Treating survivors with sensitivity: How to host thoughtful events about the sexual violence of Oct. 7
Monday, September 9th. 1:00 p.m. ET
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Event Overview:
Please join I Believe Israeli Women for a panel discussion on how to ensure that your community events discussing the sexual violence of October 7 are conducted in a way that doesn't retraumatize survivors in the audience.
Speaker Bios:
Dr. Guila Benchimol is a criminologist, consultant, educator and victim advocate who works with survivors, faith institutions, and leaders to prevent and address sexual violence and other abuses of power. She is the Senior Advisor on Research and Learning at the Safety Respect Equity (SRE) Network, the Director of Faith-Based and Community Accountability at Ampersands Restorative Justice, and the Ethics Case Consultant for the Va’ad Hakavod of the Rabbinical Assembly. Guila also sits on the board of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and is a research associate at the Center for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence, where she has worked on domestic violence and homicide files. She holds a PhD in Sociological Criminology from the University of Guelph and is also a trained restorative and transformative justice facilitator. Her first 10+ year career as a Jewish educator informed her understanding of the need to address victimization of all kinds. Previously, Guila was the Director of Judaic Studies at Tiferes Bais Yaakov and the Managing Director of NCSY Canada. She lives in Toronto and was raised in its Spanish Moroccan Jewish community which was built by the families who fled Tangier.
Anat Stalinsky brings over 18 years of exceptional experience as a Director and TV Showrunner in the Israeli film and television industry. Renowned for crafting compelling narratives and managing both production and creative content, Stalinsky has helmed a diverse range of documentaries, drama series, and TV programs. Her directorial prowess is highlighted by a globally acclaimed documentary and an Israel Television Academy Award for Best Factual Entertainment (2021-2022). Her most recent project, Screams Before Silence, is a groundbreaking documentary exposing the sexual crimes committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. Led by Sheryl Sandberg, this powerful film captivated millions worldwide and received a prestigious screening at the White House, hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris. The film is nominated for Best Documentary by the Israel Academy.
Shelley Rood Wernick is Managing Director of the Center on Aging, Trauma, and Holocaust Survivor Care at the Jewish Federations of North America. Her work bridges the fields of aging and trauma by recognizing that a history of trauma is a risk factor for poor mental, social, emotional, and physical health outcomes throughout the life course; and by promoting person-centered, trauma-informed (PCTI) care as the universal strategy for serving all older adults. Previously, Shelleyconveyed policy priorities to Congress and the White House, trained communities to advocate for the diverse populations they support, and served on congressional staff. Shelley earned a BA from the University of Florida in sociology and political science and an MBA from Georgetown University. Shelley shares her work at national aging and trauma conferences, and as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she shares her grandfather’s story with classrooms and the general public.
Moderated by:
Meredith Jacobs is CEO of Jewish Women International (JWI), a 125-year-old nonprofit dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. Since assuming the role of CEO in 2020, Jacobs has shepherded the development of numerous JWI initiatives, including the National Center on Domestic & Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community; the Collaborative of Jewish Domestic Violence Agencies; the Women’s Financial Empowerment Institute; ReStart: job readiness for survivors; the Jewish Communal Women’s Leadership Project; Men As Allies: Leading Equitable Workplaces; the Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable and the international expansion of Young Women’s Leadership Network. Under her leadership, JWI is spearheading state-wide advocacy efforts to achieve justice lending practices that would give survivors of financial abuse access to bank loans that would set them on the path to long-term economic security.