Category: Uncategorized

By: Elissa Kraynik

Supervisor/Family Support Specialist/Child Passenger Safety Technician

Parent Connection

“I am a terrible parent.” “I just want my baby to stop crying.” “I just want to scream.” Have you ever felt this way? Parenting guilt is a real thing. These thoughts that may be inside your head are normal. You are not alone. Your feelings are extremely valid. You may be suffering from extreme lack of sleep. You may be stressing out about other responsibilities with work, school, laundry, or making meals.

Here are 4 things you can do if you feel yourself getting too overwhelmed or angry with an infant:

1. Stop and assess the situation: If you have an infant or a small child, they can sense your feelings. An infant can feel your heartbeat and sense that something is wrong. This might make it very hard for you and your infant to calm.
2. Take a few minutes to yourself: Find a safe place like a crib or bassinet free of blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals to lay your baby in. Turn on a sound machine or soft music. Leave the room. Take a deep breath while counting to ten – in through the nose and out through the mouth. Re-center and refocus.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: It is important to have a person or two in your phone that you can call or text when you need a minute to let your feelings out.
4. Get outside: After a nap, grab the stroller and get outside. Even a quick walk around the block can help!

If your child is older and in danger of hurting themselves or others, you may need to take them to a quiet, safer place to better regulate their emotions. This may mean removing them from a certain room or public place.

Here are 3 things you can do to help regulate you and your older child’s emotions:

1. Communicate: Validate your child’s feelings by explaining you also feel frustrated. Explain to your child that we both need to take a pause in order to regain control of how we’re feeling.
2. Regulate breathing: Take a deep breath and count to ten, ask your child to help you. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
3. Soothe: Turn on a sound machine or soft music. Rock in a chair, sway standing up, or just lie on the couch.

By showing your child that you can properly recognize, validate, and regulate your own emotions, you are modeling a positive stress response. Just like learning how to tie your shoes, children need to be taught how to deal with these larger-than-life emotions. If it helps to write down your stress response plan, or “Time Out Technique,” do it! Where do meltdowns tend to happen within your home? Where do you feel the most overwhelmed? Do meltdowns coincide with making dinner or bath time? Consider posting your “Time Out Technique” there!

During nap time or when the kids are at school or in bed, practice some self-care – especially after a particularly hard day. Take a warm quiet bath, read that magazine article or book you’ve been putting off, plant some flowers, or call a friend. Reach out. We are here for you.

By: Elissa Kraynik

Supervisor/Family Support Specialist/Child Passenger Safety Technician

Parent Connection

Disclaimer: It is important to trust your gut. It is always better to report than to second guess yourself and stay quiet. Many of the below signs may be present or maybe just one or two signs. Every case is unique. Always keep in mind that warning signs do not mean that a child is being abused.

Child abuse is a heartbreaking reality that affects millions of children worldwide. In comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse – as well as neglect. As a responsible adult, it’s essential to know the signs of child abuse and be able to recognize when a child is in danger. Here are some red flags that may indicate child abuse:

15 signs of abuse or neglect in a non-verbal infant, toddler, or child

1. Crying when being left at a caregivers or when a parent picks them up when they previously have not
2. Sudden change in behavior — aggression, anger, hostility or hyperactivity
3. Unusual or sudden new fears
4. Sleep problems and nightmares
5. Unexplained injuries, or injuries that do not match the explanation given
6. Injuries that do not match the child’s age or developmental abilities
7. Rebellious or defiant behavior
8. Self-harm or attempts at suicide
9. Knowledge of sexual behavior that is not age appropriate.
10. Sudden hostility or inappropriate behavior with other children
11. Loss of interest in activities that previously brought them joy
12. A sudden desperate need for attention and/or affection
13. Weight loss or weight gain inappropriate for the child’s size and age
14. Poor hygiene/lack of clean clothes
15. Stealing or hiding food

14 Signs of abuse or neglect in a verbal toddler or child.

Note: Even if a child has the ability to verbalize that they are not safe or their needs are not being met, they may be afraid to tell anyone.

