR Project Brings Free Trauma Therapy to Survivors

Claire Godfrey, Rick Levinson

Advocacy, Clinical, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Innocence Lost: Examining Sextortion Investigation Complexities

Rob Fanelli, Josh Bronson

Sextortion, a form of online exploitation that disproportionately targets youth and young adults, has become a growing threat. It is a serious crime and form of online blackmail where an individual is coerced or threatened with the non-consensual release of their private, sexual, or nude images or videos. Perpetrators demand money, additional explicit content, or sexual favors in exchange for keeping the material private.

The presenters of this workshop will examine how sextortion works, who is most at risk, and the challenges investigators face and will provide attendees insight into offender tactics, their impact on victims, investigative strategies, and prevention measures. Real-world cases and best practices will highlight how law enforcement and communities can effectively respond to and combat this complex crime.

Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence, Technology

Silent Testimony: What the Body Reveals in Domestic Violence Investigations

Kenneth Rosgen

Description pending.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

The Silent Witness Screaming to Be Heard: Processing a DV Crime Scene

Kimberly Korrin

However, investigators never know which detail may prove pivotal—sometimes it is the smallest piece of evidence that shifts a case from probable cause to proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Social Media Simplified: Mastering Searching with Native Functions (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Social media platforms are treasure troves of information, but finding actionable data requires skillful searching. In this hands-on, computer lab session, attendees can be taught how to master the advanced search tools built into platforms like Facebook and Snapchat. Discover how to refine searches, filter out irrelevant content, and pinpoint valuable information that supports your investigative goals. Practical exercises will give attendees real-world experience and the confidence to leverage social media as a powerful resource in uncovering critical evidence.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Solving Cases & Saving Lives: Discussing the Regional Information Sharing Systems Suite of Services

Doug Burig, Eric Kasper

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Technology

CASE STUDY: Teamwork Made the Dream Work: State v. Austin Rodhouse

Leecia Carnes, Jordan Gerard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Technology Efficiency: Free Digital Tools for CAW Investigations (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Improve your investigative workflow by leveraging free, widely available digital tools that help you work faster, smarter, and with greater confidence. In this hands-on computer lab, attendees can discover simple keyboard shortcuts to navigate websites more effectively, free utilities to extract and clean data, and built-in tools for converting and calculating key information. The presenters will also provide information on free utilities for searching, converting, extracting, and reviewing digital data, along with an overview of SEARCH-developed scripts that automate routine forensic and investigative processes. Whether you’re working on victim support, offender accountability, or legal preparation, this computer lab will equip you with actionable skills to enhance your efficiency and effectiveness in investigating crimes against women.

Law Enforcement, Technology

The 13th Juror: Overcoming the "Real" Rape Myth

Julie Germann

Powerful rape myths and juror expectations about the dynamics of sexual assault and “real rape victim” behavior converge to make sexual assault cases some of the most difficult cases to successfully investigate and prosecute. Prosecutors know they need 12 jurors to be unanimous for a conviction. What most prosecutors don’t know is that it is the 13th juror in the box who controls the fate of their case. The 13th juror is never selected for jury duty but is present in every case. That juror is the expert on what “real” rape looks like and how “real” rape victims and “real” rapists behave. If prosecutors don’t’ take care to remove the 13th juror, they will infuse myth and bias into every aspect of the case, starting with the decision to charge. The charging standard often cited by prosecutors is “would a jury in my jurisdiction convict?” This standard often leads to decisions influenced entirely by the 13th juror. Allowing myth and bias to impact prosecutorial decisions leads to low prosecution and conviction rates.

In this workshop, the presenter will describe how the 13th juror can negatively impact all aspects of sexual assault investigations and prosecutions as well as how the brain and body react to trauma and the impact of trauma on behavior and memory. Trauma- informed investigative and trial practices from the first victim meeting through closing arguments will also be discussed.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Trauma-Informed Policing & LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Gender-Based Violence Response

Kyle McCall, Kyle Pelligrino

Clinical, Diverse Populations, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Triple Threat: Prosecuting Human Trafficking Cases with Law Enforcement & Advocate Collaboration

Brooke Grona-Robb

Prosecuting human trafficking cases requires teamwork and corroboration. A team approach between prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates fully allows for simultaneous goals of rescuing victims and prosecuting their offenders. Successful prosecutions are a team effort, which start with a thorough investigation. Perhaps more than any other crime, human trafficking cases require corroboration of the victim’s account, considerations surrounding culpability, and flexibility in the approach to the case.

This workshop is designed to assist prosecutors and investigators who are tackling human trafficking cases, from initial investigation to post-conviction and to share strategies on how prosecutors can work with law enforcement to investigate cases involving trafficking, and to gather the evidence necessary to make a successful case.

The presenter will discuss charging decisions, trial preparation, accomplice testimony, defense strategies, and witness preparation. Additionally, places to consider for corroboration of both the offense and the victim, different members of a trafficking enterprise and analyze decisions regarding who and what to charge, and the anticipation of problems that arise in human trafficking cases as they proceed towards prosecution will be discussed along with ways to avoid pitfalls.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Trust Matters: Building Relationships in Human Trafficking Cases

Naomi Rijpstra, Gabe Sifuentez

The presenters of this workshop will explain the complexities of trauma and the brain while providing tangible ways law enforcement can develop trust and enhance investigative success.

Referencing actual cases as well as example vignettes, the presenters will provide attendees with new tools to aid in counteracting trauma responses and improving outcomes for survivors.

Clinical, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Turning the Case Upside Down: Strategies for Human-Centric Suspect Interviews

Russell Strand

Advocacy, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

Turning Data Into Evidence: Transforming Digital Files for Investigations (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Digital evidence often arrives in chaotic formats—CSVs, JSON files, geotagged data, and more. In this hands-on, computer lab session, presenters will provide practical techniques to clean and analyze these files, turning messy data into actionable insights. Explore how to parse file formats, normalize quirky timestamps, and extract geolocation data for mapping. This computer lab provides the essential tools and skills to help investigators and professionals address real-world challenges in handling digital evidence, enabling more effective casework and support for victims.

Law Enforcement, Technology

What About Body Worn Cameras?: Law Enforcement Response to Clinical Settings

Angelita Olowu

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: When Bad Things Happen to Our Elders

Lisa Tieszen, Marie Sadanaga, Ronaldo Padilla

Nancy Tieszen, the 87-year-old mother of presenter Lisa Tieszen, was brutally assaulted and abducted from her home in the Chicago, Illinois area.

This case study will provide an account of the victim’s experience and resilience as well as the unique aspects of an elder sexual assault victim.

The presenter will also discuss how trauma-informed practices were successfully used in this case and how working with multiple jurisdictions presents both opportunities and challenges.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

When Intuition Meets Evidence: Predicting & Preventing Domestic Violence Homicide (INTERACTIVE SESSION)

Brandon Wootan

🎥 Media Allowed

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

When Seconds Count & Words Matter: Redefining the Role of 911 in Criminal Justice

Heather Joyner, LaVonda Fowler

The presenters aim to inspire and equip attendees to build similar programs that bridge gaps between the call, the case, and the courtroom.

Advocacy, Campus, Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

When Stalking is Taken Seriously: How Law Enforcement Can Save Lives

Anna Nasset

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

When the Badge Becomes a Barrier: Addressing Officer-Involved Domestic Violence Through Policy, Prevention, & Accountability

Bruce Bieber, Brandon Wootan, Carol Ann Peterson, Chynna Ratner

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Words That Win or Wreck: Report Writing That Honors the Victim & Survives the Courtroom

Robert Fanelli, Denise Jones, Robert Frechette

Additionally, the presenters will discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential pitfalls and opportunities of its use.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Technology

Uncovering the Digital Trail: Practical OSINT Resources in Action (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

This hands-on, computer lab session will introduce attendees to powerful third-party OSINT resources for gathering information on people, locations, and digital footprints. Learn to use people search tools, cell phone and email lookup services, and platforms for uncovering social media insights. Through practical exercises, attendees may gain valuable experience with these tools, enhancing your investigative skills and equipping you to uncover critical information to support cases and assist victims. This computer lab is designed to empower you with actionable OSINT techniques for real-world applications.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Understanding the Game: Inside Human Trafficking & Forced Criminality

Alina Donahue

The dirge of human trafficking and forced criminality refers to the grave, increasing, and often overlooked problem of victims being coerced into committing crimes for the benefit of their traffickers. Moreover, these victims are frequently misidentified as offenders and punished by the justice system, rather than receiving the support they need as survivors of exploitation.

