The Mission of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault is to:
- promote the compassionate and just treatment of survivors, their loved ones and significant others,
- foster collaborative relationships between community systems, and
- affect attitudinal and behavioral changes in society as we work toward the elimination of sexual violence against all people.
NJCASA has four major Program Areas in furtherance of NJCASA’s mission:
- Training and Education – Margaret Mikkelsen, Coordinator
- Intervention Services and Outreach
- Policy and Government Affairs – Jennifer Nix, Director
- Prevention and Evaluation – Jyoti Venketraman, Director
Education and Training NJCASA’s Training and Education program area focuses on providing basic and advanced training and technical assistance to its member Sexual Violence Programs, allied professionals in health, law enforcement, counseling, and prevention, and the general public. NJCASA utilizes NJ and national experts to provide training through the Training Institute and customized presentations. NJCASA’s Training Institute consists of five training tracks:
- Sexual Violence Interventions / Direct Services
- Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence
- Sexual Violence and Colleges / Universities
- Sexual Violence Advocacy and Policy
- Sexual Violence for Criminal Justice Professionals.
Intervention Services and Outreach The Intervention Services and Outreach program area focuses primarily on the support and development of the SVPs to provide services to survivors and their loved ones, advocacy for appropriate and sufficient statewide survivor-centered policies and procedures, and building awareness about sexual violence issues statewide. Major areas where the Intervention Services and Outreach program area intersects with statewide work are:
- State SART Coordinating Council
- Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate (CSVA) Certification
- Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) Funding Administration
- No Wrong Door
- College Chapters
- College Consortium
NJCASA encourages everyone to Begin by Believing…
- that the victim is never to blame for an attack
- that anyone can be a victim of sexual violence
- the survivor when s/he says that s/he is a survivor of sexual violence
- that most sexual violence is perpetrated by someone known to the survivor
- that help is available for all survivors, their loved ones and significant others
- that all of us have a role in working toward the elimination of sexual violence in our communities
