by
Joseph Peters
| Nov 14, 2023
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
Today is a special podcast as we have a panel of experts to discuss the White Ribbon Veterans Affairs campaign. White Ribbon VA is a national call to action to eliminate sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence across the Department of Veterans Affairs by promoting a positive change in culture so that the actions outlined in the pledge become the organizational norms. White Ribbon VA is an anti-harassment and awareness movement where all, regardless of their gender, can participate. The VA remains dedicated to a no tolerance policy for sexual harassment and sexual assault and wants everyone to feel safe and welcome in all VA facilities. The VA has partnered with White Ribbon USA, the National Association of Social Workers and other organizations that have shared goals of promoting a culture of respect and dignity towards others. These organizations have also joined forces to support those who have experienced sexual violence or harassment.
White Ribbon VA encourages all to commit to helping in sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence by taking the White Ribbon VA Pledge. The pledge is more than mere words, it's an individual commitment to a VA free from these corrosive behaviors. The White Ribbon VA Pledge reads, "I pledge to never commit, excuse or stay silent about sexual harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence against others." We are asking our audience today to consider joining us to reaching the goal of 1 million persons taking the White Ribbon VA Pledge by December 1st, 2023. Our listeners can document their pledge by visiting White Ribbon VA Pledge at whiteribbonusa.org. We have four special guests here today to discuss the White Ribbon VA campaign. Our first guest is Veronika Mudra, a human rights advocate and is a prominent figure in the nonprofit sector. As a co-founder of the White Ribbon USA, she has worked for women's rights and gender equality for over eight years, leading the White Ribbon Campaign in multiple countries, including Ukraine and the United States.
She's also a public speaker, sharing her insights on women's rights and gender equality, including TEDxWomen events. Her involvement in initiatives such as Women, Peace and Security, IPCC Gender Task Force and the White Ribbon VA campaign demonstrated her dedication to addressing human rights issues in diverse context. Dr. Bridget Truman currently serves as the Associate Director for the Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior Program, which is the employee education arm of the VHA's Workplace Violence Prevention Program. She's a psychologist by training and began her VA career more than 16 years ago, specializing in crisis intervention and trauma-focused work before joining VHA office in 2017 as a member of the National Workplace Violence Prevention Team,
Dr. Eddy Fagundo is a certified rehabilitation counselor and certified vocational evaluator. He teaches vocational rehabilitation counseling to master's level students. Dr. Fagundo is the Senior Manager of Education Content for the American Counseling Association. He's an advocate for people with disabilities and those who have experienced domestic violence. Dr. Kelley Haynes-Mendez has more than 20 years of academic and clinical experience specializing in topics related to ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, intersectionality and global issues. Dr. Haynes-Mendez received a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology Los Angeles and is a licensed clinical psychologist. She's Senior Director of the Human Rights Team at the American Psychological Association. Welcome everyone to today's important conversation. So Veronika, tell me what is the history behind the Global White Ribbon Campaign?
Veronika Mudra:
The White Ribbon Campaign was born in Canada after 1989 national tragedy in Canada when 28 women were wanted and 14 were gunshot because they were part of a feminist club in the University of Montreal. As a response, in 1991, a group of men, professors that are specialized on gender studies formed a grassroots movement, the White Ribbon. From that point on, it became widespread around the world, in 63 countries and currently it's the largest in the world male initiative against all forms of gender-based violence towards women and girls.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
So why is the White Ribbon Day celebrated around the world and why is it important for the United States?
Veronika Mudra:
White Ribbon became a global symbol of activism against all forms of violence and discrimination towards women and girls. In the United States we celebrate White Ribbon Day on December 1st. Traditionally around the world White Ribbon is celebrated on November 25, which corresponds to a United Nations Global initiative called 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence Towards Women and Girls. The 16 days initiated by United Nations start on November 25 on the International White Ribbon Day and ends on December 10, that is International Human Rights Day. The White Ribbon in the United States has a special significance because it corresponds to national policy approved by the presidential administration and we all remember the resigned Violence Against Women Act in March 2022. So our campaign and the White Ribbon Day really corresponds to national policy against all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination towards others.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
So tell me about the VA's White Ribbon VA campaign specifically, why is that so important? As you talk about the White Ribbon USA, let's hone in on the VA's campaign and talk a little bit more about that.
Veronika Mudra:
This is unique partnership that was formed about four years ago and it was initiated by Angelo McClain. Dr. McClain was a former CEO of the National Association of Social Workers. He personally took the White Ribbon Pledge about 15 years ago and he was the one who brought the knowledge about this grassroots movement, not only to the National Association of Social Workers, but also to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. And this is the background story, how the partnership was formed.
