From Joyful Heart
Celebrate Mother’s Day With the Joyful Heart Foundation
May 3rd
Honor your mom and the other important women in your life this Mother’s Day with a special gift from our Heartshop.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Bloomingdale’s has teamed up with Joyful Heart to join us in saying NO MORE—our collective movement centered around the simple message that together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault. Available both in stores and online during the month of May, 10% from each sale of Bloomingdale’s exclusive Aqua charm bracelet and heart pendant will be donated to Joyful Heart in honor of Mother’s Day.
Plus, Mariska Hargitay and Bloomingdale’s have the ultimate gift for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fans—tickets to an exclusive luncheon with Mariska in June at Bloomingdale’s famed Le Train Bleu Restaurant. The first 20 people to email bloomingdales@joyfulheartfoundation.org at 12 pm EST on Friday, May 3, 2013 with a bid of $1,500 will receive two tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime luncheon where 100% of the proceeds benefit Joyful Heart.
Our Heartshop’s additional gifts that give back include a selection of special items to help you find the perfect memento to say thank you.
Michael Stars
By popular demand, Michael Stars has created a brand new Joyful Heart tee, which features the empowering words “Joy,” “Heal” and “Heart” on the back of an ultra-soft supima cotton short sleeve tee. This relaxed fit top is available in both navy and grey with 25% of each sale benefiting Joyful Heart. $68
Me&Ro
Me&Ro’s Fearlessness Tag Pendant brings a graceful twist and a smaller size the classic dog tag design. It is engraved with the word “Fearlessness” to remind us that embracing fearlessness inspires one to approach life with an open heart and to be strong in the face of life’s adversities. The tag pendant is available with a silver or gold slate on chain or with a silver slate on cotton cord and 100% of net proceeds benefit Joyful Heart. $130 – $1,030
Tiny Pine Press
A handwritten note is always a cherished way to express your appreciation and thoughts. Gratitude Cards from Tiny Pine Press are beautifully crafted with a delicate Swarovski crystal on the front and 100% of proceeds are donated to Joyful Heart. $24
Fran’s Chocolates
Fran’s Chocolates’ “Box of Joy” is the perfect gift for those with a sweet tooth. This delicious assortment of Gray Salt Caramels in dark chocolate, Smoked Salt Caramels in milk chocolate and Dark Chocolate Hearts is wrapped in a beautiful brown linen box and 50% of net proceeds are donated to Joyful Heart. $50
You can also make a contribution to Joyful Heart in honor of that special person as a way to express gratitude from the bottom of your joyful heart.
Tomorrow We Say NO MORE
Mar 13th
We at Joyful Heart are thrilled to be a part of NO MORE Day, happening tomorrow, March 13. This day marks the public launch of NO MORE, the nation’s first unifying awareness symbol to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
It’s been nearly a week sincethe President signed the Violence Against Women Act into law, the nation’s cornerstone response to domestic violence and sexual assault. Yet it was over 400 days since it had expired, leaving the resources that protect victims and organizations that prevent violence and abuse in limbo from October 2011 to February of this year.
It marks four days since people across the globe celebrated International Women’s Day and a century since this celebration first began. Yet one in three women across the world experience violence in their lifetimes—rape, assault or abuse, including those who live right here in the United States.
Today, in communities across the country, advocates will join forces to address the need to end domestic violence and sexual assault by launching NO MORE, the first overarching symbol that is bringing together all people in our society to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
We invite you to join us—from wherever you are in the country—to help launch NO MORE and participate in one of the most concerted and collaborative efforts to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
Regardless of where you are located, you can follow along with NO MORE Day activities and updates at our online liveblog here: www.scribblelive.com/Event/NO_MORE_Day.
We’ll be using the NO MORE symbol, helping to release critical research on bystanding and tweeting along with @NOMOREorg, actress and advocate @Mariska and many, many more of our partners. Please join us.
WHAT IS NO MORE?
You’ve likely seen the pink breast cancer ribbon or the red AIDS ribbon. NO MORE is a groundbreaking new symbol designed to transform our response to domestic violence and sexual assault, end the stigma, shame and isolation, galvanize millions into action and radically increase the awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault everywhere.
