The ASADV Board would like to provide an update to the community regarding the recent name change discussion and the organization’s 2012 priorities. The Board has decided not to move forward with the name change at this time. Below is a summary of our thought process that includes feedback from various members of the community.

In its October 5th announcement, the ASADV Board shared its thoughts about the agency’s name and specifically, the use of the term “victim.”  The foundation for these ideas was based on the current language trends in the field of domestic violence and professional research that focuses on the use of positive language in the healing process. The term “victim” can be viewed as a barrier to the recovery process. It is not our aim to label client’s situations or experiences, but rather to educate them about the process and to inspire a sense of hope.  It is ASADV’s philosophy to view its clients as survivors and provide the necessary advocacy services that allows them to be empowered and successful. The ASADV Board’s sincere original intent was to strengthen the organization by adjusting the name to appropriately reflect this philosophy.

In the past few months, the ASADV Board has collected a diverse array of feedback about the proposed name change from various individuals, local community members and the original founders.   Feedback was collected by 1:1 meetings, emails and a community forum. Through this feedback, there is a clear strong connection between community members and the ASADV name itself, especially given the organization’s long history of volunteerism. Additionally, the term “victim” does continue to carry much weight in various client situations, even if the trends are changing. There remains much debate on this topic that warrants more investigation and follow-up.

Given this mixed feedback, the ASADV Board has recognized that a name change is not in the best interests of the organization or the community at this time. The Board will continue to keep a watchful eye on professional trends and the impact the inclusion of the word “victim” in the organization’s name may have on funding, client services and community support.  If the ASADV team feels that this topic needs to be revisited, we will engage the community for further dialogue and feedback.

As we head into 2012, the Board will continue to focus on major fundraising efforts that will ensure ASADV has the resources needed to best serve its clients.  We are also planning for our 2nd annual conference, scheduled for January 28, 2012.   Information about the conference is available on our website.

All questions and comments to welcome, and they can be directed to Jamie Munro, ASADV Board president at james.munro@asadv.org.

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