1. Withdrawal from friends or family
2. Increased or many absences from school
3. Refusing to go to school, go to daycare, or going home after school or daycare or becoming worked up before these events
4. Depression, anxiety, sudden changes in behavior, lack of interest of previously enjoyed activities
5. The appearance of lack of sleep
6. New rebellious behavior, changes in rule following, acting out
7. Unexplained injuries, or injuries that do not match the explanation given-lack of eye contact when explaining these injuries
8. Knowledge of sexual behavior that is not age appropriate, inappropriate behavior with other children
9. Lack of self-esteem, confidence, or pride in accomplishments
10. A sudden desperate need for attention and/or affection
11. A change in schoolwork or change in grades
12. Weight loss or weight gain inappropriate for child’s size and weight
13. Poor hygiene/lack of clean clothes/wearing the same clothes every day without washing
14. Stealing or hiding food

If you suspect that a child is being abused, it’s essential to report your concerns to the appropriate authorities.  You can contact your local child protective services agencies, the police, or a child abuse hotline. Remember, it’s better to err on the side of caution and report your concerns than to ignore the signs of abuse. With your help, we can protect children and prevent child abuse from happening.

(Green Bay, Wis.) – Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin and Green Bay Packers Give Back are excited to announce the 34th Annual Green & Gold Gala will be held on Friday, September 16. 2022 at the Lambeau Field Atrium. The event is Family Services’ biggest fundraiser of the year and is typically attended by nearly 800 guests.

“I’m betting that every one of us can say that our lives or the lives of someone we love has been affected by grief, trauma, or emotional or mental health struggles in some way,” said Cara Gosse, Family Services’ Vice President of Philanthropy and Communication. “The Green & Gold Gala is Family Services’ most important fundraising event of the year, bringing businesses and community members together to support those of us who are struggling or who need someone to believe in them. This event allows us to come together to fulfill that purpose.”

The Green & Gold Gala will begin at 5 p.m. with a reception on the 4th floor of the Atrium, where guests will mix and mingle with Green Bay Packers alumni. A sit-down dinner, silent auction, live auction, raffle, and program about Family Services will follow. The evening will also feature live music by the band Hip Pocket and a live, on-stage conversation with Green Bay Packers alumni. Members of the live panel discussion will be announced later this summer. Past panel guests have included Jerry Kramer, Cherry Starr and Bart Starr Jr., and members of the Super Bowl XXXI championship team.

Those wishing to attend the Green & Gold Gala can register now at www.greengoldgala.com. Individual tickets are priced at $300 per person. Business tables of eight are sold at the sponsorship level starting at $3,000 and feature exclusive benefits. All MVP level sponsors and above will enjoy having a Packers alumnus seated at their table at dinner.

Members of the public are also invited to take part in the Green & Gold Gala’s online silent auction. Registration to bid on items is free on www.greengoldgala.com. Bidding will open the week prior and will close at 7:30 p.m. the night of the event. Past silent auction items have included autographed Packers memorabilia, unique experiences both locally and abroad, health and wellness packages, golf packages, home décor, children’s toys, and much more.

All proceeds from the Green & Gold Gala support Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin. For more information, please visit www.greengoldgala.com.

(Green Bay, Wis) – The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is excited to announce the final results of its fundraising efforts during Give BIG Green Bay 2022!

During the 24 hours that Give BIG was held, 256 donors gave directly to the Sexual Assault Center to raise $67,965. In addition to those donations, the center will also receive an additional $11,522 in matching funds from Green Bay Packers Give Back and other matching contributors in the community. That’s a total of $79,039 raised to support free, confidential services for survivors of sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse and sex trafficking in Northeast Wisconsin!

Sexual Assault Center staff say the level of support received during Give BIG Green Bay caught the attention of survivors they serve.

“We are extremely grateful for not only the amount that was raised for the Sexual Assault Center, but for the number of people in our community who chose to support us,” said Holli Fisher, Sexual Assault Center Program Manager. “One survivor went onto our Give BIG page and seeing the number of donors who cared about sexual violence helped her to not feel so alone.”

