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Saturday’s New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault [NJCASA] 5k Walk in Asbury Park marks more than a milestone for the 35-year-old nonprofit.

Coming off the heels of programs and developments realized during April’s Nation Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the event celebrates a new law to protect victims and provide a fundraising platform to continue the nonprofit’s work for the advancement of other legislative priorities.

NJCASA was born from the 21 county centers need to coordinate a statewide voice to handle legislation and activities, Executive Director Patricia Teffenhart said.

Below is an interview with Teffenhart.

Sun: Is this the first time the Annual Sexaul Assault Awareness Month 5K Wall will be held in Asbury Park?

Teffenhart [at right]: Yes. Asbury is a community that has so much of our shared values. it has a rich history of inclusivity and it welcomes women business owners. There are a number of business that are sponsoring our event wihich makes us feel even more confident that we are at the right place with the right people.

Sun: Who are some of the businesses sponsoring the walk?

Teffenhart: There’s Toast, the Asbury Festhalle and Beirgarten, Kriston Driscoll Photography, Joe Oz realty group, Purple Glaze, The Complex, and Starbucks and Wegmans in Ocean Township.

Sun: Can speak to the progress that’s been realized since the organization began 35 years ago?

Teffenhart: We’ve definitely made a log of progress but I do think it comes in waves. It’s all about finding the opportunities to engage in conversations that we previously have been hungry to engage in. It was only in 2014 when the White House came out with their report on rape and assault on college campuses that, from a progressive perspective, it began getting easier for us to engage the media and policy makers in these conversation.

Sun: What were some of last month’s initiatives?

Teffenhart: April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We joined sister our coalitions across the country to discuss the complex issues around sexual assault. We created a blog to look at the impact and prevalence of sexual violence in order to take a look at sexual violence from a more comprehensive viewpoint. It’s easy to stand on the sidelines and say why won’t someone report their crime but how can we expect someone, say from Flint, Mich., to trust a system to hold their assaulter accountable when they allow for the poising of their most vulnerable population. There are all these different layers of oppression that connects to our work. We can’t tackle sexual assault as its own entity. We must work in communities with systemic oppression to make it a more equitable society.

Sun: So what was your goal?

Teffenhart: Our social media reach was the focus. We had two blog posts a week. The theme was prevention is possible. We used the blog to capitalize on the opportunity to talk about our prevention programs, training was done on college campus, and we were a guest on a statewide podcast that gave us an hour. All these things helped open the conversation around everything from gender identity and equity to pop culture role, and parenting legislation. It’s not just the surface stuff but a deep dive into content.

Sun: Tell me about the new legislation.

Teffenhart: On May 9^th the sexual assault survivor’s act will go into effect. The bill introduction was in 2010 but it took a long time to get this signed off by any governor. This act allows sexual assault survivor’s access to restraining orders. Prior to this 80 percent of sex assault victims would have been ineligible. The only way you could have gotten a restraining order is if there was a previous domestic abuse charge or conviction. And since 75 to 80 percent know their perpetrators – they are friends, acquaintances, colleagues, or fellow students – they don’t want to seek criminal charges under the Domestic Violence Act. They simply want space. They need time and the help to heel from the trauma they have endured.

This is an example of Trenton at its best. We had a strong bipartisan support in terms of sponsorship and votes and I think that sends a message that we hear you and the system will be responsive to your needs as you heel.

Sun: Does this help the stigma of blaming the victim?

Teffenhart: We see it play out in the national conversation of high profile cases – young survivors commit suicide as a result of a media whirlwind and the way they are bullied and intimidated. The disclosing can be as traumatic, laying on top of the crime.

Sexual assault is the second most violent crime in America. Think how traumatic it is to live through a sex assault when your body is literally the crime scene. Now there is an increased access to justice, safety, time to heal, and it encourages the victim to trust the system until they are ready to seek criminal charges.

 Sun: How do we change the conversation?

Teffenhart: It is a grey area but how we work through the conversation is to base everything off of consent. There is a wide spectrum of acts and emotions that come along with relationships, whether it be with an intimate partner or colleagues. What is comfortable with one person may be uncomfortable with another. We have to ask the perpetrator not the victim if consent was given and received but the absence of a no does not equal a yes.

Sun: Is there anything I did not ask that you’d like the readers to know?

Teffenhart: Yes. Awareness gives us the opportunity to start the conversation.

The 6th Annual Sexual Assualt Awareness Month 5K Walk begins at 9 a.m. from Convention Hall. Registration kicks off at 8 a.m. with the first 100 registrants receiving t-shirts and the first 200 receiving participation medals. There will be special recognitions given to the top fundraising teams and individuals.

For more information about NJCASA work, visit their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. A 24 hour hotline can be reached by calling 1-800-601-7200. Locally, 180 Turning Lives Around can be reached via 1-888-264-7273.

[walk photos from 2015 event, courtesy of NJCASA]

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