WHAT IS NO MORE DAY?
On March 13, NO MORE Day, thousands of advocates and supporters across the country will unite to officially launch NO MORE.
WHY NO MORE?
Domestic violence and sexual assault are not easy to talk about, although they impact millions of men, women and children every year. Because of the stigma and shame, these issues often remain hidden in our society. NO MORE seeks to bring domestic violence and sexual assault into the national spotlight to generate more attention, more resources and more action to prevent them. NO MORE aims to empower bystanders of domestic violence and sexual assault in every community to break the silence around these issues and get involved.
WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:
- KNOW MORE. Learn the signs of domestic violence and listen without judgment to victims/survivors of sexual assault. Get the facts and know the resources available.
- Say NO MORE. Break the silence. Speak out. Seek help when you see this problem or harassment of any kind in your family, your community, your workplace or school.
- Share NO MORE. Share the NO MORE symbol with everyone you know. Facebook it. Tweet it. Pin it. Instagram it. Email it. Wear it. Help to increase awareness about the extent of domestic violence and sexual assault. Visit the NO MORE Shop at nomore.org.
- Ensure NO MORE. Get involved. Volunteer in your community, or donate to a local, state or national domestic violence or sexual assault organization.
To help elevate this conversation even more, we invite you to participate in the NO MORE Day Thunderclap, a social media tool that allows everyone who signs up to share a tweet or a Facebook post all at once. By lending your voice today—and 140 characters—to our Thunderclap, you can help make sure our message of ending domestic violence and sexual assault gets heard loud and clear on March 13.
On Wednesday at 3pm ET, NO MORE will host a special Twitter chat about NO MORE, these issues and the many ways you can take action. We’ll be tweeting along during this chat too, along with Mariska. No matter where you are, we welcome you to join by following us and the #NOMOREday hashtag.
OTHER THINGS TO DO ON NO MORE DAY:
- Request the NO MORE Toolkit at nomore.org to get the symbol and start using it.
- Start following NO MORE on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
- Take a picture of how you’re using NO MORE in your community, or tell us why you say NO MORE. Share photos on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #NOMOREday
- Share this with five friends!
Events will be taking place nationwide in celebration of NO MORE Day, including:
- Washington Wizards Game (open to the public) – Come support NO MORE, get free products and see the debut of our new PSA (Purchase tickets, here. Promo code: nomore)
- Invisible War Screenings (open to the public) – Find one near you.
- A National Press Club Luncheon Hosted by Founder and President of the Joyful Heart Foundation, Actress Mariska Hargitay in Washington D.C. (sold out, but you can watch it live on press.org at 12:30pm EST.
- Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. (Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 538 at 9 am EST. Please RSVP with your name and number of guests) – Results of the new Avon Foundation-funded NO MORE Study: Teens and Young Adults on Dating Violence and Sexual Assault, to be presented by Ashley Greene, actress and ambassador for Avon.
Senate Passes VAWA Reauthorization
Feb 14th
After several days of debate, the Senate voted on Tuesday to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in a 78 to 22 vote. The reauthorization includes protections for LGBT and Native American survivors. Several amendments that would have stripped those protections from the Act were rejected in the days before the vote.
The legislation includes the SAFER Act as well, which provides state and local governments with funding to audit the untested rape kits in their facilities and creates a national registry to help track those audits. It also amends current law to require a greater percentage of federal grant money be spent directly on analyzing untested rape kits.
Joyful Heart extends our deepest gratitude to the Senators who voted in favor of VAWA and moving forward our country’s efforts to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. VAWA provides critical funding and support for domestic violence hotlines and shelters, rape crisis centers, prevention programs, legal services for victims and training for law enforcement and prosecutors.
From President Obama:
Today the Senate passed a strong bipartisan bill to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. This important step shows what we can do when we come together across party lines to take up a just cause. The bill passed by the Senate will help reduce homicides that occur from domestic violence, improve the criminal justice response to rape and sexual assault, address the high rates of dating violence experienced by young women, and provide justice to the most vulnerable among us. I want to thank Senator Leahy and his colleagues from both sides of the aisle for the leadership they have shown on behalf of victims of abuse. It’s now time for the House to follow suit and send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.