The Sexual Assault Center set an original goal to raise $60,000 during the event. The amount represented half of what is expected to be cut from the center’s funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) later this year.

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to be more than half way to our goal of the $120,000 needed to keep our services whole later this year when we will experience a 15% cut to our largest grant,” said Tana Koss, Vice President of Programming.

Koss says there are two major reasons why filling the anticipated gap is so critical.

“We already operate the leanest team possible to meet the needs of our communities 24/7 in terms of crisis response. There are no cuts that can be made without leaving large gaps in critical services. And secondly, we have already been informed that the following year we will experience an additional 15% cut in this same funding. We need the community’s support and involvement to ensure we can continue to provide 24/7 response to our community members who have experienced sexual abuse or assault.”

The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, in partnership with Green Bay Packers Give Back, selects 45 nonprofits to take part in Give BIG Green Bay each year, to help unite the community around causes and issues to make a real difference. Its 2022 effort raised a grand total of $2.4 million with over 4,300 donors contributing to their favorite nonprofits.

Anyone can support the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services at any time. To volunteer as an advocate or make a donation, please visit www.familyservicesnew.org/get-involved.

(Green Bay, Wis) – The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is proud to announce the results of its Smartphone & Tablet Recycling Drive held Feb. 23-24, 2022 in conjunction with Give BIG Green Bay.

Dozens of community members took action to help keep kids safe online by dropping off their old, unused devices. A total of 16 tablets, 111 smartphones and a handful of other devices were recycled to ensure that children and teens would not be able to use them to gain unsupervised access to social media and other apps. Such access can put kids at risk of being targeted for child exploitation or abuse by predators online.

“We are incredibly grateful that so many from our community took the effort to discard unused electronics in the home,” said Holli Fisher, Program Manager for the Sexual Assault Center. “This will reduce the chance that kids will be exposed to potential perpetrators online.”

The idea for the drive came in part from the Sexual Assault Center staff and their work with victims of online abuse, harassment and human trafficking. But also, from one staff member’s personal experience as a parent whose child was found to be using an unmonitored device to access the internet.

Fisher says removing old devices from the home that can still connect to Wi-Fi is a simple step that any adult can take, at any time, to reduce child exploitation.

For more resources on the steps you can take to promote internet safety and prevent child exploitation online, please check out the following links:

• How Human Traffickers are Reaching Kids Online
• Internet Safety in the Age of Virtual Learning
• Common Sense Media (Online Resources for Parents)
• Internet Matters (Online Resources for Parents)

(Green Bay, Wis) – Give BIG Green Bay is just a couple of days away. The 24-hour online giving day put on by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and Green Bay Packers Give Back starts at noon on Feb. 23 and ends at noon on Feb. 24.

Family Services and its Sexual Assault Center staff have been working hard behind the scenes to create an exciting and inspiring experience for members of the community to engage with our work and help support the survivors we serve.

Together, we aim to raise $60,000 for the Sexual Assault Center to keep its services thriving. But, it’s going to take all of us working together on behalf of those who have experienced sexual assault, abuse or human trafficking to meet our goal.

Whether you choose to donate, share our cause with others, or simply tune in to learn more about our work, it would mean the world to us and our clients to have your support!

You can support us and the other great participating nonprofits at www.givebiggreenbay.org. Thanks to a grant from Green Bay Packers Give Back, every donation made will go even further!

If you haven’t already, please like and follow the Sexual Assault Center on Facebook and Instagram for motivating and inspiring challenges throughout the day, as well as live updates about everything that’s happening.

The Sexual Assault Center will also be hosting a Smartphone & Tablet Recycling in conjunction with its Give BIG campaign, during regular business hours. The drive is aimed at removing old devices from homes to help prevent children and teens from gaining unsupervised access to the internet and social media. Click here to learn more about the drive and our drop-off sites.

(Green Bay, Wis) – The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is inviting parents, caregivers and other community members to drop off their old smartphones, tablets and other handheld devices, Feb. 23-24 to have them recycled for free.