Referencing a Florida-based case study to provide real-world context and actionable strategies for investigation and survivor-centered response, this workshop is designed to equip law enforcement with a deeper, more practical understanding of human trafficking. Through a uniquely informed lens, the presenter will explore the methods traffickers use to recruit, manipulate, and control victims.

Additionally, the workshop will include interactive crime scene scenarios and helping attendees recognize trafficking indicators that often go unnoticed. Special focus will be given to forced criminality, including how victims may present as suspects and the impact of emerging criminal record relief laws.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Unlocking Google's Potential: Crafting Effective Search Strings (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Google is a powerful tool for uncovering critical information, but are you using it to its full potential? In this hands-on, computer lab session, presenters will demonstrate how to harness Google’s advanced search operators and built-in tools to pinpoint crucial details from social media sites and other sources. Designed with investigators and advocates in mind, this workshop will teach attendees how to streamline searches, uncover hidden information, and save valuable time in your work to support victims and hold offenders accountable. Through practical exercises, attendees will be offered the skills needed to navigate the digital world more effectively, helping you stand out in your role and better serve your community.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Unseen Advocates: The Vital Role of First Responders in Domestic Violence Advocacy

James Schmidt

Attendees will also be offered practical tools for effective intervention, explore strategies to enhance interagency collaboration, and become familiar with key local and national support resources.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Value of Training in the Investigation & Prosecution of Serial Rapist Larry Lee Johnson

Eric Trojanowski, Kristi DeCluitt, Tom Tremblay

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

Video Preservation Made Simple: Tools for Online Evidence (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Online platforms often hold critical evidence in the form of videos, but capturing this data can be complex. In this hands-on, computer lab session, attendees can learn how to save videos from a variety of sources, including social media platforms, news websites, and YouTube, using free and open-source tools. Discover browser tricks, add-ons, and tools like Open Video Downloader. Also, the presenters will use VLC for playing, enhancing, and to export every frame, making it easier to identify key details like faces or license plates. Through practical exercises, gain the skills to efficiently preserve and analyze online video evidence, ensuring you’re equipped for thorough and effective investigations.

Law Enforcement, Technology

Virtual Justice: Human-Centric Online Interviewing

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Technology

Zombies & Gang Fights: How Police Experience Can Help Us Better Understand Trauma Victims

Trent Dressen

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Legal

The 13th Juror: Overcoming the "Real" Rape Myth

Julie Germann

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Alcohol: A Sex Offender's Weapon & Shield

Julie Germann

Campus, Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding Collateral Consequences: Strategies for Incorporating Legal Services & Cultural Considerations

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Domestic Violence, Legal

Behind Closed Doors: How Offenders Silence Survivors—and What We Can Do

John Guard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Better Outcomes, Fewer Roadblocks: Combatting Human Trafficking with No Victims & No Resources

Ryann Jorban, Joel Balyeat

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

Beyond Arrest: The Role of Jail Calls in Domestic Violence Cases (Pt. 1 & 2)

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Goman

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Conviction: Creating a Community Coordinated Response in a Rural Community

Staley Heatly, Rachel Lira

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Building the Case: Investigative Strategies & Challenges in Sexual Assault Investigations

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Catch a Killer by the Tail: A Practical Guide to Building a Better Cross-Examination

Kerri New

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

Coercion, Control, & Technology: A Prosecutor’s Approach to Domestic Violence Cases

Frances Manzo

Domestic violence is rooted in power and control—but in the digital age, that control increasingly extends through technology.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Context is Key: Using Experts in Stalking Cases

Jennifer Landhuis, Jane Anderson, Sherri Coronado

The reality of stalking is often in conflict with public perceptions and media representations which can negatively affect how investigations are conducted, cases are charged, and evidence analyzed by judges and juries. Experts with specialized stalking knowledge are invaluable assets in any stalking case because they can provide context about the dynamics, tactics and impact of stalking as well as common victim responses to trauma. By providing this context, qualified experts can assist prosecutors in ensuring that fact finders make informed decisions based on the evidence.

This workshop will describe a variety of dynamics that may be present in stalking case, as well as common victim responses to trauma. The presenters will summarize the law related to the introduction of expert testimony and highlight the importance of deciding if and when to introduce expert testimony in a case. The presenters will also discuss strategies for the identification and qualification of experts, as well as the importance of working with experts to prepare a case for trial even if their testimony will not be introduced.

Legal, Stalking

CASE STUDY: The Derrick Davis Stalking Case: Overcoming Investigative & Legal Obstacles

Leah Dintino, Garrick Whaley, Kristen Jackson

Law Enforcement, Legal, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Caring for the Criminalized: Designing a Court-Ordered Group for Women Who Use Violence

Melissa Scaia

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Complex Crossroads: Discussing the Intersection Between Native American Institutional & Generational Trauma & Full Faith & Credit of Protection Orders

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

The presenters of this workshop will underscore how essential this context is for enforcing Full Faith and Credit (18 U.S.C. § 2265) for protection orders issued by tribal and state courts.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Tribal

🎥 Media Allowed

Defying Disclosure Difficulties! Ethically Safeguarding Victim Privacy in a Digital World

Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Delving into the Mind: Typologies of Pimp-Controlled Sex Traffickers

Vanessa Bouche, John Jones

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

The Empathy Tightrope: Balancing Trauma-Informed Responses & Prosecutor Resilience

Gigi Scoles

The prosecution of human trafficking requires prosecutors who are highly skilled, have a deep understanding of complex dynamics, and are dedicated to working with victims and survivors who have undergone severe trauma. Prosecutors handling sex and labor trafficking cases are faced with high volumes of complex evidence that is often graphic, violent, or disturbing in nature. Trauma-informed approaches require prosecutors to lead with empathy, while being watchful that secondary trauma does not negatively impact job performance and personal well-being.

This workshop will address wellness as a critical aspect of any response to human trafficking, with a specific focus on prosecutors who lead trauma-informed responses to sex and labor trafficking cases.

The presenter will provide strategies to identify early signs of burnout and secondary trauma and will facilitate interactive discussions around healthy coping mechanisms and proactive stress management. Such skills are crucial not only for personal well-being, but also for sustaining prosecutors’ ability to seek justice for trafficking victims and hold offenders accountable.

Legal, Trafficking, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

Empowering vs. Accusatory: Harnessing a Trauma-Informed Approach

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Josh Bronson

The term “being trauma-informed” is used frequently in our professions as a mantra for how modern-day policing is supposed to be. This is because understanding how trauma affects victims and survivors of crime is essential in being able to fully comprehend their experience, conduct thorough investigations without bias, and work collectively to hold perpetrators accountable to keep our communities safe. But what does “being trauma-informed” or having a “trauma informed mindset”, for an agency mean? For some, it means saying the right words when in the presence of victims or the public, so they feel you understand their experience and you care. To be truly a “trauma-informed” agency, it requires more than just using buzzwords or key phrases to create an image.

This workshop will examine the implementation of policies, procedures, and practices that create an organizational culture where the needs of survivors at every level within law enforcement agencies are considered. Additionally, the presenter will help attendees better focus on understanding trauma and how it effects community members, employees, and themselves to enhance the level of service, professionalism, and integrity the law enforcement profession demands.

