The Awareness Center is closed. We operated for fifteen years (April 30, 1999 - April 30, 2014). The information on this site is being provide for educational and historical purposes only.
About US!
The Awareness Center is the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse and Assault (JCASA). We are dedicated to ending sex crimes in Jewish communities globally. We do our best to act like "the make a wish foundation" for Jewish survivors of sex crimes.
We are a non-profit / tax-exempt organization that supports the notion of free will and civil liberties. We are not affiliated with any religious or commercial organizations.
Our Mission:
Contrary to what we might want to assume sexual violence
is not limited to the gentile population it is also a Jewish issue and one
that needs to be addressed. In the United States one of every three to five
women, and one out of every five to seven men have been sexually abused by
the time they reach their eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, due to the
fact there has been little research on this issue in the Jewish Community
we do not know how prevalent it is. Most mental health providers around the
world who are based in Jewish Communities will admit that they have survivors
(of sexual violence) of Jewish origins as part of their caseload.
One of the major problems in discussing the issue
of sex crimes within Jewish Communities is that doing so threatens the
cultural perception of the wholesomeness of the Jewish family. The time has
come to break the taboo and allow the Jewish Community to face reality and
to begin the healing journey. While this process is taking place we will
also be able to compile valuable statistics on the prevalence of sexual violence
in our community. It is important to note that when we refer to the Jewish
Community we are including everyone from the unaffiliated, Jewish Renewal,
Reform, Conservative, through the Orthodox, "Charedi" and "Chasidic"
communities.
Our current goals include the continued development
of our international data base/web page; continued growth of our international
speakers bureau and the development of our
educational
certification program for rabbis, cantors and other Jewish community
leaders.
The second phase goals include the development of self-help
groups for Jewish survivors to be held in communities worldwide; and the
development and implementation of our international conference on sexual
violence. The third phase includes developing a healing/retreat center and
on-going educational programming in Israel, the United States, and throughout
the world. A long-term goal is to develop an international network of
researchers.
The Awareness Center, Inc. is a
tax
exempt - nonprofit organization. We have an international board
of directors and an advisory board made up of individuals from a variety
of backgrounds all dedicated to ending sexual violence in Jewish Communities
around the globe and providing help to survivors.
We are currently searching for funding for our
certification program for rabbis, cantors and other religions leaders, our
first International Conference, and the development of a healing retreat
center. We also look forward to developing a research team, so that we can
better serve Jewish communities around the world.
Our goal is to make the impossible dream, possible.
But we can not do it alone. Please take the time now and become one of our
financial
supporters.
The Awareness Center was founded in 1999 and was incorporated as a non-profit by the internal revenue service in 2003.
The Awareness Center was founded in 1999 and was incorporated as a non-profit by the internal revenue service in 2003.
Also see:
- The Development of a new organization - The Awareness Center
- History of The Awareness Center - Our first online support groups and The Anti-Rape Daily Newsletter
- Board of Directors and International Advisory Board
- Interview about The History of The Awareness Center
FAIR USE NOTICE
Some of the information on The Awareness Center's
web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always
been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political,
human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues,
etc.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any
such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this
site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest
in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes
of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever
has." –– Margaret Mead
