Ever wonder how you might support a colleague or friend who has experienced domestic violence or sexual assault? Most of us have not considered what resources and support systems we should know about to best respond to someone in need. Join us for a conversation on trauma-informed response to disclosures of abuse. Participants will gain an understanding of best practices for secondary support systems (friends, family, etc.) and also practice skills on offering safety planning techniques to survivors. This engaging presentation will use interactive approaches to help normalize the ways we can have conversations about domestic and sexual violence to better equip participants for these discussions.
NOTE: Please RSVP via Evite by Sunday, 11/08.
As always, please feel free to contact the D.C. Chapter at DC@womeninediscovery.org with any questions or comments.
About the Presenters:
Bridgette Stumpf, Esq. is the Executive Director of Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), a position she has held since co-founding the organization in May 2012. As part of this role, Bridgette developed the Legal Services and Pro Bono Programs at NVRDC, which offer assistance to victims of all crime types to achieve survivor-defined justice through a collaborative continuum of advocacy, case management, and legal services.
During her time at NVRDC, Bridgette has led local and national policy efforts to advance the rights of survivors. Having served on the Department of Education's Negotiated Rule-making Committee to address Clery Act under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), she has served as a national expert in crime victims’ issues. Bridgette was recognized for her work in non-profit service by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in 2019 with the Excellence in Chief Executive Leadership (EXCEL) Award, which recognizes and spotlights outstanding chief executives among nonprofits in the region in the areas of innovation, motivation, community building, ethical integrity and strategic leadership. Bridgette has worked as a consultant on best practices in responses to incidents of mass violence and domestic terrorism and as a consultant on eliminating sexual violence and its consequences in private high schools and boarding schools. As a certified Police Instructor, Bridgette has conducted in-service trainings on topics such as Trauma Responses, Instructor Liability, Victims’ Rights, Elder Abuse, Sexual Assault on Campuses, and Domestic Violence Awareness. Bridgette is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland University College, where she teaches the Study of Victimology.
Kris Klassen: is the Bilingual Manager of Advocacy for NVRDC where she provides administrative support and coverage to the program director and team members, as well as providing advocacy support to survivors of crime. Kris joined NVRDC as an advocate in 2016 to provide advocacy and support services. Prior to her work at NVRDC, Kris was a Program Manager for the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA) managing projects in Latin America, South East Asia and East Africa, to strengthen individuals and their communities through socioeconomic empowerment. Kris also worked at the Pan American Development Foundation as a Program Coordinator providing training and technical assistance to civil society groups advocating for women's rights in Latin America. She received her B.A. from American University.