From Vice President Biden:
Today, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. This law has been incredibly effective and I hope the House will vote without delay to renew the law so that we can continue to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and hold offenders accountable for their crimes.
Delay isn’t an option when three women are still killed by their husbands or boyfriends every day. Delay isn’t an option when countless women still live in fear of abuse, and when one in five have been victims of rape. This issue should be beyond debate – the House should follow the Senate’s lead and pass the Violence Against Women Act right away. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue – it’s an issue of justice and compassion.
Self-Care for Trying Times or Triggering Experiences
Feb 6th
Tonight’s episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit has caused a great deal of concern to some fans of the show, many of whom are also supporters of the Joyful Heart Foundation. We acknowledge and recognize that the decision to cast Mike Tyson may be confusing, triggering and perhaps even painful for some people–especially those who are survivors of violence and abuse.
We understand how difficult it can be to make sense of this choice, especially since the show has often been seen as a source of support and empowerment to many survivors. The effects of trauma in the mind, body and spirit are complex and can bring up different trauma reminders that are unique to us. That is, our responses to trauma can vary by individual.
In general, when we interact with our environment, it can awaken memories of a past experience—your own or a loved one’s—that can affect us in the moment. We would like to provide you with resources that can support you at this time and in your broader healing process.
Begin by checking-in with yourself. Do an analysis of how your mind and body feel—what emotions are you feeling? Are you experiencing thoughts or memories related to your own or a loved one’s trauma? Are you feeling tension in your body or are you holding your breath? Common bodily responses to trauma include tension, fear, anger, sadness and maybe even feeling unsafe. Remind yourself that what you are experiencing is a common response to your own experience of a traumatic event. If you are feeling in any way unsafe, create a safety plan such as calling a friend or talking to your therapist if you have one. Having a good source of support can make a difference in your healing process.
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact:
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network at
1 (800) 656-4673 / www.rainn.org
or National Domestic Violence Hotline at
1 (800) 799-7233 / www.ndvh.org
or National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at
1 (866) 331-9474 / www.loveisrespect.org
or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at
1 (800) 273-8255 / www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
Allow your feelings to exist and be gentle with yourself as you process them. It is common for us to feel shame or guilt for feeling a certain way or for having a certain response, such as crying. As you allow your feelings to surface, it can be easier to cope with them.
There are other creative and helpful ways of addressing your thoughts and feelings about this situation such as talking, journaling, drawing or making a collage. These coping strategies can be helpful in creating insight about your own traumatic experience and healing path. Additionally, creating daily practices that involve exercise, relaxation or breathing exercises can help you release tension from your mind and body and reduce stress.
The coping tools described above are just a few ideas that can assist you in developing your own healing practices. If you’d like to explore even more possible approaches, here are some additional articles that might be of use:
- Explore your journey by creating a story (from Reunion 4).
- Give meditation a chance.
- Unlock your creative potential. Check out the blog and our featured modality on creative expression (from Reunion Issue No. 3).
- Create a lasting, peaceful home retreat.
Of course, you know yourself best, so if you don’t see something that feels like it would be helpful, we invite you to explore a different idea at your own pace. Take the time to practice some of these strategies and find the ones that work for you as only you know what will be most helpful.
Response to Concerns Over Casting of Mike Tyson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Jan 25th
Dear Joyful Heart Community,
It recently came to light that Mike Tyson was cast in a guest-starring role on an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. We understand this has caused a great deal of concern to some fans of the show, many of whom are also supporters of the Joyful Heart Foundation. I wanted to take a moment, on behalf of everyone at Joyful Heart, to respond to that feedback.
First and foremost, I want to say, “We hear you.” We acknowledge and recognize that this casting decision may be confusing, triggering and perhaps even painful for some people–especially those who are survivors of violence and abuse.