Law Enforcement, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Fact or Expert: An Introduction to the Ethical Role & Use of Expert Witness

Margaret Bassett

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Failing Profits: Scrutinizing Sexually-Oriented Businesses, Sex Trafficking, & Organized Crime

Vanessa Bouche, Dominique Roe-Sepowitz

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

First Do No Harm: Internal Review of Survivor-Centered & Trauma-Informed International Investigations

Laura Ragan

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

The Forgotten Patient: A Multi-disciplinary Evaluation of Suspect Medical Forensic Exams

Jaclyn Rodriguez

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

From Recognition to Response: Improving Frontline Practices in Strangulation Cases

Katherine Brown, Billy Cordell, Casey Davis

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

CASE STUDY: "Hey Siri, Play the Murder Song:" A Case Study in Escalating Intimate Partner Violence & Hidden Lethality

Megan Reed, Caitlin Paver

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims & Perpetrators of Labor Trafficking

Kirsta Melton

Civil Law, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Illusion of Consent: Sex & Strangulation

Gerald Fineman

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

"I'm Just a Bill": Developing a Human Trafficking Policy Framework

Kirsta Melton

Combatting human trafficking requires a robust enforcement effort, extensive and collaborative victim services, thoughtful and broad ranging prevention programs, a cultural analysis and change strategy and to facilitate all of those pieces, an underlying policy framework that provides the authority, mechanisms, funding and structure to undergird the entire plan. While legislators will continue to enact laws whether those working against trafficking purposefully engage them, the quality and effectiveness of that legislation will suffer without the expertise, vision and practical knowledge of the people who are using that law daily.

This workshop will focus attendees on the necessity of a long-term legislative strategy to address all aspects of trafficking and the importance of creating collaborative mechanisms in statute to promote future legislative efforts. The presenter will share strategies on how to analyze, prioritize, and contextualize legislative needs, cultivate state-wide partnerships, avoid unintended consequences, recruit champions for the cause, anticipate challenges of implementation and build the legal framework that will ensure your anti-trafficking efforts are sustainable and successful.

Legal, Legislation/Policy, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of 911: Leveraging Calls for Investigation & Admissibility

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Gorman

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Legal

Insufficient Evidence: Considerations, Strategies, & Trauma-Informed Practices in Declining to Charge Gender-Based Violence Cases

Justin Boardman, Suzy Boylan

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Justice Metamorphosis: Courts Innovating e-Filing Technology to Provide Access & Empower Survivors

Alicia Davis, Kelsey Mullins, Elsa Robbins

Advocacy, Legal, Technology

The Link between Animal Abuse & Family Violence: Investigation & Prosecution Strategies to Keep Families Safe

Allie Phillips

No abusive photos will be shown.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Looking Out for Lethality: How to Establish an Interagency Domestic Violence High-Risk Protocol

Joshua Dougan

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Missed Opportunities: Closing Gaps in Identifying Forced Labor

Gigi Scoles, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Moving Beyond "Victim Declines to Prosecute": Implementing Legally Informed Evidence-Based Practices

Aylysh Gallagher, Annie Harrison

Too often, sexual assault victims are asked early in the process, “do you want to prosecute?” This common question wrongly shifts the responsibility for justice onto them. The decision to prosecute and the burden of proof belong to the state, yet our system often treats victims as though they must carry that weight.

In this workshop, the presenters invite attendees to rethink traditional approaches and adopt offender-focused, evidence-based strategies. What happens when we shift the focus from victim reluctance to offender accountability? Through evidence-based strategies and legally sound practices, attendees will be taught how to broaden investigations beyond the initial victim report, reduce systemic pressures on victims, and pursue accountability while respecting victims’ wishes.

Moreover, the presenters will provide attendees with practical tools for balancing victim support with offender-focused accountability, a clearer understanding of how evidence-based prosecutions can strengthen justice outcomes, and move beyond the limiting phrase, “victim declines to prosecute.”

Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Moving Towards Justice: Pretrial Motion Practice in Sex Trafficking Cases

Jane Anderson

Some of the most important court proceedings in any sex trafficking case take place weeks or months before the jury is selected. Pretrial motions can preview complex cases for the judge and surface novel legal issues. In sex trafficking cases, the proper admission of relevant evidence and exclusion of irrelevant or confidential information can be key to educating the fact finder and protecting the victim from improper intrusions on their privacy.

This workshop will encourage attendees to analyze sex trafficking cases through a legal and strategic lens and consider ethical and tactical approaches to litigating pretrial motions. Motions on rape shield, digital evidence, expert testimony, and the admission of certain statements and evidence will be discussed. The presenter will also provide the legal basis for motions on admissible hearsay, the relevancy of expert testimony, rape shield, and more.

Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Navigating Abuser & Victim Behavior Through the Court Process: A Focus on Manipulation & Escalation

Rachel Ashe

Domestic violence cases rarely follow a straight line. Both offender and victim behavior throughout the life of a case can alter the trajectory of prosecution, investigation, and ultimately, justice.

Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Path to Justice & Healing: State v. Matthew Osborn from a Survivor's Perspective

Stephanie Simpson, Ashleigh Persons

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The PERF Roadmap to Best Practices for Response & Investigation: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, & Dating Violence

Gretta Gardner, Millicent Phipps Shaw, Rachael Thompson, Kristen McGeeney

****A listening session will be held after the workshop for law enforcement to discuss successes and challenges with their response and investigation practices in their local jurisdiction.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Pressing the Reset Button: How Attorneys Can Advocate for Clients & Gain Survivor Trust

Shakira Ali Kelley

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

Protecting Your Practice: Forensic Nursing Considerations

Khara Breeden, Julie Germann, Brookley Delbosque

Forensic Nursing, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Raising The Bar: Justice through Victims' Lens, Legal Challenges, & Trauma

Ameen Nusrat, Gayatri Joshi

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Reimagining Legal Access: Expanding Survivor Pathways Through Alternative Legal Models

Amanda Elkanick Oder, Bronwyn Blake

Survivors of abuse often face overwhelming barriers to securing full legal representation, leaving many without the protection they urgently need.

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Release & Revictimization: Building Bridges to Support Survivors During Plea-Bargaining Processes

Libby Hamilton

This workshop will address revictimization that often occurs during the plea-bargaining process, and provide valuable information regarding post-conviction victim services.

Prosecutors, victim assistance coordinators, and crime victim liaisons are encouraged to attend this workshop and bring all their questions about parole eligibility and parole review!

Advocacy, Legal, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Relief Responses: Improving Access to Family Court Proceedings for Immigrant Crime Victims

Leslye Orloff, Rosemary Collins

Advocacy, Civil Law, Domestic Violence, Diverse Populations, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Silent Testimony: What the Body Reveals in Domestic Violence Investigations

Kenneth Rosgen

Description pending.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Small Town Scenarios: Sharing Prosecutorial Strategies for VAW in Rural Spaces

Suzy Boylan

Gender-based Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

A Strategy for Success: Bringing Traffickers to Trial

Kirsta Melton

Tough case facts require tough prosecutors. In trafficking cases, prosecutors encounter victims whose vulnerabilities include prior criminal history, undocumented status, running away, a history of prostitution, hostility to the system, mental illness, and a lifetime of self-medication through drug and alcohol addiction. The witnesses to trafficking offenses often have similar backgrounds, creating significant challenges for prosecutors.

This workshop will focus on the practical aspects of trying human trafficking cases. Attendees will be taught the power of the grand jury and a well-charged case, the usefulness of a trial map, how altering juror perspective through voir dire can turn weaknesses into strengths. Additionally, the presenter will focus on building corroboration after filing, flipping buyers and co-defendants, structuring trial line-ups to emphasize case strengths and deemphasize weaknesses while anticipating and defanging common defenses with the use of experts and other tools.

Also to be discussed is the importance of collaborating with law enforcement during the investigative phases to produce cases that include as many trafficking co-defendants and corroborative sources as possible to shift the burden of proving the elements from the victim to a broad base of testimonial, digital and documentary evidence.

Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

Target Prosecution: Federal Firearms Laws & the Domestic Violence Initiative

Marissa Aulbaugh, Jake Nelson

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

Tailored Tactics: Effective Responses to a Variety of Human Trafficking Typologies

Jane Anderson

Human trafficking comes in many forms and a “one size fits all” response is not effective where trafficking can co-occur with family violence, child sex abuse, online exploitation, labor trafficking, gang violence, financial crimes, organized crime, and more. Effective responses to human trafficking require personnel who have a wide variety of skill sets, knowledge bases, and relationships with allied professionals. For example, a sex trafficking case may involve a trafficker who recruits and controls their victim with promises of love and family. In that case, an effective response may mirror that of an intimate partner violence case. Another example may include a labor trafficker who reaps financial rewards by exploiting and sexual assaulting workers. In that case, a skilled financial investigator may be able to build a case that can hold the trafficker accountable independent of a victim’s ability to participate.

This workshop will describe a variety of human trafficking typologies and invite attendees to discuss how each may require a different response. The presenters will lead interactive discussions about how to best leverage personnel and resources to develop effective responses to different types of trafficking, including co-occurring crimes often seen in sex and labor trafficking cases.

Moreover, attendees will be challenged to identify specific skillsets and partnerships that are required to effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute all forms of trafficking.

Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Teamwork Made the Dream Work: State v. Austin Rodhouse

Leecia Carnes, Jordan Gerard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Triple Threat: Prosecuting Human Trafficking Cases with Law Enforcement & Advocate Collaboration

Brooke Grona-Robb

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Understanding the Game: Inside Human Trafficking & Forced Criminality

Alina Donahue

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Untold Story: Recantation & Domestic Violence

David Martin, Amy Bonomi

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

The Upside Down Case: Avoiding Misidentification & Advancing Justice

Margaret Bassett, Jeana Lungwitz

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

The Value in Voir Dire: Jury Selection in Cold Case Sexual Assault Cases

Kristin Treager

Jury selection (voir dire) can be immensely valuable, allowing attorneys to identify and remove biased jurors, establish themes and credibility early, and effectively “handpick their audience” for a fair trial, making it arguably the most crucial phase of a trial for shaping its outcome by uncovering hidden prejudices and setting the stage for their case’s narrative.

The presenter of this workshop will discuss the various issues that prosecutors face in the selection of juries in complex cases involving cold case sexual assault, themes and theories of sexual assault, and how to address those during voir dire. Topics such as imperfect victims, how victims react, and aggravating factors will also be examined.

Additionally, the presenter will address identifying causation questions, pros and cons of questionnaires, and tools for detecting bias and prejudice in potential jurors. Moreover, attendees will be taught how to educate jurors on these matters starting at the very beginning of a trial.

Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Value of Training in the Investigation & Prosecution of Serial Rapist Larry Lee Johnson

Eric Trojanowski, Kristi DeCluitt, Tom Tremblay

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

VAWA Confidentiality’s Impact on Discovery in Family and Criminal Court Cases

Leslye Orloff, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Civil Law, Legal, Legislation/Policy, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

"What is That?" Identification & Documentation of Sexual Assault Injuries

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Using case scenarios and real-world examples, the workshop demonstrates how multi-disciplinary partners can work together to ensure documentation is accurate, consistent, and trauma-informed.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Legal

When Predators Take Flight: A Bird's Eye View of Sexual Assault

Scott Hampton

After attending this workshop, your experience of the “Friendly Skies” nor your understanding of sexual assault, might not be quite the same as they were before.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Legal, Sexual Violence

When the Victim Recants: Using Expert Witnesses to Explain Victim Behavior & Save Your Family Violence Case

Staley Heatly

This presentation is especially valuable for rural jurisdictions where access to formally credentialed experts is limited.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

When Survival Becomes a Crime: How Abusers Turn the Justice System into their Last Weapon

Ariel Santillian, McKenna Smith

This workshop pulls back the curtain on how abusive partners weaponize police responses, mandatory arrest policies, and civil courts to recast women acting in self-defense as “offenders.”

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal

🎥 Media Allowed

Words That Win or Wreck: Report Writing That Honors the Victim & Survives the Courtroom

Robert Fanelli, Denise Jones, Robert Frechette

Additionally, the presenters will discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential pitfalls and opportunities of its use.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Zombies & Gang Fights: How Police Experience Can Help Us Better Understand Trauma Victims

Trent Dressen

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal

Medical/Healthcare

Bridging Systems: Survivor-Led Strategies for Trafficking, DV, & Sexual Assault Cases

Rachel Fischer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare, Trafficking

But, What If? Exploring Mental Health Focuses that Intersect with Sexual Assault

Tamara Jackson, Jaclyn Rodriguez

Advocacy, Campus, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Collaborative Care: Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exams for Native Survivors

Jacque Bassett, Chenel Vanden Berk, Becki Jordan

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare, Tribal

From Recognition to Response: Improving Frontline Practices in Strangulation Cases

Katherine Brown, Billy Cordell, Casey Davis

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

Motherhood & Madness: Discussing Domestic Violence Safety During Pregnancy & Postpartum

Heena Khan

Intimate partner violence can affect maternal and infant health, attachment, and safety, while also creating systemic barriers that limit survivors’ access to care.

Clinical, Domestic Violence, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

The Phantom Toll: Mental Health Impacts of Stalking

Jennifer Landhuis, Lauren Dennis

Advocacy, Medical/Healthcare, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Protecting Your Practice: Forensic Nursing Considerations

Khara Breeden, Julie Germann, Brookley Delbosque

Forensic Nursing, Legal, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

"Tell Me, How Are They Different?" When Sex Trafficking Meets the Military

Allyson Cordoni, Marina Cawthra

When military members are involved in sex trafficking, it serves to tarnish the image of the military. While a vast majority of military personnel serve honorably, there have been cases of servicemembers, engaging in sex trafficking. This can occur within the U.S. primarily around military bases, at an overseas location, and even in combat zones. Overseas military installations and surrounding locations can serve as the location for sex trafficking itself or can be the location military members use to find people to bring back to the U.S. by marriage, tourist visa’s, posing as family members, babysitters, and/or the promise of citizenship. Particularly disturbing is the use of the service members own family ( wife, child) as a form of currency.

The Department of Defense has recognized that human trafficking poses a threat to national security, tarnishes the military’s image, and impacts readiness. This presenters of this workshop will discuss several cases that are unique to military members and how the Defense Health Agency’s Forensic Healthcare Program cares for this particular patient.

Medical/Healthcare, Military, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

There is More than One Way! Expanding Forensic Nursing Access

Khara Breeden, Brookley Delbosque, Amanda Amore

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

What About Body Worn Cameras?: Law Enforcement Response to Clinical Settings

Angelita Olowu

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare

🎥 Media Allowed

Working Together: Forensic Healthcare Examiners & Care of Military Patients in the Civilian Sector

Allyson Cordoni, Chelsea Hassell

Gender-based Violence, Medical/Healthcare, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

Medical Examiner

Invisible Victims: Analyzing Undetermined Female Deaths & Missed Red Flags of Violence

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Silent Testimony: What the Body Reveals in Domestic Violence Investigations

Kenneth Rosgen

Description pending.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical Examiner

🎥 Media Allowed

Military

Operation RESPECT: Military-Informed Prevention of Sexual Violence Through Empathetic Leadership

Diandra Poe

Advocacy, Clinical, Military, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

S.W.A.T.--Special Weapons Against Trauma: Reducing Officer Fatalities

Russell Strand

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

"Tell Me, How Are They Different?" When Sex Trafficking Meets the Military

Allyson Cordoni, Marina Cawthra

Medical/Healthcare, Military, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Working Together: Forensic Healthcare Examiners & Care of Military Patients in the Civilian Sector

