“Don’t I have a right to know?” Youth reflections on funding cuts for prevention programs

November 22, 2011 |
Valor

The YWCA of Silicon Valley knows exactly how funding cuts will impact the lives of the youth that they work with. How? Staff member Allison Stiller asked them to write letters to their House and Senate representatives to defend Rape Prevention Education (RPE) funding.

As many of you know, CALCASA has launched a massive letter writing campaign to let our representatives in the House and Senate know that we want RPE and Rape Set Aside funding restored and preserved (For more information and to participate, visit our blog).  Allison and the YWCA of Silicon Valley staff told the youth who are currently participating in their RPE programs about the current funding crisis and asked them to write about how they would feel if they couldn’t have their prevention education group sessions anymore.
 
Iris, age 14, wrote, “I can’t even believe this is actually happening in this world. We NEED to be educated on this or people will think it’s okay and it will happen more and more”.
Alana, age 14, wrote, “I am highly grateful for this and hope others can learn this to. I have 6 younger siblings and I don’t want any of these bad things to happen to them…It’s not fair that I get to learn this and they don’t.”
Nastasya, 14, summed up her sentiments by stating, “I don’t have the right to vote or drive, so can I at least have the right to know?”
 
Of all of the letters we received from the YWCA of Silicon Valley, I think Samir’s hit the nail on the head:
 

 

 We at CALCASA are grateful for the efforts of the young people who are currently engaged in RPE funded programs. These letters remind us of the value of our collective efforts to end sexual violence in our communities and the power of voicing our opinions to our elected officials.
If you are interested to learn more about the YWCA’s letter writing campaign or their efforts to restore RPE funding, please contact Leandra Peloquin:
 
Leandra Peloquin, MSW, ASW, PPSC
Director, Rape Crisis Center
YWCA of Silicon Valley
375 South Third Street
San Jose, CA 95112
lpeloquin@ywca-sv.org
(P) 408.295.4011 x208
(F) 408.295.4094
 
To learn more about CALCASA’s efforts to support RPE and Rape Set Aside funding, visit the calcasa.org blog or contact:
Alexis Marbach, Public Policy Advocate
alexis.marbach@calcasa.org
 
Jessica Napier, Media and Communications Specialist
Jessica@calcasa.org