NSAC Workshop: How Our Movement Can Connect with and Lead Other Sectors Looking to Prevent and Address Sexual Violence

In a session at this year’s National Sexual Assault Conference, RALIANCE founders and leaders led a session about RALIANCE’s ongoing efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse. In the session, “How Our Movement Can Connect with and Lead Other Sectors Looking to Prevent and Address Sexual Violence,” managing partner Sandra Henriquez, managing director Yolanda Edrington, and project manager Tori VandeLinde discussed the importance of empowering industries, sectors, and systems to create organizational cultures free from sexual violence.

Unfortunately, sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse can and does occur in all industries, businesses, and communities. Tori highlighted how the norms and values of businesses have changed in the last decade, with credit due to Tarana Burke and the #MeToo movement. This is an opportunity for the anti sexual violence field to strengthen their connections with business and other organizations in their local communities. For example, Sandra emphasized that all companies, workplaces and leaders can contribute to preventing and addressing sexual violence with the right set of tools. Yolanda shared how RALIANCE and the Urban Institute partnered together to develop a sexual misconduct taxonomy for Uber to help the ride-share platform better understand sexual violence more broadly and provide them a roadmap for how to address and prevent it. RALIANCE’s taxonomy has since been used in other sectors and has helped companies identify and address a spectrum of sexual misconduct and violence behaviors in their environments.

Fostering positive culture change is possible, but it requires perseverance and the guidance of experts and advisers who understand the needs of individuals who have experienced sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse. It also requires partners willing to be part of the solution to create safer spaces for all.

RALIANCE is eager to work with our current and future partner organizations to build cultures that are safe, equitable and respectful for all.

RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.