Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence

It’s been a busy and exciting week for TNCEDSV!

While most of our team is in Chattanooga hosting the Tommy Burks Victim Assistance Academy, our Legal Director, Brandon Woosley, was in Washington, D.C. for NNEDV Advocacy Days, leading representatives from our member programs in meetings with Tennessee’s congressional delegation.

Together, they discussed the importance of continued support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and the vital work being done by victim service providers across our state. We appreciate the opportunity to meet with Senator Marsha Blackburn and House Representatives Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and Congressman Matt Van Epps and thank them for engaging in meaningful conversations about the needs of survivors and the programs that serve them.

We are proud to see our coalition advancing this work on multiple fronts this week, from training and professional development in Chattanooga to advocacy on Capitol Hill. Together, we are strengthening services, building partnerships, and amplifying the voices of survivors across Tennessee. 💜

Survivor advocacy, trauma-informed care, and victim safety shaped the first full day of this week’s 40-hour Victim Assistance Academy at the The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Law enforcement officers, abuse advocates, educators, and victim service professionals from across Tennessee spent the day learning how to better support survivors of domestic and sexual violence through survivor-centered, trauma-informed care.

Conducted by the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (TCEDSV) in partnership with the UTC Department of Criminal Justice, the free academy provides foundational training, practical tools, and statewide connections for victim service professionals. Participants who complete the academy receive National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) Provisional Advocate Certification.

Day One sessions included:

• “History of the Crime Victims’ Rights Movement in the U.S.” with Dr. Christina Policastro of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

• A sexual violence overview with Catherine Oaks of TCEDSV

• An intimate partner violence overview with Dr. Amaia Iratzoqui of the University of Memphis

• “Advocacy in Action” with Shannon Lynch of TCEDSV, including a survivor role-play scenario to help participants better understand victim response and support

• “Vicarious Trauma & Self-Care” with Samantha Kaloi of TCEDSV to help victim advocates prioritize their well-being while supporting survivors

Established following the 1998 murder of Tennessee State Senator Tommy Burks, the Tennessee Victim Assistance Academy has trained more than 500 victim service professionals during its 18 years of operation.

💜Were you part of Day One? Tag yourself or your organization below and share your biggest takeaway from the day💜

Abusive partners may interfere with employment through excessive calls and messages, stalking, harassment, controlling transportation, sabotaging childcare arrangements, or creating barriers to financial independence. These impacts can affect attendance, job performance, workplace safety, and a survivor's ability to maintain stable employment.

The good news is that workplaces can make a difference.

Creating a supportive environment and knowing how to respond when an employee needs help can be a critical part of a survivor's safety and healing journey.

That's why we're resharing our free Workplace Domestic Violence Toolkit, designed to help employers, supervisors, HR professionals, and coworkers better understand the impact of domestic violence in the workplace and learn practical ways to support employees.

📘 Access the toolkit here:
https://www.preventn.org/_files/ugd/40dfdf_f015a50312e94a24937324745da06e06.pdf

💬 Have you seen a workplace take meaningful steps to support employee safety and well-being? Share in the comments.

If you or someone you know needs support:
📞 Tennessee Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-356-6767
📞 Tennessee Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-866-811-7473

🔗 Find resources near you: www.tncoalition.org

📣 Focus Group Opportunity

Please join us as we host our partners from the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence for an upcoming focus group. This opportunity is open to survivors of domestic or sexual violence to discuss barriers to seeking services and accessing support.

Please see the flyer for additional information and registration details and join us on June 5th 💜

As we close out Strangulation Awareness Month, we want to remind our community that strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of lethal violence. If someone has strangled you, they are 750% more likely to later kill you, and often with a gun.

Even if there are no visible injuries, strangulation can cause serious internal injuries and long-term health complications, including stroke and brain injury. If you have experienced strangulation, it is important to seek medical care and support.

The Family Safety Center is here to help. Call 615-880-1100 or visit ofs.nashville.gov.

If you or someone you know has experienced strangulation, support is available. Contact the Family Safety Center at 615-880-1100 or visit ofs.nashville.gov for assistance and resources.

Trauma can leave you feeling shattered in ways others cannot always see. But support, safety, and compassion can help you begin picking up the pieces.

During Trauma Awareness Month, let’s remind each other:

• You are not broken beyond repair.
• Resources are available.
• Healing is worth it.
• You deserve to feel safe.
• Reach out for help.

If you or someone you know needs support, help is available.

📞 TN Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-356-6767
📞 TN Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-866-811-7473

Share this with someone who needs to hear it today. 💜

As we honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country this Memorial Day, we also encourage everyone to help protect the lives of those around them.

While Memorial Day weekend can bring celebration, connection, and community, for some survivors, it can also bring increased fear, tension, isolation, or danger behind closed doors. Memorial Day weekend is one of the deadliest weekends of the year for impaired driving, violence, and emergency-related incidents across the United States.

One meaningful way we can honor life this weekend, and those who gave their lives through service, is by looking out for one another.

✦ Check in on friends and loved ones.
✦ Intervene when something feels wrong.
✦ Help create environments where people feel safe.

Everyone deserves support, safety, and the chance to enjoy the weekend without fear.

If you or someone you know needs support:
📞 TN Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-356-6767
📞 TN Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-866-811-7473

Share this to help encourage a safer Memorial Day weekend for everyone. 💜

Healthy relationships are built on respect, trust, communication, support, and boundaries.

Love should not leave you feeling afraid, controlled, isolated, or constantly confused.

Everyone deserves relationships that feel safe, calm, and respectful.

Sometimes healing begins with learning what healthy love is supposed to look like.

If you or someone you know isn't in a safe relationship, support is available.

🔗 Find resources near you: tncoalition.org
📞 TN Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-356-6767
📞 TN Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-866-811-7473

Share this or tag someone who needs a reminder of what a healthy relationship should feel like. 💜

Last week, our Training Specialist, Shannon Lynch, had the opportunity to provide Domestic Violence 101 and Trauma & Trauma-Informed Care training to a portion of the Tennessee State University Law Enforcement Department.

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with law enforcement professionals who are committed to strengthening their understanding of trauma, survivor-centered responses, and the impact domestic violence has on individuals and communities.

This work matters. Trauma-informed responses can make a meaningful difference in how survivors experience support, safety, and accountability. We look forward to continuing this partnership as the remainder of the department completes training in June.

Thank you to everyone who participated and engaged in these important conversations.