Congratulations to NCALL on a wonderful 20 years of advocacy for survivors in later life on behalf of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). Your work is appreciated and your voice is essential to the national dialogue around serving older survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

This year's NCVRW theme, Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future., celebrates the progress made by those before us as we look to a future of crime victim services that is even more inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed.

People of any age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or social status can experience sexual violence during their lifetime. Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is a time to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.

I first became aware of the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) around 2005 while I worked for a local domestic violence program in Virginia. I was looking for interactive exercises to help me with community education and outreach.

I first learned of NCALL during a transitional time in my career. I was doing freelance graphic design work and helping my mom care for my dad who was terminally ill. When a part-time position opened up at NCALL, I applied knowing that steady, part-time work would still give me time with my dad and allow me to provide respite for my mom. Honestly, though, I think sometimes life guides me to places I need to be.

The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) and the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) invite you to join us in Lifting Up Voices for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) 2019, a theme that is centered on unifying the parallel fields of Elder Justice and Violence Against Women by bringing to the forefront the lived experiences of older people around the globe. 

Through my years working with older victims and survivors, a consistent theme was present. Systems were not set up to provide equitable and just access to supports or justice for older adults. Further, those living at the intersection of older age, race, sexuality, language, and disability often face larger hurdles and more complex stereotypes.

Over the next 12-months, we will be highlighting perspectives and stories from staff, allies and older survivors who have worked closely for or with NCALL over the past 20 years. To kick off this exciting anniversary year, NCALL Director, Bonnie Brandl, answered some questions to reflect on how we got here, and what she is looking towards in the future.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has opened the grant solicitation for OVW Fiscal Year 2019 Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on January 8, 2019.

Earlier this year, NCALL joined other members of The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence’s (NRCDV) Domestic Violence Awareness Project Advisory Committee (DVAP) in Baltimore to develop a message for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) 2018 and beyond that represents a unified voice about gender-based violence and its impact on society. That message is #1Thing.