For more than a decade, SVU has been instrumental in shining a much-needed light on the issues of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. In fact, Joyful Heart would not exist if not for the show and the path it created for our founder and president to awaken to the realities of sexual violence and forge a deep connection to survivors.
In recent years, the Foundation has been fortunate to partner with SVU to raise awareness around key issues including the backlog of untested rape kits, the affects of sexual abuse on young men and boys, and other topics that are all too often shrouded in darkness. Our partnership is based on our intention to shine a light on these issues to help increase awareness and understanding, lessen shame and stigma for survivors and, ultimately, change our collective response to violence and abuse.
And while we are proud of our work with the show, it is not a part of any formal relationship. While we have been blessed to work collaboratively on many occasions, final production decisions are outside of the role of Joyful Heart’s relationship to the show. We were not aware of this casting choice and we have formally expressed our concerns to the executives and producers at SVU.
At Joyful Heart, we strive to keep survivors at the center of all we do, and have abiding compassion for those who have suffered as a result of violence and abuse. We are deeply sorry if this choice on the part of SVU has, in any way, caused any hurt.
With deep gratitude for your continued support,
Maile Zambuto
Chief Executive Officer
Joyful Heart Foundation
Renewing Our Commitment to VAWA in 2013
Jan 18th
When the U.S. Congress enacted the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994, it revolutionized community and government responses to domestic violence and sexual assault across the nation. Since that time, each reauthorization of VAWA has expanded its focus—to include dating violence and stalking, to create and enhance prevention and education programs, to train and coordinate law enforcement, courts, prosecutors and victim services in their response to violence against women and children.
Unfortunately, Congress again made history in 2012 when it failed—for the first time ever—to pass the latest reauthorization of VAWA. With the expiration of the reauthorization bill, funding for existing programs and services for survivors of violence will continue under the 2005 reauthorization. This funding arrangement will make it difficult for many organizations to maintain their current levels of programming and services, especially with ever-tightening national, state and local budgets. The expiration of the 2012 reauthorization also represents a missed opportunity to make VAWA more comprehensive, including provisions for housing, campus-based services and greater protections for certain vulnerable communities.
While we are greatly disappointed that the 112th Congress did not act to extend VAWA’s protections, we will continue to advocate for the 113th Congress to reintroduce and reauthorize VAWA in this legislative session. We, and our partners across the advocacy community, are deeply committed to ensuring that all survivors have access to quality, healing and life-saving programs and services. We are hopeful that Congress will join us in this commitment.
Calling All 2012 Donations
Dec 31st
Dear Joyful Heart Community,
You’ve helped to support Joyful Heart’s work all year long and we are so grateful.
A donation today means not only a deduction on your 2012 taxes, but more importantly, a meaningful contribution to continue Joyful Heart’s work to help heal and empower survivors of violence and abuse.
We have so much to look forward to and so much work to do. We hope you will join us on our journey in the new year.
Wishing you a joyful 2013,
Maile Zambuto
Chief Executive Officer
Big Plans for 2013
Dec 27th
Dear Joyful Heart Community:
2013 is just around the corner and we know now, more than ever, how necessary and important our work is.
Thanks to supporters like you, in 2013 we will continue to heal and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse and the professionals who serve them. We will extend and grow our reach and we will respond to new community needs.
We are ready to keep raising the nation’s consciousness around these issues. We are ready to engage policymakers to ensure that our laws and systems provide survivors the justice they deserve, hold perpetrators accountable and prevent future violence. And, we’ll continue to send a clear message to survivors: “We hear you, we believe you, you are not alone and your healing is our priority.”
We know you are ready to help us make all of our 2013 plans a reality. Just click here to donate now,
In 2013, Joyful Heart will be launching a new website, working to replicate our survivor retreat programs across the country and around the world, publishing a groundbreaking rape kit backlog victim notification report, beginning conversations with young men in schools about respect and doing more outreach to supporters like you.
We hope you’ll join us in looking toward a 2013 new year filled with renewed hope, promise and joy. Please support our work today.
With gratitude,
Maile Zambuto
Chief Executive Officer