VAWnet Event Calendar

While many people are aware of domestic violence at the surface level, the complexities and widespread impacts of domestic violence are not well known or understood. This 2-part training will unpack common misconceptions about intimate partner violence and IPV prevention and highlight ways we can spread education and awareness in our community.

The National Sexual Assault Conference® (NSAC) brings together over 2,000 advocates committed to ending sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. This annual event is filled with opportunities to advance learning, develop skills, share information, build relationships, and increase our capacity to assert the dignity of all people. Together at NSAC, we build strong partnerships and strategies that strengthen our work to end sexual violence. Respect Together will host NSAC 2026 in Washington, D.C., August 19-21, 2026.

This 90-minute interactive webinar will discuss the barriers male survivors of intimate partner violence encounter when seeking support, and the assumptions - spoken and unspoken - that keep advocates and agencies from recognizing them. Participants will build a shared understanding of how these assumptions show up in our work, along with practical first steps toward more welcoming services. Facilitation will be responsive to the group, so the session offers grounding for advocates newer to this work and a valuable refresher for those with more experience.

Most commonly used to increase motivation toward behavioral change, motivational interviewing is an evidence-based approach designed to encourage clients to talk themselves into making beneficial changes in their lives. Motivation to change varies from person to person, from one situation to another, and over time. Some of us are unwilling, others are unable to change, and many are not fully ready. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered tool based on empathy and allows for client-guided change and growth.

The conference theme is Rooted and Reimagined. Join us as we honor our families, relationships, and communities, while we reimagine how increasing prevention initiatives, ending sexual assault, and uplifting each other can support survivors and create a stronger California. Activists and advocates throughout California will explore the linkages between eradicating oppression and ending sexual violence at VALOR’s 2026 Statewide Conference.

Participants surveyed at St. Louis Pride were asked, “What do you think would be the most helpful for LGBTQ+ persons who are being abused by their partners?” Those in this survey could select their top three options from a list of potential supports. However, only 14% of respondents identified a domestic violence agency as a helpful resource. This workshop examines some of the causes behind that, identifies ways domestic violence agencies and shelters, in particular, can increase the visibility of their services for LGBTQ+ survivors, and works through inclusive intake practices.