Allyson Cordoni, Chelsea Hassell

Gender-based Violence, Medical/Healthcare, Military

🎥 Media Allowed

Offender Accountability

Alcohol: A Sex Offender's Weapon & Shield

Julie Germann

Campus, Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Avoiding Cascading Affects: Understanding the Nexus Between Natural Disasters & Exploitation

Ben Greer, Brittany Barrios Hadaway

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Beyond Arrest: The Role of Jail Calls in Domestic Violence Cases (Pt. 1 & 2)

Kimberly Korrin, Laura Goman

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Buyers Unmasked: Exposing the Links Between Incel Culture, Sex Buyers & How to Prevent Exploitation

Yasmin Vafa

Rights4Girls advocates for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that every girl can be safe and live a life free of violence and exploitation. Moreover, they work to change the narrative and policies that criminalize girls who have been impacted by violence and advocate for solutions that provide survivors with access to safety, justice, and support. While there is much conversation about fighting against and stopping the crimes of pimps, recruiters, and traffickers (supply), less is said about the johns who purchase sex or who purchase young women and girls for sex (demand). Buyers Unmasked, Rights4Girls’ latest report, seeks to shine a light on this consistently overlooked dimension of commercial sexual exploitation: the sex buyers who fuel this destructive system. The report features sex buyer quotes from across the country to expose the ways in which these men view and discuss the individuals they purchase for sex acts as well as the overall act of sex buying.

This workshop is designed to highlight key findings from Buyers Unmasked, including using buyers’ own words to reveal how these (predominantly men) view the women they purchase for sexual acts. The report attempts to connect the dots between incel culture, male violence, and the sex trade and warns that absent greater cultural will to address misogyny (especially online) these attitudes and behaviors will only worsen.

Furthermore, the workshop will highlight several promising buyer deterrence and sex trafficking prevention strategies from across jurisdictions.

Offender Accountability, Policy/Legislation, Sexual Violence, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Catch a Killer by the Tail: A Practical Guide to Building a Better Cross-Examination

Kerri New

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

Coercive Control 101: Using Research & Practice to Help Identify Dominant Aggressors

Patrick Brady

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Combatting the Cold Trail: How to Conduct an Effective Sexual Assault Pretext Call

Tanya Wollstein, Kristen Arnaud

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Difference Between Justice & Injustice: Writing Accurate Sexual Violence Police Reports

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Delving into the Mind: Typologies of Pimp-Controlled Sex Traffickers

Vanessa Bouche, John Jones

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

Failing Profits: Scrutinizing Sexually-Oriented Businesses, Sex Trafficking, & Organized Crime

Vanessa Bouche, Dominique Roe-Sepowitz

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The First 48 Hours: Early Intervention in High-Risk Domestic Violence Cases

Brandon Wootan

First responders address high-risk danger such as domestic disturbances by prioritizing scene safety, rapidly assessing hazards, activating coordinated systems, and using specialized tactics, equipment, and training for dynamic environments, all while managing physical and psychological stress to keep themselves and victims out of harms way. Therefore, the hours immediately following an intimate partner violence incident can be the most dangerous—and the most decisive. One such tactic is the utlization of the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE), an evidence-based risk assessment instrument used on scene by responding officers to help identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of homicide or near-lethal assault.

Additionally, attendees will participate in an interactive mock case exercise and work together to design a 48-hour response protocol that transforms early intervention into long-term safety.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

The Forgotten Patient: A Multi-disciplinary Evaluation of Suspect Medical Forensic Exams

Jaclyn Rodriguez

Forensic Nursing, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Going After the Admission: Investigative Strategies for Sexual Assault Suspect Interviewing

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Healthy Masculinity in the Digital Age: Navigating AI Girlfriends, Online Influence, & Emerging Risks

Sloan Thompson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: "Hey Siri, Play the Murder Song:" A Case Study in Escalating Intimate Partner Violence & Hidden Lethality

Megan Reed, Caitlin Paver

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims & Perpetrators of Labor Trafficking

Kirsta Melton

Civil Law, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

It's All the Same: Victim Blame in Violence Against Women

Erin Kelley

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Looking Out for Lethality: How to Establish an Interagency Domestic Violence High-Risk Protocol

Joshua Dougan

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

"Marco…Polo…": Identifying the Predator in Adolescent-on-Adolescent Sexual Assault

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Missed Opportunities: Closing Gaps in Identifying Forced Labor

Gigi Scoles, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Moving Beyond "Victim Declines to Prosecute": Implementing Legally Informed Evidence-Based Practices

Aylysh Gallagher, Annie Harrison

Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Overlooking the Non-Obvious: Law Enforcement Investigation of Coercive Control Cases

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

This workshop will provide officers with the knowledge and tools to identify coercive control, understand its risks, and respond effectively to protect victims and strengthen cases.

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Partners in Justice: Strengthening Advocate & Law Enforcement Collaboration

Lori Nelson, James Farris

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety from Multiple Perspectives: What Survivors & Law Enforcement Say about the Role of Firearms in Domestic Violence

Annie Struby, Jennifer Becker

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Still May Not Be Over: Community Supervision of Stalking Offenders

Jennifer Waindle

Advocacy, Offender Accountability, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

A Strategy for Success: Bringing Traffickers to Trial

Kirsta Melton

Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

Target Prosecution: Federal Firearms Laws & the Domestic Violence Initiative

Marissa Aulbaugh, Jake Nelson

Domestic Violence, Legal, Offender Accountability

VAWA Confidentiality’s Impact on Discovery in Family and Criminal Court Cases

Leslye Orloff, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Civil Law, Legal, Legislation/Policy, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

When the Badge Becomes a Barrier: Addressing Officer-Involved Domestic Violence Through Policy, Prevention, & Accountability

Bruce Bieber, Brandon Wootan, Carol Ann Peterson, Chynna Ratner

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Policy/Legislation

Buyers Unmasked: Exposing the Links Between Incel Culture, Sex Buyers & How to Prevent Exploitation

Yasmin Vafa

Furthermore, the workshop will highlight several promising buyer deterrence and sex trafficking prevention strategies from across jurisdictions.

Offender Accountability, Policy/Legislation, Sexual Violence, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Centering Survivors Lived Experiences & Voices in a Coordinated Community Response to DV

Melissa Scaia, Amirthini Keefe

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Policy/Legislation

🎥 Media Allowed

Fatal Patterns: Firearms, Domestic Violence, & the Hidden Risks to Communities & Cops

John Guard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

"I'm Just a Bill": Developing a Human Trafficking Policy Framework

Kirsta Melton

Legal, Legislation/Policy, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety for Seniors: Exploring Elder Mistreatment Arcs

Julia Hiner

Additionally, the importance of advocacy and collaboration will be highlighted, as well as individuals’ roles and responsibilities in keeping communities safe for everyone.

Advocacy, Campus, Domestic Violence, Legislation/Policy

VAWA Confidentiality’s Impact on Discovery in Family and Criminal Court Cases

Leslye Orloff, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Civil Law, Legal, Legislation/Policy, Offender Accountability

🎥 Media Allowed

Walking Her Path: A Reentry Simulation on the Experiences of a Human Trafficking Survivor

Miltonette Craig, Marie LeBlanc

Advocacy, Legislative/Policy, Probation & Parole, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

When the Badge Becomes a Barrier: Addressing Officer-Involved Domestic Violence Through Policy, Prevention, & Accountability

Bruce Bieber, Brandon Wootan, Carol Ann Peterson, Chynna Ratner

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Legislation/Policy

🎥 Media Allowed

Probation & Parole

A Balancing Act: Enhancing Efforts to Promote Survivor Engagement in Pretrial & Probation Supervision

April Higgs, Sara Dollard

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

"For Me, It Doesn’t End:" Safety Planning During & After Incarceration

Anna Nasset

Advocacy, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Information is Powerful!: How Law Enforcement Can Use It to Further Cases

Teri Harsin

During the presentation, there will be opportunities for attendees to use an interactive app on their phones to submit questions, answer questions, take polls, and submit final thoughts.

