Chicago is quick on the heels of Burlington- #ManUp w/me on Feb 5 at Northwestern Law, where I’ll be in conversation with Jim Bennett, Chair of the State’s Commission on Hate Crimes & Discrimination & Prof Deborah Tuerkheimer, cosponsored by @thecaase.bsky.social & so many others listed below!

CAASE is thrilled to co-sponsor this event featuring Cynthia Miller-Idriss at Northwestern Law! Join us on Thursday, February 5 at 12pm for a special conversation. Learn more & register: https://ow.ly/GRNh50Y0VwA #GenderJustice #GenderBasedViolence PERIL

"It’s no coincidence that women lawmakers are championing the issue, as they are likely to be targeted by this kind of digital sexual violence." https://19thnews.org/2026/01/senate-defiance-act-nonconsensual-images-deepfakes/ via 19thnews

Coming up this Friday!

"...I am reminded of that truth: we are never just survivors. We are visionaries, builders, and storytellers. Our voices are not whispers of the past but blueprints for a more just, compassionate future." Our newest #SurvivorVoices blog by Dr. Joel Filmore is out now. https://ow.ly/37Kh50XXrQ5

Today, we honor MLK Day. At a time when it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or lose hope, it’s crucial that we continue striving for progress. Addressing racism is vital to ending sexual exploitation. Everyone deserves to feel the true presence of justice. #MLKDay #RacialJustice #SupportSurvivors

Learn seven need-to-know facts about sex trafficking on our blog. The more we know, the more we can help prevent it! https://www.caase.org/truth-about-sex-trafficking/ #HumanTraffickingPreventionMonth

Let's Chat Over Lunch is coming up on the 28th! Join us virtually at 12pm to discuss current cultural events, media, and news headlines related to sexual harm and social injustice. https://www.caase.org/event/lcol/2026-01-28/

CAASE's Legal Director, Elizabeth Payne, will be a panelist at Hiding in Plain Sight: The Institutional Struggle to Combat Human Sex & Labor Trafficking on Tues. 1/20. https://www.fedbarchicago.org/events-cle-opportunities/hiding-plain-sight-institutional-struggle-combat-human-sex-labor-trafficking

Our newest #SurvivorVoices blog is live! Our guest writer is Dr. Joel Filmore, a professor, author, licensed therapist, & former CAASE client. His story explores surviving sex trafficking, & overcoming addiction & incarceration: https://ow.ly/jbnp50XWh2K#SurvivorVoices #HumanTraffickingPreventionMonth

Prevention education can be life-saving. Our educators see it firsthand in classrooms across our community. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/opinion/child-sexual-abuse-prevention.html #PreventionEducation #SupportSurvivors

Thrilled that Elizabeth Payne & Evelyn Field from CAASE's legal team will be presenting at the IL Access to Justice Summit on Friday, Jan. 23, sharing about their work with criminalized survivors! Learn more and register: https://whova.com/portal/registration/JV@lOR58oimFBoCv1Vnn/

Surviving the Mic is this Thursday! Join this online gathering space for survivors of sexual harm and those who support them. We'll have a check-in, discuss current events, and our trauma-informed writing workshop designed for survivors. https://www.caase.org/event/stm/2026-01-15/

"True accountability requires that we also fight for those whose names we may never know, but whose lives and safety matter just as much." Thank you to Mónica Ramírez of Justice for Migrant Women for this thoughtful piece. https://time.com/7342266/migrant-women-sexual-violence-work/

January is #HumanTraffickingPreventionMonth. With various high-profile sex trafficking cases in the news this past year, we heard many cultural conversations around the topic. But misinformation remains. Learn the basics about sex trafficking on our blog: www.caase.org/what-is-sex-trafficking/

Thank you for supporting CAASE's year-end appeal! None of our programs would be possible without the generosity of our supporters like you. Thank you for not only believing in a world free from sexual harm but truly supporting and taking action to make it a reality. 🧡 #SupportSurvivors

Make 2026 the year you join CAASE for one of our monthly events 🌟✨ Save these dates & join us for a Surviving the Mic and Let's Chat Over Lunch! Learn more at caase.org/events-calendar/ #CommunityEngagement #SupportSurvivors

"Re-victimization occurs when a person who has been exploited is led to believe that returning to their previous situation is safer or more viable than the conditions they face outside of it." https://substack.com/home/post/p-181727426

A new year always brings a renewed sense of hope & change. As we set the tone for a new chapter, we hope you’ll think of CAASE & the survivors we serve. You can give the gift of healing, community, & hope. Please make your gift before midnight! ➡️ bit.ly/givetoCAASE 🧡

Survivors in our community are reaching out for critical services in the aftermath of sexual harm. CAASE is here, ready to help in their journeys towards justice & healing. Today, we ask you to stand with CAASE by donating to support our vital work. Please make your gift today! 🎁 bit.ly/givetoCAASE

One of our most popular blogs, and for good reason. Learn more about the challenges, tips, and resources for survivors who are beginning to reclaim sex after assault: https://www.caase.org/sex-after-sexual-assault/ #SupportSurvivors

Read our December blog, Embracing My Power by M. Z. R. Corum. It's part of our new #SurvivorVoices series, where we source and spotlight writing by survivors. ✍️ Read it today! www.caase.org/survivor-voices-embracing-my-power/#SurvivorVoices #SurvivorWriting #SupportSurvivors #BelieveSurvivors

The CAASE team wishes you a happy holiday season! Wishing you all good things as we begin a new year soon. ⛄☕ Our offices will be closed for a holiday break from 12/24 through 1/1. We look forward to connecting with you when we return. In the meantime, there are plenty of resources on caase.org.