The event is aimed at preventing children and teens from gaining unsupervised access to the internet and is being held in conjunction with the center’s Give BIG Green Bay campaign. Many of the old devices in our junk drawers can still connect to Wi-Fi. With that, kids and teens can use them to gain unsupervised access to social media and messaging apps. This can put them at risk of predators online.

“My hope is that this drive will raise awareness of a simple step parents can take to further ensure their child’s safety,” said Tana Koss, Vice President of programming at Family Services.

Koss says the idea for the drive came in part from the Sexual Assault Center staff and their work with victims of online abuse, harassment and human trafficking. But also, from her own experience as a parent whose child was found to be using an unmonitored device to access the internet.

Holli Fisher, who manages the Sexual Assault Center, says awareness of the issue is key.

“Parents and caregivers play a critical role in protecting kids online. As soon as a child starts using a phone, mobile device or computer, it’s time to talk to them about online behavior and safety.”

Those wishing to drop off their old devices can place them in the collection box in the lobby of Family Services at 300 Crooks St, Green Bay, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. Additional drop-off sites include Ashwaubenon Public Safety, Brown County Sheriff’s Office and the Pulaski Police Department.

Accepted devices include iPods, smartphones, tablets and handheld gaming devices. Laptops or larger will not be accepted.

The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is one of 45 nonprofits selected to participate in Give BIG Green Bay. Those who wish to support their cause and others are encourage to go online and make a donation from noon to noon, Feb. 23-24 at www.givebiggreenbay.org.

To view full detail about the device drive or to help spread the word, download the event flyers in English and Spanish.

(Green Bay, Wis.) – The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is experiencing a shortage of volunteer advocates in Brown County. Volunteer advocates help maintain the center’s 24-hour hotline, which provides support for survivors of sexual assault, abuse or harassment and their loved ones.

At least 10 additional volunteers are needed to help on nights and weekends to ensure that no call goes unanswered. Last year, staff and volunteers of the Sexual Assault Center answered 1,690 hotline calls and provided support and resources to 1,189 individuals in Brown, Door, Oconto and Marinette Counties. Of the survivors served, 42% were under the age of 18.

“Volunteer advocates are a critical part of our program,” says Sexual Assault Center Supervisor Samantha Jurczykowski. “They ensure that victims of sexual assault receive the support they need.”

Volunteer advocates answer hotline calls and may also accompany victims to the hospital for a Sexual Assault Nurse Exam (SANE) and to the police department, if a victim chooses to report the assault. No experience is necessary but volunteers must be over the age of 18. Anyone interested in volunteering should call (920) 436-8899 or apply online using the form below or at https://www.familyservicesnew.org/get-involved. After applying, volunteers must complete the required training, which can be done at their own pace.

The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services is one of 45 nonprofits selected to take part in Give BIG Green Bay this year. Those who are not able to volunteer but would still like to support the Sexual Assault Center with a donation are encouraged to visit www.givebiggreenbay.org and give to the Sexual Assault Center – and other local nonprofits – during the event, Feb. 23-24, noon to noon.

(Green Bay, Wis) – Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin is excited to announce that it is among the 45 nonprofits selected to participate in this year’s Give BIG Green Bay, Feb. 23-24, 2022!

Family Services will be raising funds for its Sexual Assault Center. The program provides free and confidential services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for survivors of sexual assault and abuse in Brown, Door, Oconto and Marinette Counties.

“Family Services Sexual Assault Center is thrilled to be selected for Give BIG Green Bay,” said Lois Mischler, President & CEO of Family Services.

“Being available to support victims of sexual assault from their initial contact and at each step of their healing journey – being at their side and in their corner – is central to our mission. The support that will come from Give BIG will help make this possible throughout the year.”

This will be the fifth year that Give BIG Green Bay has been held. It is hosted by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation in partnership with Green Bay Packers Give Back. This year, Green Bay Packers Give Back is providing $250,000 in matching gift funds.

