Pictured is Karen Kaludis of Easton participating in For All Seasons’ Sexual Assault Awareness Survivor’s Community Art Project at The Ivy, one of several activities to be offered in all five counties on the Mid-Shore to increase awareness about sexual assaults.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to strengthen awareness and honor the resilience of survivors. For All Seasons, the Behavioral Health and Rape Crisis Center for the Mid-Shore, is increasing outreach and education by offering public events and online trainings in the hopes that the community will gain a deeper understanding of the issue of sexual violence in our community and how to access resources. The agency is kicking off the month with an online course, Real Talk: Relationships, Boundaries, & Consent, followed by a Sexual Assault Awareness Month Lunch and Learn and Community Art Projects in each county on the Mid-Shore.
For All Seasons’ Real Talk: Relationships, Boundaries, & Consent, a new online course funded by the Women & Girls Fund, is being offered through its Center for Learning for teens and the adults in their lives to learn key skills for healthy connections, safety, and support in their relationships. According to the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, nearly one in three teens in Maryland reports emotional abuse in dating relationships, and one in ten teens reports physical harm from a partner. Healthy relationships shape teen life. They affect confidence, school success, and overall well-being.
“Healthy relationship education reduces risk and increases help-seeking behavior among teens and youth services networks. This asynchronous online course offers practical tools to help teens understand healthy relationship patterns, find support when needed, and handle digital challenges,” states Lauren Weber, Chief Strategy Officer at For All Seasons.
The course includes short, engaging video lessons on topics related to respectful communication, consent, boundaries, warning signs of harm, how to find help, and how to navigate relationships. Parents, educators, youth services professionals, and teens themselves can use this resource to build shared understanding and stronger, safer connections among teens. The course is free and self-paced. To register, visit https://centerforlearning.forallseasonsinc.org/healthy-relationships/.
For All Seasons’ Center for Learning is also offering a Sexual Assault Awareness Month Lunch and Learn, “Does This Really Happen Here?” at 12 PM, April 16, at For All Seasons’ Center for Learning, 111 E. Dover Street, Easton. For All Seasons’ Director of Victim Services, Kristy Mirando, and UM Shore Regional Health Forensic Nurse Program Coordinator, Shannon Temple, will share their experiences working with survivors of sexual violence in a conversation led by For All Seasons’ Chief Clinical Officer, Lesa Mulcahy, LCSW-C. The discussion will explore the issue on a local and regional level, and offer an inside look at the crisis response – from the hospital to the rape crisis center and beyond. Attendees will gain insight into the work of victim advocates and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, as well as the advocacy and support provided to survivors during one of the most difficult moments of their lives. To register, visit SAAMlearn.eventbrite.com.
This year, For All Seasons will offer its Support Survivors Community Art Projects in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties. At these events, participants can help For All Seasons’ Rape Crisis Center show support for sexual violence survivors by writing encouraging messages on denim patches in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. These patches will be displayed in the community before becoming a permanent art installation in the Rape Crisis Center wing at For All Seasons. There will also be free materials for individuals, businesses, and organizations to pick up and share out during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The following are the dates, times, and locations of the events on the Mid-Shore:
April 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m.– The Bookplate, 112 S. Cross Street, Chestertown
April 7, 9 a.m.- noon – Blackwater Bakery, 429 Race Street, Cambridge
April 9, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Dessert First, 433 Kent Narrow Way N., Grasonville
April 18, 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. – Craft Bakery & Cafe, 12 S. 3rd Street, Denton
April 29, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Ivy, 12 & 14 W. Dover Street, Easton
Finally, in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, For All Seasons is launching a special peer-to-peer campaign, 40 Hearts for Healing. The campaign focuses on how individual supporters can encourage others to take action and contribute to the agency’s mission. To participate, contact Sidney Davenport-Trond, Director of Development at strond@forallseasonsinc.org or by calling 410-443-6505.
For All Seasons Behavioral Health & Rape Crisis Center offers mental health services, victim and crisis support, and education and outreach on Maryland’s Mid-Shore and throughout the state. The agency’s unique model of care ensures that anyone can receive high-quality, trauma-certified mental health care when they need it – regardless of language or ability to pay. For information about For All Seasons’ walk-in hours, call 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsInc.org.
