FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Rachel Gattuso, APR I The Gattuso Coalition
Afshan West I Safe Embrace
Reno Nonprofit, Safe Embrace, to Teach Washoe County Students About Healthy Relationships
– Love Means Respect: Healthy Relationships will be delivered to students in Washoe County public, private and charter schools to minimize harmful effects of violence –
RENO, Nev. (July 11, 2023) – Safe Embrace, a nonprofit working to provide resources and support to victims of domestic and sexual violence, will be presenting to Washoe County students educational content that illustrates the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships beginning in the Fall of 2023. “Love Means Respect: Healthy Relationships” is a collaboration between Safe Embrace and the Washoe County School District and is made possible through Assembly Bill 245 recently signed into law by Governor Joe Lombardo.
According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), one in 12 students have experienced physical violence and one in 12 students have experienced sexual violence while dating in high school. “Love Means Respect: Healthy Relationships” will unpack sensitive issues at a time when students are beginning to better understand boundaries for interpersonal relationships as well as beginning to navigate romantic relationships. Topics discussed will include behaviors that might indicate a relationship is not healthy or supportive, what red flags students can look out for and the cycles of abuse. The presentation will also highlight how toxic relationships can be romanticized in fiction or pop culture, and how students can recognize the signs of digital or emotional abuse in order to avoid toxicity or call it out. It will show students how they can help themselves or others extricate themselves from these situations and provide additional resources in case they are needed.
“Not all students have access to information that outlines acceptable relationship habits,” said Krystal Copenhaver, outreach education specialist for Safe Embrace. “This content will help build strong foundations that empower these young students to grow into young adults who seek and engage in healthy relationships.”
The CDC highlights that female students and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) experience physical and sexual dating violence at higher rates than male students. often than male students. Those who experience unhealthy relationships or are subjected to dating or sexual violence experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, exhibit antisocial behaviors or engage in unhealthy behaviors including the use of tobacco, drugs or alcohol. They are also more prone to think about suicide.
The initiative to deliver this content is one of Safe Embrace’s many efforts to minimize abuse and empower individuals in northern Nevada. In addition to the nonprofit’s safe house facility, the nonprofit has managed Project 86, a project that educates hospitality industry professionals how to identify signs of human trafficking and seek help. Safe Embrace also manages a 24 hour crisis response line, emergency relocation and housing, therapy and support groups, and legal clinics and court accompaniment. The nonprofit offers sexual assault support services, a 30-90 day confidential shelter, and a Rapid Rehousing program that places clients in permanent living situations. In a typical year, Safe Embrace serves more than 30 individuals with evacuation transportation, hosts clients with nearly 200 emergency motel nights, and accommodates victims with an estimated 6,600 nights in the nonprofit’s safe house.
“This is important and powerful information that the Washoe County School District can provide to our students as we seek to reduce impediments to a healthy educational experience,” said WCSD Chief Strategies Officer Dr. Paul LaMarca. “We are confident that by equipping our students with a strong foundation for healthy relationships, they can better focus on their academic performance and enjoy more meaningful relationships as they move forward in their lives.”
To learn more about Safe Embrace and its services, click here. For media inquiries, contact Rachel Gattuso at rachel@gattusocoalition.com or (775) 336-9453.
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About Safe Embrace
Incorporated in 1994, Safe Embrace is a 501(c)(3) organization that operates the largest and most inclusive safe house in the Reno-Sparks area. The nonprofit provides emergency shelter, legal advocacy, housing assistance and general support to victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking. Safe Embrace is committed to ending the cycle of domestic and sexual violence with innovative prevention and intervention services. To learn more, visit www.safeembrace.org.
