Events & Programs

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues. It is a time for all of us to speak up about domestic violence, raise awareness, and support survivors of this devastating but common issue.

This October Winona will PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE. Local businesses and organizations will be participating by putting out purple lights, handing out ribbons and more.

October 21st is NATIONAL AWARENESS DAY! Wear Purple!

There were 30 known victims of murder due to intimate partner violence in MN in 2020. Purple shirts honoring each victim are displayed throughout Winona in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The shirts, titled “The Clothesline Project,” reminds us of the devastating impact domestic violence has on our community. 
 
October 4 – 8      |  Winona Health
October 11 – 15  |  Winona Senior High
October 18 – 22  |  Saint Mary’s University
October 25 – 29  |  Winona State University
November 1 – 5  |  Cotter Schools

October 5 | 5:00 – 6:30 PM
Emily Thuma discusses All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence. Passcode: WGSS

All Our Trials explores the organizing, ideas, and influence of those who placed criminalized and marginalized women at the heart of their antiviolence mobilizations. This activism confronted a “tough on crime” political agenda and clashed with the mainstream women’s movement’s strategy of resorting to the criminal legal system as a solution to sexual and domestic violence. Drawing on extensive archival research and first-person narratives, Thuma weaves together the stories of mass defense campaigns, prisoner uprisings, broad-based local coalitions, national gatherings, and radical print cultures that cut through prison walls. In the process, she illuminates a crucial chapter in an unfinished struggle––one that continues in today’s movements against mass incarceration and in support of transformative justice.

(This session is closed to registration. Please contact the ACW to inquire about future openings)

Support group for survivors of sexual violence.

The 12-week confidential support group is facilitated by a licensed social worker for survivors who have experienced sexual assault. Members of the group must be 16 years of age and over. This group incorporates both experience-specific support and tools for managing surrounding circumstances. It covers health, collaboration, coping, and empowerment through discussion.

Meeting Times:
Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
September 1 – November 17, 2021

The group is a closed group. No drop-ins. Once the group starts, members will attend 12 sessions. Attendance at every session may not be necessary but plan to attend the majority of sessions to receive the most benefit from the process.

The program is free of charge thanks to the efforts of the #ibelieveYOU fundraiser held at Winona State University in the spring of 2021.

Once you have registered, you will be contacted by the Advocacy Center of Winona(ACW) to confirm your registration. The sessions will be held at the ACW downtown Winona location in-person. Please indicate if you would need childcare or transportation in order to attend the sessions.

This group is open to cis-women, trans-women and non-binary folks. Space is limited. First-come, first-served.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call the ACW office at 507-452-4440

National Stalking Awareness Month

January 2021

This is an annual call to action to recognize and respond to the serious crime of stalking.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April 2021

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 2021

This is an annual observance in the United States dedicated to raising awareness and preventing child abuse.