Law Enforcement, Probation & Parole, Technology

Release & Revictimization: Building Bridges to Support Survivors During Plea-Bargaining Processes

Libby Hamilton

This workshop will address revictimization that often occurs during the plea-bargaining process, and provide valuable information regarding post-conviction victim services.

Prosecutors, victim assistance coordinators, and crime victim liaisons are encouraged to attend this workshop and bring all their questions about parole eligibility and parole review!

Advocacy, Legal, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Searching Beneath the Surface: Exploring Abuser Criminogenic Needs & DV Offending

Carolina Frane, Michelle Toledo-Cainas

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

Still May Not Be Over: Community Supervision of Stalking Offenders

Jennifer Waindle

Advocacy, Offender Accountability, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Victim to Offender: The Aftermath of Mandatory Arrest Policies

Jeanne Mullane

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Probation & Parole

🎥 Media Allowed

Walking Her Path: A Reentry Simulation on the Experiences of a Human Trafficking Survivor

Miltonette Craig, Marie LeBlanc

Advocacy, Legislative/Policy, Probation & Parole, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Professional Development

Breath Before Words: Regulating the Nervous Sytem in Survivor-Centered Care

Jewel West, Elizabeth Jones

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Empowering vs. Accusatory: Harnessing a Trauma-Informed Approach

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Josh Bronson

Law Enforcement, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Making the Right Moves: Exploring Ethical Practices to Increase Survivor Engagement

Ruth Guerreiro, Jordyn Lawson

Advocacy, Clinical, Domestic Violence, Professional Development

🎥 Media Allowed

Rural

Beyond Conviction: Creating a Community Coordinated Response in a Rural Community

Staley Heatly, Rachel Lira

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Call an Advocate! A Coordinate Response to Human Trafficking

Kellye Arnold, Christine Labertew

Presenters will use their own largely rural region of Texas to highlight strengths and creatively navigate potential weaknesses, showcasing specific examples from their professional experiences.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Educate, Engage, Empower: Forensic Nursing Leadership in Rural SART Development

Beth Andrews

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Interstate Intersection: A Rural County’s Collaborative Approach to Combat Human Trafficking

Beth Andrews, Sharita Godwin

Forensic Nursing, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Learning from Survivors: Focus Groups in Rural Communities (INTERACTIVE SESSION)

Elena Anderson, Bree Adams Bill

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Small Town Scenarios: Sharing Prosecutorial Strategies for VAW in Rural Spaces

Suzy Boylan

Gender-based Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Safety from Multiple Perspectives: What Survivors & Law Enforcement Say about the Role of Firearms in Domestic Violence

Annie Struby, Jennifer Becker

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

When the Victim Recants: Using Expert Witnesses to Explain Victim Behavior & Save Your Family Violence Case

Staley Heatly

This presentation is especially valuable for rural jurisdictions where access to formally credentialed experts is limited.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Rural

🎥 Media Allowed

Sexual Violence

The 13th Juror: Overcoming the "Real" Rape Myth

Julie Germann

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Alcohol: A Sex Offender's Weapon & Shield

Julie Germann

Campus, Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Boofed & Bruised: Exploring the Complexities of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assaults in Queer Communities

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Patrick Brady

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Sexual Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Building the Case: Investigative Strategies & Challenges in Sexual Assault Investigations

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Burning the Witch: Dismantling Rape Culture & Reclaiming Survivorship Through Advocacy-Based Communications Training

Kristin Daley, Kenny Smith

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Buyers Unmasked: Exposing the Links Between Incel Culture, Sex Buyers & How to Prevent Exploitation

Yasmin Vafa

Furthermore, the workshop will highlight several promising buyer deterrence and sex trafficking prevention strategies from across jurisdictions.

Offender Accountability, Policy/Legislation, Sexual Violence, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Combatting the Cold Trail: How to Conduct an Effective Sexual Assault Pretext Call

Tanya Wollstein, Kristen Arnaud

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

The Difference Between Justice & Injustice: Writing Accurate Sexual Violence Police Reports

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Going After the Admission: Investigative Strategies for Sexual Assault Suspect Interviewing

Lynne Dougherty, Brett Fair

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Illusion of Consent: Sex & Strangulation

Gerald Fineman

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Innocence Lost: Examining Sextortion Investigation Complexities

Rob Fanelli, Josh Bronson

Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence, Technology

It’s Personal! When Offenders Sexually Assault their Intimate Partners

Sonia Sims, Beth Maeker

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Let’s Talk About Sex: Erotophobia, Rape Culture, & How Sexuality Education Can Prevent Sexual Violence

Bree Kovac

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Manipulation Matrix: Understanding Grooming, Aftermath, & Advocacy in Sexual Assault

Chris McGhee

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

"Marco…Polo…": Identifying the Predator in Adolescent-on-Adolescent Sexual Assault

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Maximizing Resources, Serving Survivors: How to Improve Campus Sexual Assault Response

Courtney Morrison

Advocacy, Campus, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Moving Beyond "Victim Declines to Prosecute": Implementing Legally Informed Evidence-Based Practices

Aylysh Gallagher, Annie Harrison

Legal, Offender Accountability, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Operation RESPECT: Military-Informed Prevention of Sexual Violence Through Empathetic Leadership

Diandra Poe

Advocacy, Clinical, Military, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Path to Justice & Healing: State v. Matthew Osborn from a Survivor's Perspective

Stephanie Simpson, Ashleigh Persons

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Rough Sex: Examining BDSM, Consent, & Non-Consensual Sexual Sadism

AJ Greer

BDSM and “rough sex” have frequently been used as an excuse by abusers for sexually assaulting their partners. However, research reveals that BDSM is often misunderstood and exploited and that “rough sex” hides darker motives.

This workshop is designed to take an in-depth look at the BDSM community, including an overview of definitions, safe practices, and the role of consent as well as what consensual sexual sadism vs. non-consensual sexual sadism looks like.

Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

See the Value! How Austin’s EMDR Project Brings Free Trauma Therapy to Survivors

Claire Godfrey, Rick Levinson

Advocacy, Clinical, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Solving the Puzzle: Understanding What it Takes to Successfully Respond to Tech-Facilitated Stalking & Sexual Violence

Natalie Ivey, Matthew Herrick

Stalkers are creative criminals who use – and misuse – a variety of technologies to locate, surveil and terrorize their victims.

In this workshop, Matthew Herrick will share his experience as a survivor of tech-facilitated stalking and sexual violence, highlighting the techniques his stalker used to negatively impact his professional, personal, and emotional health and to solicit sexual violence against Matthew from strangers.

The presenters will discuss how sexual violence, stalking, and technology intersected and contributed to a systematic failure to support Matthew during his victimization, while also uplifting the professionals who offered an impactful and positive response.

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Stalking Lethality in SHARPer Focus

Jennifer Landhuis, Caitlin Mathis

In communities across the country, threat assessment has become a regular practice in domestic violence cases. However, it has yet to become a regular practice to identify the stalking-specific risks to victims, responding law enforcement, and the community at large. The Stalking & Harassment Assessment & Risk Profile (SHARP) tool was designed to help make these identifications a constant and consistent action as well as to help criminal justice professionals better understand the potential risks and lethality of stalking cases.

This workshop, through the analysis of a 2016 Texas stalking case and the words of stalking survivor Caitlin Mathis, will examine specific risk factors to Mathis and others as well as how quickly it escalated to homicide in just 2.5 months.

Additionally, the presenters will use Caitlin’s case study to show how advocates and other allied professionals can use the SHARP tool to assess stalking cases over time and to better understand the specific risk factors in stalking cases.