Did you know you can access all of CAASE's research and reports on our website? Read or download these reports today: 📑 We’re Listening: What Black Survivors Say About the Sex Trade 📑 Too Little, Too Late? The CPD’s Response to Sex Crimes 📑 and more! https://www.caase.org/research-reports/

“'This tragedy was absolutely foreseeable,' Romanucci said. 'Not only foreseeable as result of Baker’s willful and wanton conduct, but also because of the city of Chicago’s own negligence with respect to the retention and supervision of Baker.'” (1/2)

Have you read our second installment of #SurvivorVoices yet? It's a new series where we source & spotlight writing by survivors, uplifting a diverse array of perspectives, voices, & stories. Read it today! www.caase.org/survivor-voices-embracing-my-power/#SurvivorVoices #SurvivorWriting #SupportSurvivors

Incarcerated people benefit from a physical, meaningful connection to home. These limitations can stand in the way of rehabilitation. https://19thnews.org/2025/12/illinois-prisons-physical-mail-handwritten-letters-mothers/

Surviving the Mic is this Thursday! We begin with a check-in & dialogue on current events, followed by a trauma-informed writing workshop designed for survivors. Attendees can share their writing, if comfortable. Join us virtually on Thursday! https://www.caase.org/event/stm/2025-12-18/

"Survivors of other unspeakable circles of exploitation got word of the evening and joined in solidarity. Among themselves, they developed an informal rallying cry: Alone I'm fearful, but together we are feared." https://time.com/7340275/jeffrey-epstein-files-release/

Supporting a partner who has been sexually assaulted is an ongoing process. Read our blog to learn more about how to encourage and respect them during their healing. 🧡 www.caase.org/support-a-pa...

CAASE is proud to support the Logan Transfer Rapid Response Plan, which aims to mitigate the harm of prison transfers when the facility closes. https://news.wttw.com/2025/12/09/advocates-ask-pritzker-idoc-endorse-transfer-plan-women-logan-prison

Ignoring misogyny has left a gaping hole in how we understand political violence.

Surviving the Mic is one week away! Join CAASE for this monthly virtual gathering on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 3 pm. See you there? Learn more: https://www.caase.org/event/stm/2025-12-18/

We echo our Executive Director, Kaethe Morris Hoffer, in honoring the strength and courage of the women who came forward. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/border-protection-officer-sexually-assaulted-robbed-women-in-2022-prosecutors/3860865/

Our second installment of #SurvivorVoices is live on our blog now! Read the full piece and learn more about writing for Survivor Voices: www.caase.org/survivor-voices-embracing-my-power/#SurvivorVoices #SurvivorWriting #SupportSurvivors #BelieveSurvivors

CAASE has a great time at the Women's Justice Institute winter wonderland event this weekend! Members of our legal team and community engagement team were there to share resources and connect with many people in this community who support incarcerated survivors.

This Sunday! We will be at The Women's Justice Institute's event, providing criminal records advice. Hope to see you there! Learn more and register: ow.ly/gIQW50XBYxo

“'When you make a decision to promote somebody who has disciplinary history like this, you are consciously deciding to signal something about your priorities,' Payne said. 'That’s really unfortunate.'” (1/2)

Earlier this week, our staff and board got together for an end-of-year celebration! It was a great way to start wrapping up another year. Thank you to everyone who came out! ❄️

"The story of women’s liberation isn’t a straight line; the state of women’s rights is blurry and contradictory. Things are moving backward and forward at the same time." #MeToo www.thecut.com/article/why-...

We need your help today on #GivingTuesday! Survivors & students are counting on CAASE's vital programs. Our Giving Tuesday goal is $15k. Will you make a gift now? bit.ly/CAASEGT25 Thank you for your dedication to a world free from sexual harm. Our work isn't possible without you! 🧡

CAASE is looking forward to this event with the Women's Justice Institute! Our legal team will be there to provide criminal records advice. We're proud to sponsor this event and grateful to partner with Women's Justice Institute on this work! Hope to see you there on Sunday.

Support trafficking survivors by supporting The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act TODAY. H.R.4323, The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (TSRA), is on the House Suspension Calendar for tonight at 6:30pm EST. We need to continue urging House leadership to prioritize & vote in favor of this bill.

Happy December! It's a short month with holidays and time off from work coming in just a few short weeks. We hope you'll join us for our monthly virtual gathering, Surviving the Mic, on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 3 pm. Learn more: www.caase.org/event/stm/20...

Our office will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 27, and Friday, Nov. 28. We look forward to connecting when we reopen on Monday. 🧡 In the meantime, you can always find information about our services on caase.org.

We know the holiday season can be a challenging time for survivors. Being mindful of boundaries and having a self-care plan in place can be helpful as we navigate this time of year! Learn more on our blog: www.caase.org/holiday-self...

Giving Tuesday 2025 is just a week away! Save the date on Tuesday, 12/2, for a global day of giving. Your donations support all of our programs, bringing healing to survivors throughout Chicago. Donate to CAASE today and help us reach our $15k goal! (1/2)

Good news for Chicago GBV funding! Sending our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who reached out to their alderpersons to advocate for survivor services! chicago.suntimes.com/chicago/2025...

Feeling thankful this week? Read our new blog to learn more about some insights into what survivors teach us about what they need to be in a place of real thanksgiving. www.caase.org/survivors-th...

Our Criminalized Survivors Project has seen so much success this past year! We're grateful to our dedicated legal team for all the work they do to assist incarcerated survivors.