Annual Report April 2015 - April 2016 Table of Contents Our Team....................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Director Letter.............................................................................................. 2 Managing Director Letter............................................................................................. 3 EROC in Numbers......................................................................................................... 4 An Important Thank You............................................................................................... 5 Reflection on Survivor Support.................................................................................... 6 Reflection on Media Advocacy..................................................................................... 7 Reflection on Preventative Education......................................................................... 8 Reflection on Policy Reform......................................................................................... 9 endrapeoncampus.org 424.777.EROC [email protected] Our Team Annie Clark, Executive Director Some of the most heartbreaking, yet powerful conversations I have are with parents whose children have been affected by sexual violence. Often times families and those close to a survivor will suffer and feel isolated as well, which is why we created a confidential community space for parents to talk to, and support one another. Being able to introduce two fathers, sometimes states apart, to talk about their experiences and emotions, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of working at EROC. Sofie Karasek, Director of Education It really hit home how important this work is when, a week after I gave a presentation at a Massachusetts high school about how Title IX requires school districts to prevent harassment and violence and adequately address it when it occurs, more than a hundred students walked out of the high school to protest Title IX violations. In the Boston Globe article covering the protest, the students said that our visit had inspired them to take action. Andrea Pino, Director of Policy & Support There are many moments that mark my time at EROC, but the most important are the days when I work directly with survivors and am told that I am the first person who believes them and believes in them. Believing survivors is a revolutionary act because our society tells us to do the opposite, but we fight every day for this to be the norm. Until then, I am thankful for every day that I get to help other survivors rekindle the strength and courage that they need to heal and seek justice. Anna Voremberg, Managing Director Many of my responsibilities include work behind the scenes. I’m consumed by the day to day operations to ensure our future, and it’s a duty that I cherish but one that can feel sometimes removed from our mission. When I met my first parent of a client of ours and they told me, “you saved our daughter’s life,” I was reminded that we all play a role in ending this injustice. Colleen Daly, Director of Media & Strategic Communications My position at EROC is dedicated to amplifying the voices of survivors, generating awareness about the campus sexual assault epidemic and moving communities to take action. Watching Annie, Sofie, and Andrea take the Oscars stage, arms raised, to declare: “We believe you. You’re not alone.” stands out as a moment of particular power. 1 Executive Director Letter Dear friend, It’s difficult to describe in just a few paragraphs, how proud I am of the impact my colleagues have made in twelve short months. This has been a year of growth for our team, and I am privileged to share a story that exemplifies our strengths, passions, and commitment. On Tuesday, March 8, 2016, Anna and I testified before the Texas legislature on campus sexual violence and the need for healthy relationship education prior to college. Hundreds of miles away, in Annie celebrates the passing of Virginia House Bill 659 New York, Sofie was responding to media on sexual violence and healthy relationship education. outlets and filming interviews regarding the four federal complaints EROC had just filed against institutions across the country that Monday. In Maryland, Andrea and Colleen were testifying before the Maryland House of Delegates regarding the importance of establishing affirmative consent standards in the Maryland school system. Twenty-four hours later, and 1,700 miles apart, our team was overflowing with pride. Though this was all in a day’s work, this “Super Tuesday” was the result of months of work by our staff and our supporters. Perhaps more importantly, everywhere we stood that day, we stood beside survivors. Anna and I met with several student survivors and their families, and invited several to testify alongside us in Texas. Andrea and Colleen spoke with high school students about the inadequacy of their respective states’ current health curriculums. Sofie facilitated national media interviews for two of the survivors who wished to publicly share how they were holding their institutions accountable. This is what made our Tuesday “super.” When we hear the words, “thank you for believing me” we think of all of you. During difficult days, these are the types of successes of which we are both reminded and look forward to, and we thank you for ensuring we will be able to help more students and their families. In solidarity, Annie Elizabeth Clark Executive Director, End Rape on Campus endrapeoncampus.org 424.777.EROC [email protected] Managing Director Letter Dear supporter, By standing with us, you stand with survivors — for that, we thank you. Over the past 12 months, campus sexual assault has come to the forefront of public conversation in an unprecedented way. We chose to highlight our work from April 2015 through April 2016, as opposed to the calendar year, because these twelve months were the most critical in our organization’s development besides its founding. In April 2015 we secured a fiscal sponsorship agreement with NEO Philanthropy, allowing Anna speaks about EROC’s impact at the us to begin our journey as a non-profit. Cause Marketing Summit in New York City. Almost exactly a year later, we received our 501c3 tax-exempt status from the IRS. We are currently embarking on an exciting new chapter — building our Board of Directors, finalizing our five year strategic plan, expanding our staff, and engaging in critical evaluation of our efforts. Within just eight months of securing our fiscal sponsorship, we raised nearly half a million dollars. For the first time since our organization’s founding in 2013, our staff received a salary for their difficult and important work. We expanded our outreach to survivors and their communities. We established ourselves as a leader in policy reform. As demand for our services and support rises, we too, are growing. Our sustainability depends on raising at least another half a million by the end of the year. We need you. I invite you to read more about our impact in the following pages. See where your dollars are going, look at what they’ve done in this year alone. If you have any questions, please be in touch with me or any of the rest of the staff. We cherish your support, and we are proud to have you as a part of our team. With gratitude, Anna Voremberg Managing Director 3 2015 inEROC Numbers in Numbers Filed 75+ federal complaints, 34 of which are under investigation Provided assistance to 700+ survivors Traveled 180,000+ miles to speak to 17,160 people in 23 states and 4 countries Testified in5 states, assisted in crafting legislation in 4 states and 1 federal bill 10,000+ Increased our social media 5,000 + following by 263% endrapeoncampus.org 424.777.EROC [email protected] An Important ‘Thank You’ Our rapid advancement over the past year is only possible because of NEO Philanthropy’s generous fiscal sponsorship. NEO graciously guided our staff into the complicated world of nonprofit management, and with patience and steadfast loyalty, the staff at NEO Philanthropy ensured our success. In April 2015, EROC was able to begin accepting tax-deductible donations, thanks to NEO. In the first six weeks, we raised over $65,000. In addition to NEO Philanthropy’s continued support, we are also deeply grateful for the invaluable assistance that the attorneys at Davis Polk & Wardell LLP have given us this year. Their tax associates steered us in the right direction through our fiscal sponsorship drafting, and have since worked tirelessly — and pro bono — to help us file for tax-exempt status, which we received in early 2016. Both NEO Philanthropy and the attorneys at Davis Polk were critical to our 2015 successes. We’d like to thank, in particular, the Fiscal Sponsorship Team at NEO Philanthropy, most notably Sarah Motola and Michael Austerlitz. We are sincerely grateful to Annie McGinnis and Elina Khordosky, associates at Davis Polk, for their time, energy, and tireless support of our mission. Our team is eternally grateful to all of you for your guidance, patience, and priceless contributions to our development. Annie speaks at a luncheon celebrating the success of The Hunting Ground in Los Angeles, California 5 A YearReflection in on Survivor Support Survivor support lies at the core of our mission. Whether we are filing a federal complaint on someone’s behalf, referring them and their parents to our growing network of legal