Nebraska Coalition To End Sexual And Domestic Violence

This week, a team of Nebraskans joined partners from across the country in Washington, D.C. for Federal Advocacy Days:
🔸 Christon MacTaggart, Nebraska Coalition Executive Director
🔸Melanie Kirk, Nebraska Coalition Legal Director
🔸Hallie Razo, Willow Rising, Inc. Operations Director
🔸Zoe Miller, Nebraska Coalition Policy Fellow

While in D.C., they met with Nebraska’s congressional staff to share how federal policies directly impact survivors and violence prevention in our state. They shared concerns about:
🔹The rise in domestic violence homicides
🔹The increasing need for services
🔹The rising costs of services and shelter
🔹The challenges in attracting and retaining advocates
These conversations are vital in ensuring federal policymakers understand the real challenges survivors and service providers face here in Nebraska.

Thank you to The National Network to End Domestic Violence and NSVRC for creating space for these conversations!

[Image Descriptions: Four photos show Zoe Miller, Nebraska Coalition Policy Fellow; Hallie Razo, Willow Rising Operations Director; Christon MacTaggart, Nebraska Coalition Executive Director; and Melanie Kirk, Nebraska Coalition Legal Director, standing together smiling in front of a conference backdrop and in the hallways outside Nebraska congressional delegates' offices.]

We need your help. Federal funding delays are putting lifesaving services for survivors at risk.

Across the country, domestic violence shelters, r**e crisis centers, and survivor advocacy programs are facing dangerous uncertainty as critical funding remains stalled. These delays are already forcing providers to consider staff layoffs, reduced services, longer waitlists, and even closure. For many organizations operating with limited reserves, delayed funding functions as a funding cut. This threatens emergency shelter, crisis response, legal advocacy, counseling, and other essential services survivor rely on.

Survivors cannot afford delays.

It is critical that Congress does everything in its power to urge the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to immediately publish the delayed FY26 Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) and expedite the release of all congressionally appropriated funds for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).

Please visit thttps://nnedv.quorum.us/campaign/162461/ to send a pre-drafted email to your Senators and Representative, urging immediate action on these harmful funding delays.

Sexual assault in U.S. jails, prisons, and detention centers remains widespread, yet largely overlooked. According to the Department of Justice, nearly 49,300 people in U.S. jails and prisons experienced s*xual violence between 2023 and 2024, roughly split evenly between assaults by fellow inmates and by staff.

Why is this such a widespread problem? Sexual violence is rooted in power and control, and detention environments are structurally built around power and control. Detention facilities control basic needs, and staff have the power to restrict freedoms. Plus, people in these environments often form social systems in which only a few hold most of the power and influence. These imbalances increase the risk of s*xual violence victimization, as well as limit the ability to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Prison R**e Elimination Act (PREA) was passed in 2003, but as of August 2024, only 25 states and Washington, D.C., actually comply with it. Nebraska is one of the compliant states, but compliance doesn't mean the problem is solved. In 2024, Nebraska's corrections system received 95 complaints of s*xual assault.

If we are truly committed to ending s*xual violence, we cannot ignore what is happening within detention facilities. This might seem like an overwhelming issue to address, but small actions like contacting your elected representatives to express your concerns can make a difference.

We'd like to wrap up Sexual Assault Awareness Month by celebrating Veronica Holguin, Prevention Coordinator at The S.A.F.E. Center in Kearney, who has been named our 2026 Visionary Voice Award recipient!

Presented by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), the Visionary Voice Awards honor individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the movement to end s*xual violence.

In her nine-plus years at The S.A.F.E. Center, Veronica has led prevention programs, community education, social media outreach, and regional collaboration. Among her greatest achievements is establishing Nebraska's first and only Safe Bars chapter — a nationwide program helping alcohol-serving establishments create safe, respectful environments. Under her leadership, nine facilitators now deliver this training across five counties.

"Seeing Safe Bars in action has been incredibly rewarding," Veronica shared. "The feedback and data confirm that the training is useful, needed, and making a real difference."