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Sticks & Stones: The Language We Use to Talk About Sexual Violence Matters

Kristin Daley

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: Teamwork Made the Dream Work: State v. Austin Rodhouse

Leecia Carnes, Jordan Gerard

Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

Unbroken: Resilience, Justice, & the Power to Rise

Lavinia Masters

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

The Value in Voir Dire: Jury Selection in Cold Case Sexual Assault Cases

Kristin Treager

Legal, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: The Value of Training in the Investigation & Prosecution of Serial Rapist Larry Lee Johnson

Eric Trojanowski, Kristi DeCluitt, Tom Tremblay

Law Enforcement, Legal, Sexual Violence

Valuing Rejuvenation: How To Help Sexual Assault Survivors Heal Sexually

Leslie Morgan Steiner, Kate Simon

Advocacy, Sexual Violence

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: When Bad Things Happen to Our Elders

Lisa Tieszen, Marie Sadanaga, Ronaldo Padilla

Nancy Tieszen, the 87-year-old mother of presenter Lisa Tieszen, was brutally assaulted and abducted from her home in the Chicago, Illinois area.

This case study will provide an account of the victim’s experience and resilience as well as the unique aspects of an elder sexual assault victim.

The presenter will also discuss how trauma-informed practices were successfully used in this case and how working with multiple jurisdictions presents both opportunities and challenges.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence

When Predators Take Flight: A Bird's Eye View of Sexual Assault

Scott Hampton

After attending this workshop, your experience of the “Friendly Skies” nor your understanding of sexual assault, might not be quite the same as they were before.

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Legal, Sexual Violence

Stalking

Charmed & Dangerous: How Pop Culture Misconceptions About Stalking Impact Victim Safety & Criminal Justice Responses

Patrick Brady, Jennifer Landhuis

Advocacy, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Context is Key: Using Experts in Stalking Cases

Jennifer Landhuis, Jane Anderson, Sherri Coronado

Legal, Stalking

CASE STUDY: The Derrick Davis Stalking Case: Overcoming Investigative & Legal Obstacles

Leah Dintino, Garrick Whaley, Kristen Jackson

Law Enforcement, Legal, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

"For Me, It Doesn’t End:" Safety Planning During & After Incarceration

Anna Nasset

Advocacy, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

CASE STUDY: He Didn’t Look Dangerous Until He Wouldn’t Stop

Denise Jones, Lauren Dennis, Jennifer Landhuis

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Digital Dangers: How to Increase Accountability & Safety in Cyberstalking Cases

Denise Jones, Jennifer Landhuis

Law Enforcement, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

The Phantom Toll: Mental Health Impacts of Stalking

Jennifer Landhuis, Lauren Dennis

Advocacy, Medical/Healthcare, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Solving the Puzzle: Understanding What it Takes to Successfully Respond to Tech-Facilitated Stalking & Sexual Violence

Natalie Ivey, Matthew Herrick

Stalkers are creative criminals who use – and misuse – a variety of technologies to locate, surveil and terrorize their victims.

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Stalking Lethality in SHARPer Focus

Jennifer Landhuis, Caitlin Mathis

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Stalking: A "Love" Story

Nicole Bialko

For far too long, our society has romanticized or dismissed stalking as a harmless obsession. In reality, it is a dangerous, pervasive form of abuse that hides in plain sight.

Advocacy, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Still May Not Be Over: Community Supervision of Stalking Offenders

Jennifer Waindle

Advocacy, Offender Accountability, Probation & Parole, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

When Stalking is Taken Seriously: How Law Enforcement Can Save Lives

Anna Nasset

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Stalking

🎥 Media Allowed

Technology

The Art of Asking: Writing Effective Prompts for AI Tools (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Boofed & Bruised: Exploring the Complexities of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assaults in Queer Communities

Michael Wilmore-Crumrine, Patrick Brady

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Sexual Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Coercion, Control, & Technology: A Prosecutor’s Approach to Domestic Violence Cases

Frances Manzo

Domestic violence is rooted in power and control—but in the digital age, that control increasingly extends through technology.

Domestic Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Defying Disclosure Difficulties! Ethically Safeguarding Victim Privacy in a Digital World

Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Legal, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Demonstrating the Work Within Networks (VINELink Computer Lab)

Karen Adams

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

Digital Dangers: How to Increase Accountability & Safety in Cyberstalking Cases

Denise Jones, Jennifer Landhuis

Law Enforcement, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Eat. Sleep. Tech. Repeat: Teens, Technology, & Dating Violence

Audace Garnett

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

From Hashtags to Handcuffs: Tracking Traffickers with OSINT

Joseph Scaramucci

Whether a seasoned investigator or new to OSINT, this workshop will arm attendees with scalable, street-tested tools to take your cases from digital clues to handcuffs.

Law Enforcement, Technology, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

From Spreadsheets to Solutions: Turning Data into Actionable Insights (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

From the VINE: Resources to Empower Victims from Incident to Release

Karen Adams

Additionally, the breadth of VINE resources and technology that are available to states across the nation will also be shared.

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Healthy Masculinity in the Digital Age: Navigating AI Girlfriends, Online Influence, & Emerging Risks

Sloan Thompson

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Information is Powerful!: How Law Enforcement Can Use It to Further Cases

Teri Harsin

During the presentation, there will be opportunities for attendees to use an interactive app on their phones to submit questions, answer questions, take polls, and submit final thoughts.

Law Enforcement, Probation & Parole, Technology

Innocence Lost: Examining Sextortion Investigation Complexities

Rob Fanelli, Josh Bronson

Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence, Technology

Justice Metamorphosis: Courts Innovating e-Filing Technology to Provide Access & Empower Survivors

Alicia Davis, Kelsey Mullins, Elsa Robbins

Advocacy, Legal, Technology

Lessons Learned: Creating a Positive Technological DV Program Through Legislation

LaVonda Fowler

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Making Sense of Mobile Forensics (Part 1) (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Making Sense of Mobile Forensics (Part 2) (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Password Attacks: Strategies for Accessing Password-Protected Digital Evidence (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Real Love, Right? Artificial Intimacy & the Future of Violence Prevention

Sloan Thompson

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Social Media Simplified: Mastering Searching with Native Functions (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Solving Cases & Saving Lives: Discussing the Regional Information Sharing Systems Suite of Services

Doug Burig, Eric Kasper

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Technology

Solving the Puzzle: Understanding What it Takes to Successfully Respond to Tech-Facilitated Stalking & Sexual Violence

Natalie Ivey, Matthew Herrick

Stalkers are creative criminals who use – and misuse – a variety of technologies to locate, surveil and terrorize their victims.

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Stalking Lethality in SHARPer Focus

Jennifer Landhuis, Caitlin Mathis

Sexual Violence, Stalking, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Technology Efficiency: Free Digital Tools for CAW Investigations (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Trial by TikTok: Deconstructing Pop Culture's Role in Perpetuating Victim Blaming

Lauryn Fjell

Advocacy, Domestic Violence, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Turning Data Into Evidence: Transforming Digital Files for Investigations (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Uncovering the Digital Trail: Practical OSINT Resources in Action (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Unlocking Google's Potential: Crafting Effective Search Strings (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Video Preservation Made Simple: Tools for Online Evidence (Computer Lab)

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice and Statistics

Law Enforcement, Technology

Virtual Justice: Human-Centric Online Interviewing

Kenny Smith, Kristin Daley

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Technology

Witnesses: The Missing Pieces in Domestic Violence Cases

Kimberly Korrin

By expanding how witnesses are defined and utilized, law enforcement can strengthen evidence-based prosecutions, improve victim safety, and enhance offender accountability.

Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Technology

🎥 Media Allowed

Words That Win or Wreck: Report Writing That Honors the Victim & Survives the Courtroom

Robert Fanelli, Denise Jones, Robert Frechette

Additionally, the presenters will discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential pitfalls and opportunities of its use.

Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Legal, Technology

Trafficking

Avoiding Cascading Affects: Understanding the Nexus Between Natural Disasters & Exploitation

Ben Greer, Brittany Barrios Hadaway

Law Enforcement, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Better Outcomes, Fewer Roadblocks: Combatting Human Trafficking with No Victims & No Resources

Ryann Jorban, Joel Balyeat

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

Bridging Systems: Survivor-Led Strategies for Trafficking, DV, & Sexual Assault Cases

Rachel Fischer

Advocacy, Gender-based Violence, Law Enforcement, Medical/Healthcare, Trafficking

Buyers Unmasked: Exposing the Links Between Incel Culture, Sex Buyers & How to Prevent Exploitation

Yasmin Vafa

Furthermore, the workshop will highlight several promising buyer deterrence and sex trafficking prevention strategies from across jurisdictions.

Offender Accountability, Policy/Legislation, Sexual Violence, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Call an Advocate! A Coordinate Response to Human Trafficking

Kellye Arnold, Christine Labertew

Presenters will use their own largely rural region of Texas to highlight strengths and creatively navigate potential weaknesses, showcasing specific examples from their professional experiences.

Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Dark Reality: Shining a Light onto Human Trafficking

Ricky Lynn

The presenter will particularly provide insights to individuals who work in the fields of law enforcement and emergency response.

Dispatch/EMS, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Delving into the Mind: Typologies of Pimp-Controlled Sex Traffickers

Vanessa Bouche, John Jones

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

The Empathy Tightrope: Balancing Trauma-Informed Responses & Prosecutor Resilience

Gigi Scoles

Legal, Trafficking, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

Failing Profits: Scrutinizing Sexually-Oriented Businesses, Sex Trafficking, & Organized Crime

Vanessa Bouche, Dominique Roe-Sepowitz

Law Enforcement, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

From Hashtags to Handcuffs: Tracking Traffickers with OSINT

Joseph Scaramucci

Whether a seasoned investigator or new to OSINT, this workshop will arm attendees with scalable, street-tested tools to take your cases from digital clues to handcuffs.

Law Enforcement, Technology, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims & Perpetrators of Labor Trafficking

Kirsta Melton

Civil Law, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

How Culture Impacts Demand: Discussion on Human Trafficking Reduction

Tony Porter

Human trafficking does not occur in a vacuum—it is fueled, sustained, and normalized by cultural norms that shape how men and boys see women, girls, and marginalized groups.

Advocacy, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

"I'm Just a Bill": Developing a Human Trafficking Policy Framework

Kirsta Melton

Legal, Legislation/Policy, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

The Impact of Sex Trafficking in the Latina Community

Claudia Davila, Myrna Olaya

Advocacy, Clinical, Diverse Populations, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Interstate Intersection: A Rural County’s Collaborative Approach to Combat Human Trafficking

Beth Andrews, Sharita Godwin

Forensic Nursing, Rural, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Missed Opportunities: Closing Gaps in Identifying Forced Labor

Gigi Scoles, Jane Anderson

Advocacy, Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Missing & Stolen: Understanding the Issue & Trends of MMIW & Trafficking of Indigenous Individuals

Andrew Workman

The presenter will also discuss a recently published report that examines MMIW and sex trafficking of Indigenous individuals in Canada.

Law Enforcement, Trafficking, Tribal

Moving Towards Justice: Pretrial Motion Practice in Sex Trafficking Cases

Jane Anderson

Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

On-the-Ground & in the Field: Practical Strategies to Strengthen Victim-Centered Approaches to Human Trafficking

Summar Ghias, Erin Albright

Advocacy, Trafficking

Regulators, Mount Up! Using Code Enforcement to Address Human Trafficking

Dennis Domagas

Law Enforcement, Trafficking

A Strategy for Success: Bringing Traffickers to Trial

Kirsta Melton

Legal, Offender Accountability, Trafficking

Triple Threat: Prosecuting Human Trafficking Cases with Law Enforcement & Advocate Collaboration

Brooke Grona-Robb

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Tailored Tactics: Effective Responses to a Variety of Human Trafficking Typologies

Jane Anderson

Moreover, attendees will be challenged to identify specific skillsets and partnerships that are required to effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute all forms of trafficking.

Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

"Tell Me, How Are They Different?" When Sex Trafficking Meets the Military

Allyson Cordoni, Marina Cawthra

Medical/Healthcare, Military, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Trust Matters: Building Relationships in Human Trafficking Cases

Naomi Rijpstra, Gabe Sifuentez

The presenters of this workshop will explain the complexities of trauma and the brain while providing tangible ways law enforcement can develop trust and enhance investigative success.

Referencing actual cases as well as example vignettes, the presenters will provide attendees with new tools to aid in counteracting trauma responses and improving outcomes for survivors.

Clinical, Law Enforcement, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Understanding the Game: Inside Human Trafficking & Forced Criminality

Alina Donahue

Law Enforcement, Legal, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Walking Her Path: A Reentry Simulation on the Experiences of a Human Trafficking Survivor

Miltonette Craig, Marie LeBlanc

Advocacy, Legislative/Policy, Probation & Parole, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Why Won't She Leave? A National Study of Sex Trafficking Survivors Motivations for Exit

Jeanne Allert

The presenter of this workshop will discuss the findings of this study that speaks to a victim’s tenure in exploitation, recidivism rate, and what factors keeps someone in sexual exploitation.

Advocacy, Clinical, Trafficking

🎥 Media Allowed

Tribal

Collaborative Care: Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exams for Native Survivors

Jacque Bassett, Chenel Vanden Berk, Becki Jordan

🎥 Media Allowed

Advocacy, Forensic Nursing, Medical/Healthcare, Tribal

Complex Crossroads: Discussing the Intersection Between Native American Institutional & Generational Trauma & Full Faith & Credit of Protection Orders

Jordan Ferguson, Chad Janis

The presenters of this workshop will underscore how essential this context is for enforcing Full Faith and Credit (18 U.S.C. § 2265) for protection orders issued by tribal and state courts.

Law Enforcement, Legal, Tribal

🎥 Media Allowed

Missing & Stolen: Understanding the Issue & Trends of MMIW & Trafficking of Indigenous Individuals

Andrew Workman

The presenter will also discuss a recently published report that examines MMIW and sex trafficking of Indigenous individuals in Canada.

Law Enforcement, Trafficking, Tribal

*Per Rebekah Jones, Acting Deputy Director for Tribal Affairs, OVW Tribal Governments Program, Tribal Jurisdictions Program, Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program, and Tribal Coalitions Program grantees are authorized to support registration and travel costs for up to three (3) Tribal leaders or Tribal representatives to attend the 2025 Conference on Crimes Against Women utilizing grant funds, without seeking additional authorization from their OVW Grants Management Specialist though a Grant Award Modification (GAM) in JustGrants. If a Tribal grantee requests to cover costs for more than three (3) attendees, please contact your OVW Tribal Grant Management Specialist for approval. Grantees should ensure sufficient travel funds are available in their approved grant award budget to cover these costs, including funds available for grantee required annual travel. Grantees should keep a copy of this notice in their grant file for audit purposes.

Vicarious Trauma

The Empathy Tightrope: Balancing Trauma-Informed Responses & Prosecutor Resilience

Gigi Scoles

Legal, Trafficking, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

The Trajectory of Trauma: Using the Lens of Neurobiology for Self-Resilience

Ruby Jo Walker

The aim of the workshop is to offer attendees actionable skills to recognize their own nervous system states, restore agency, and sustain resilience while working with trauma-impacted populations.

Advocacy, Clinical, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

The Voice Behind the Call: A 911 Survivor’s Journey from Trauma to Purpose

Dominique Mathis

Advocacy, Dispatch/EMS, Domestic Violence, Vicarious Trauma

🎥 Media Allowed

12 workshops were recorded at CCAW Summit. You can purchase access to these sessions below.

$100

You can receive CEUs upon completion of viewing the workshop and completing the survey.

Make sure to watch all the sessions you want to receive credit for BEFORE completing the overall survey. Once the overall survey is completed – your certificate will be generated and cannot be altered.