Committee Against Domestic Abuse: Mankato
The PICS program aims to reduce incidences of sexual violence in our community. In working to achieve that goal, we are building protective environments for gender and sexually diverse (GSD) youth not only by educating this specific group about healthy sexuality and relationships, but also by educating their non-GSD peers and the adults in their lives about embracing the complexity of gender and sexuality, maintaining healthy relationships, identifying sexual exploitation, utilizing bystander intervention techniques, and accessing community resources. Through collaboration with the organizations that serve youth, and with the youth themselves, the PICS program also aims to create sustainable pathways in our community for youth to continue accessing this essential information and to have ample opportunities to practice the skills necessary to build a dynamic community that supports survivors and is dedicated to preventing sexual violence before it happens.
Organization's Mission Statement
In order to reduce sexual violence within our community, The PICS (Prevention Initiatives in Community and Schools) program at CADA (The Committee Against Domestic Abuse) works with youth, and the adults in their lives, to provide accurate information about healthy relationships and healthy sexualities, to offer opportunities to practice the skills necessary to maintain this health, and to connect them with appropriate resources in their schools and in other youth-serving organizations.
Why It's Needed
At CADA, our values include empowerment, prevention, and change. The PICS (Prevention Initiatives in Communities and Schools) project allows us to create a community response to the very real social issue of sexual violence. This project is important because it aims to increase empowerment in gender-and sexually-diverse (GSD) youth and their peers ages 13-20, which is a key piece to creating protective environments for young people. In turn, through our partnership with MNCASA, we are able to work towards true violence prevention. This not only benefits the students and young people in our community directly, but it also creates change in our larger society. This is, in essence, what we hope to have an impact on and why it is so important.
Community Partners
- The Reach Youth Drop-In Center
- District 77 Schools
- Mankato East High School
- Mankato West High School
- Dakota Meadows Middle School
- Prairie Winds Middle School