Congratulations, Veronica, on this very well-deserved honor! 🎉

Join us tomorrow: S*X EDUCATION IS S*XUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION — SUPPORTING PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENT DISABILITIES (IDD)

Every person deserves access to honest, inclusive, and complete s*xual health information, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). While the average young person already receives inadequate s*x education, young people with IDD receive even less, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and undermining their fundamental right to understand their bodies and develop safe, healthy relationships. Presented in partnership with Lisa Schulze of the Women's Fund of Omaha and Dr. Heidi Rueda of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, this webinar equips advocates, service providers, and educators with the rationale, tools, and resources needed to change that.

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 11:00-12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Zoom

What You’ll Gain:
▪️ A clear understanding of why inclusive, age-appropriate s*x education is critical for young people with IDD, and what’s at stake when it’s withheld
▪️ Practical guidance on the principle that chronological age determines content while developmental age determines delivery
▪️ Tools and resources you can put to use immediately to implement effective, inclusive s*x education

With the 2026 Legislative session now over, we want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who took action this year. Your emails, calls, testimony, and ongoing engagement helped move forward policies that will make a real difference for survivors across Nebraska.

This session brought meaningful progress toward preventing violence and strengthening support systems. New laws will improve protections in the courtroom, enhance responses to missing persons, expand access to care, and increase funding for services that survivors rely on every day.

Highlights from the 2026 session include:
⭐️ Strengthening legal protections and accountability in cases of domestic and s*xual violence.
⭐️ Improved systems for responding to missing persons, particularly those at higher risk of violence.
⭐️ Expanded access to healthcare and support for survivors, including during pregnancy and postpartum periods.
⭐️ Increase investment in services that support safety, healing, and long-term stability.

These policy wins matter because they shape how survivors experience safety, justice, and support across Nebraska. They also reflect ongoing progress toward a future where all Nebraskans are safe and thriving.

Thank you for your continued partnership in advancing policies that support survivors and strengthen our communities.

Have you ever paused to think about how scapegoating and s*xual violence are connected?

When individuals or groups are labeled as "dangerous" or responsible for social problems, it shifts attention away from broader conditions that enable s*xual violence, like power imbalances, lack of accountability, and harmful social norms.

This can make it easier for people with power, such as employers, older or wealthier community members, celebrities, or political leaders, to cause harm without being questioned.

Scapegoating can also make people less safe. When groups are stigmatized or dehumanized, they are more likely to experience violence, including s*xual violence, and less likely to be believed or protected when harm occurs.

So, what can we do about it?
👉️ Recognize and challenge narratives that blame entire communities.
👉️ Seek out accurate, evidence-based information.
👉️ Support policies and systems that protect all survivors.
👉️ Ensure responsibility stays with those who cause harm.

Join us tomorrow: S*XUAL & INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE & PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

People with disabilities experience s*xual violence and intimate partner violence at alarming rates, and yet this population remains critically underserved. Presented in partnership with Disability Rights Nebraska, this powerful, eye-opening presentation equips advocates, service providers, and community members with the knowledge and tools needed to make a real difference.

Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT
Location: Zoom

What You’ll Gain:
▪️ A comprehensive look at the scope and impact of s*xual and domestic violence on people with disabilities and why this issue demands our attention
▪️ Valuable insight into the disability community and disability culture, helping you engage with greater awareness, sensitivity, and effectiveness
▪️ A curated collection of organizations and resources you can put to use immediately to better support survivors with disabilities

Join us tomorrow: S*XUAL VIOLENCE & MEN WITH DISABILITIES

Men with disabilities experience s*xual violence at rates higher than their counterparts without disabilities, and yet this community of survivors remains critically underserved. Presented in partnership with Activating Change, this webinar equips advocates, service providers, and community members with the knowledge and strategies needed to better serve this population.

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m. CT
Location: Zoom

What You’ll Gain:
▪️ A deeper understanding of the risk factors and unique dynamics of s*xual violence experienced by men with disabilities
▪️ Valuable insight into the barriers this group of survivors faces when seeking help and support
▪️ Practical solutions and strategies you can put to use immediately to more effectively serve male survivors with disabilities