Last year, 4,854 donors raised more than $2.085 million to support 45 nonprofits serving Brown County. A combined total of more than $5.5 million has been raised through Give BIG Green Bay in its first four years. This will be the third year that Family Services has been selected to participate.

Give BIG Green Bay starts at noon on Feb. 23 and ends at noon on Feb. 24. You can check out all of the participating nonprofits at www.givebiggreenbay.com. Donations must be made online during the 24-hours that the event takes place in order to be counted.

To stay up-to-date on all the ways you can help support the Sexual Assault Center during Give BIG Green Bay, join our email list at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/u8Iq.

By Shelby Mitchell
Human Trafficking Advocate
Sexual Assault Center of Family Services

(Green Bay, Wis) – As we begin a new year, it is a perfect time to reflect on the past year and on the things that are going well. Family Services continues to provide the programs and services that our communities need while knowing how important it is that we be able to adapt our services as these needs change. The issue of human trafficking, for example, is driving the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services to find new ways to care for local survivors of sex trafficking and/or sexual exploitation.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and so it is a great time for us to talk about this vast topic and the trends that we are seeing nationally as well as in Northeast Wisconsin.

Technological Advances

We wouldn’t be able to address this topic without touching on a few other forms of violence that help to fuel it. One of the biggest issues is the ever-increasing advance of technology. From our phones to laptops and the apps we use, technology is growing at a faster rate than parents (or the law-making process) can keep up with. These lightning-speed advances give an upper hand to those who lean on technology to recruit and exploit others for their own financial gain.

Games that tend to attract children and teens are offering more ways to connect and engage will fellow gamers than ever before. These features, while great for connecting with friends, also open the door to predators giving them opportunity to form relationships with potential victims. These relationships, which often seem harmless as first, can set the stage  for future exploitation or abuse. Viral challenges and the ease of posting threats on social media sites like TikTok are another cause for concern.

For more information on these specific technology trends and more, please check out this article from Protect Young Eyes and follow them for up-to-date issues related to online technology and tips on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of online exploitation.

Pornography & Violence

While online recruitment on social media and apps have been gradually increasing over the last number of years, another issue has been around for many, many decades…pornography. Locally, the advocates at the Sexual Assault Center have been seeing a direct link to the viewing consumption of pornography and the link to sexual violence cases. Speaking very generally, the viewing of pornography can lead to an addiction. The more images and videos that someone watches, the more they become desensitized to it. This then leads to viewing pornography that is usually much more violent. After a while, that will no long satisfy the person viewing the pornography and we then see those people becoming “hands-on” offenders who felt the need to act out some of the scenes that they viewed in order to gain arousal.

In an article that was released by Fight the New Drug, they sight the findings of a study stating that “[Porn] consumption was indeed associated with sexual aggression in the United States and internationally, among males and females, and in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Associations were stronger for verbal than physical sexual aggression, although both were significant. The general pattern of results suggested that violent content may be an exacerbating factor.” The full article can be found at: https://fightthenewdrug.org/new-study-shows-that-watching-porn-is-linked-to-real-life-sexual-aggression/

At the Sexual Assault Center, we are working to educate the community and schools about sexual violence in all forms. We developed presentations on sexual abuse in youth/adults, internet safety, social media safety and most recently one on sexting (sending nude or partially nude photos via text) for students and parents. With these presentations being requested in schools across Brown, Door, Oconto and Marinette counties, we are also seeing the need for age appropriate education on the use of pornography as well.

How You Can Help

You can help prevent human trafficking by sharing factual information about sexual violence and information on where survivors can seek help. Donate to the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services to help us continue this critical education for parents, students and community members. Volunteer your time and talents. Follow @sacfsnew on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on the trends we are seeing, events you can attend and posts you can share to help amplify our message.

For more information, to donate or to complete a volunteer application, please visit https://www.familyservicesnew.org/get-involved#donate.  Donations can be directed to the Sexual Assault Center or the area of greatest need.

With your help, we can continue to Protect, Heal and Care for the communities we serve!