For us and also for VA and other organizations, it has a special significance because we recognize the issue that our veterans might have experienced while serving in Army. And we speak about not just domestic violence, we speak about sexual harassments and sexual assaults. It's very sensitive subject and we publicly recognize and acknowledge this issue, but also we spread awareness about solution. Because the healthcare system of VA is designed and built in a way to support victims and survivors. So we are very honored to be a part of this initiative and we're very grateful to other organizations like ACA, like APA, like American Psychiatry Association and other big organizations on national level that are joining our initiative.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
It sounds like it's so very important and it's greatly needed, Veronika. How can the White Ribbon Campaign be utilized as a tool in rehabilitation processes of people who have experienced domestic violence?
Veronika Mudra:
So, the White Ribbon Campaign has few layers. The first layer is designed for employees and staff members of the organizations. So it's a pledge at the workplace to recognize the domestic violence victims and survivors and to pay your respect to them, to their experience. On the other hand, this campaign is designed for the victims and survivors themselves, not to be ashamed, not to be afraid to speak up about their experiences and seek for assistance, for therapy and a way to rehabilitate after certain traumas related to gender-based violence or discrimination.
We are an awareness education campaign, so our mission is to provide and design long-term programs of helping victims and survivors to reach out for help and connect existing services and programs to spread awareness about existing services and programs so victims and survivors feel more comfortable, not just speaking about it, but actually seeking for assistance. And hence the reason we're very proud to have new partners on board because besides the issue related to domestic violence or gender-based discrimination, there is also issues related to mental health, substance abuse and we should tackle the gender-based violence and discrimination issue from different angles. And we're very proud. So hence the reason we're so honored to have this new partnership from this year.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
Veronika, I want to ask you a follow-up question about the first level you mentioned, the employee and staff of organizations. Does that mean that their role is maybe to recognize when someone is experiencing domestic violence or recognize behaviors or does that mean they're in a support role? Could you give me a little bit more information about that first level?
Veronika Mudra:
Absolutely. So I can give a good example. A year ago, VA Secretary Denis McDonough took a personal pledge with his C-level executives, a personal White Ribbon VA Pledge that you read before. So by doing that, he acknowledged that VA is a safe space for people who experienced some sort of trauma related to sexual harassment, sexual assaults or gender-based violence. Creating a safe space at the workplace for people who experienced certain traumatic events is very important. It's important for victims themselves so they can speak about it and seek for help. And also it's important because by doing so, organizations and corporations recognize an importance of zero tolerance to any forms of violence or discrimination at the workplace.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
Dr. Truman, we've been listening to Veronika give a lot of good information on the White Ribbon Campaign. I want to ask you, why did the VA initiate the White Ribbon VA Campaign?
Dr. Bridget Truman:
That's a great question. And I think Veronika has provided us with some great information around that as well, that it really was the organization's commitment to helping our veterans and employees to feel welcome and to feel physically and emotionally safe in all of our VA facilities. And we really do see it as a shared goal of the White Ribbon USA, our National Association of Social Workers and the VA in taking an active stand against ending sexual harassment, sexual assault and gender-based violence. And I think it makes sense when you think about our veterans seeking care in a VA healthcare system. By its very nature, it can cause some anxiety for people to come to a place where they may be meeting with a doctor or getting test results or seeking mental health care or in crisis in some way or talking with someone about benefits.
And all of that in and of itself can be stressful for individuals. So I think we really want to do everything we can in VA to make sure that we're creating safe spaces for people. And I think Veronika has touched on so beautifully is that we are an organization that really works with individuals who've experienced a continuum of trauma. And so we work really hard to set the stage for safe spaces and looking at it through the lens of trauma-informed care, and what can we do to create a safe and welcoming environment. So it just made sense for us to partner with them on the White Ribbon VA Campaign.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
Thank you for sharing that additional information. It's so important to what's going on in the world. You heard me take the pledge during our introduction. Why is taking the pledge so important, Dr. Truman?
Dr. Bridget Truman:
I really love that question. And as Veronika mentioned, we've incorporated this pledge in our senior executive swearing in ceremonies by the Secretary of the VA. So they are verbally making a commitment with this pledge. We also have it included in our new employee orientation and it's actually a part of the program that I run, the Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior Program. And the reason why I think it's so important is that it's a really concrete, tangible act that helps individuals begin to take an action toward the overall goal of committing to a violence free environment and for taking responsibility for our role in making a difference in the culture. We have, at this point, 95% of our VA medical facilities have White Ribbon VA champions. And so these are individuals at the institutions that are leading the charge with creating awareness and support for our employees to take this pledge.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
What VA resources and services are available to support veterans who have experienced sexual violence?
Dr. Bridget Truman:
Thank you so much for that question. So our VHA Assault and Prevention Office has really amazing information for our veterans around getting services. And so they begin at the place of immediate need. So certainly reminding our veterans to seek a safe place first and foremost and then to take advantage of emergency assistance, either through 911, through the Veterans Crisis line or the National Domestic Violence Hotline. And then we have support for our veterans to talk with our local VA police, maybe a patient experience officer or even their primary care provider about their concerns. And these individuals can then help guide them to appropriate medical and mental health resources within VA. I think one of the really great things that we have in the VA is multiple pathways for individuals to report these experiences and get the resources that they need. We have a wonderful bystander intervention training that's really focused on harassment prevention.
