Joyful Heart in the News

Sponsored by The Do Write Campaign and Joyful Heart Foundation, the conference took an in-depth look at the issue of sexual violence and the social and political response today.

Poth ran “The Call to Parents” workshop, where she stressed the importance of teaching healthy sexuality at developmentally appropriate intervals as a key prevention measure.

Poth said children are more likely to keep abuse a secret, because they do not possess the understanding or language to disclose it.“We need to teach our children about empathy, boundaries, and the power of being an upstander. Perpetrators depend on secrecy and silence in order to carry out their crimes,'' she said. "Children with little or no knowledge of these essential pieces are more likely to keep abuse a secret. For they do not possess the understanding, or language, to disclose it.”

Buchanan sat on “The Call to Action” panel, where she discussed the progress of the movement over the last two years, and gave recommendations for building grassroots efforts to combat sexual violence and rally awareness around the issue.

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