And so this training really supports our employees in recognizing and understanding how they can take an active role in moving from a bystander to what we call an upstander. So someone who's going to intervene, to speak up, to take ownership of that culture change. As Veronika mentioned earlier, we have specialized treatment for individuals who experienced a wide range of trauma events. We have military sexual trauma coordinators at all of our VA facilities that help to make sure individuals with those experiences get access to care and get access to therapy. And then we also have, it was established in 2014, the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program coordinator. So these are individuals at VA sites who help veterans, their families and even VA employees get access to appropriate resources for dealing with those types of events.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
The bystander training is a really powerful training. I was listening to you describe that. This sounds like a truly collaborative effort within the VA itself, so I appreciate you going into detail about that. And as I was listening to you, I was thinking about COVID-19 and just the last three years, and I'm going to ask Dr. Fagundo about this. How did COVID-19 affect gender-based violence? As you were listening to what everyone is saying thus far, what kind of impact did COVID-19 have on this particular type of violence?
Dr. Eddy Fagundo:
Thank you so much, Dr. Woodson. Let me start off by saying that there is research indicating that crises have been associated with increased cases of gender-based violence. A studied by, and I'm going to butcher the name here, Austan Hisadat in 2023, identified natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the earthquake in Haiti 2007 associated with increased cases of gender-based violence. And according to research, epidemics cannot be excluded. Gender-based violence intensified since the outbreak of COVID-19, lockdowns and other mobility restrictions left many women trapped with their abusers and isolated from their support networks and social content. The same study identify a number of factors associated with the increase of gender-based violence during COVID-19 to include, for example, the perception of violence against women as hallmark by the family and society. This is an important sociocultural aspect of gender-based violence. Addressing gender-based violence effectively will require a concerted society-wide effort.
In some countries, gender-based violence is illegal and punishable by law, but there are countries which lag behind in this respect. And while talking about culture, it is important to consider the individual culture of families. So, for example, in some family stories, they believe that what happens at home stays at home or what happens in the family is nobody's business. This can limit access to resources for survivors of gender-based violence. It can also cause an under reporting of gender-based violence in some places. All the factors that impacted gender-based violence during COVID-19 include the digital gap in e-learning and access to social networks, quarantine and social distancing and the resulting stress, lack of social support, economic problems due to quarantine and unemployment, as well as alcohol and substance abuse by sexual partners and spouses.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
So, as I was listening to you and I was thinking about the comments you made about being locked down, I want to ask you about distance counseling. Does that hold promise for gender-based violence?
Dr. Eddy Fagundo:
Most definitely. A study by Leroux et. al. in 2022 has stated that distance counseling does hold promise in the gender-based violence sector in terms of improving cost-effectiveness of service and facilitating wider access to counseling supports. There is an increasing demand for and expectation of communication technology among survivors of gender violence who may face considerable financial, geographical, physical or social barriers to accessing supports in person. At the same time, it is important to close the digital gap in e-learning, as I identified earlier, and access to social network if distance counseling is to be fruitful. That is from the consumer perspective. From the counselor perspective, it is important that counselors be aware of the legal and ethical implications as well as recommended edited pains practices for using technology in counseling clients.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
We've been talking about domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and I know a lot of this impacts women and other people, but what specifically about men? Tell me, are they affected by gender-based violence?
Dr. Eddy Fagundo:
That's a good question, Dr. Woodson. Let us remember that gender-based violence includes sexual, physical, mental and economic harm directed at an individual or group of individuals based on their gender. This includes people that identify or present as men. Men are supposed to be strong and tough, and admitting to being abused based on their gender oftentimes may be perceived as shameful. So they might not report it. And if they do, oftentimes they're silenced by the disbelief when opening up about their experiences. Addressing culture and the concept of masculinity in the case for people that identify or present as men is important.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
So, what are some of the consequences of gender-based violence for survivors of gender-based violence?
Dr. Eddy Fagundo:
Thank you, Dr. Woodson. Let's keep in mind that gender-based violence includes sexual, physical, mental and economic harm, like I just mentioned. So a study by Roman Shadal in 2023, for example, indicated that survivors of gender-based violence face both short and long-term consequences. And they can include at adverse physical health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, death, as well as mental health outcomes such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, suicidal ideation and substance use disorders. I will also include TBI or traumatic brain injury as a potential physical and cognitive consequence of survivors for gender-based violence. The many possible and varied consequences for survivors of gender-based violence underscore the need for an interdisciplinary teamwork. A counselor working with a survivor of gender-based violence may consider referring the claim to medical evaluation, neuropsychological evaluation, depending on the history and the specifics of this claim history.
Dr. Aprille Woodson:
Thank you for joining us today in part one of the White Ribbon VA Campaign. As we talk about the important topic of domestic violence.
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