Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma

01/29/2026

IVAT is honored to announce Ilima-Lei Macfarlane as the Opening Plenary Speaker for the 23rd Hawaiʻi Summit.

In this opening plenary, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane shares her journey as a Native-Hawaiian woman who rose to the top of professional MMA while confronting the long-term impacts of childhood sexual abuse and helping bring her perpetrator to federal sentencing in 2024.

She reflects on how self-defense and combat sports became critical tools for healing—reclaiming bodily autonomy, rebuilding trust in her instincts, and transforming survival into strength. Centering the disproportionate impact of violence on Native Hawaiian girls and women, this keynote examines how silence is sustained by cultural, historical, and institutional forces, and calls on practitioners and advocates to recognize survivor-led, embodied approaches to healing, prevention, and accountability across the lifespan.

🔗Don't miss this powerful Opening Plenary — registration link in comments!

01/28/2026

🚨Less than one week to register for this upcoming webinar on Moral Injury. Join IVAT Director of Forensic Training and practicum students to enhance your awareness of moral injury to support your diagnostic precision and inform your interventions. Registration info in original post!

Have you been keeping an eye on DSM-5 updates? Let us help! With recent expanded Z-code recognition, "moral injury" is gaining overdue attention.

This webinar explores what moral injury is (and isn't), why it's commonly misunderstood, and how understanding moral injury can lead to a stronger therapeutic alliance and diagnostic precision.

🗓️ Wednesday, February 4, 10:00am - 11:30am PT

🔗 Link to register in comments!

01/27/2026

At the heart of the 23rd Hawaiʻi Summit are keynote panels that confront difficult but necessary questions. From the changes needed in family court to the implications of canceling science research, these critical conversations bring together experts and lived experience to unpack what’s at stake, what must change, and what we can do together. Attend the Summit on March 3rd for your chance to join these Keynote Panels (E Sessions), where panelists present for 30 minutes on their focus area related to the overall topic, ending in 30 minutes of Q&A with attendees.

Be part of the conversation. Registration link in comments!

01/27/2026

This year's International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27th, 2026, marks 81 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau. We honor the millions of lives lost in the Holocaust and remember the human cost of hatred, silence, and indifference. IVAT joins the global community in remembrance and in reaffirming our commitment to oppose antisemitism, racism, and all forms of discrimination-based violence.

We remember. We educate. We stand against hate—today and always.

01/26/2026

More than 1 in 5 women and approximately 1 in 10 men in the U.S. experience stalking in their lifetimes. It is a deeply traumatic victimization, with survivors suffering mental, emotional, and physical health effects. In addition, stalking often intersects with other crimes, including sexual violence, physical violence, and even homicide. Despite this, stalking is often trivialized and misrepresented in our society: the word “stalking” is used casually in conversation, our media romanticizes stalking behaviors, and stalking survivors are frequently dismissed and ignored. Few resources exist to support victims and survivors of stalking. Stalking will not be taken seriously until all of us — victims, survivors, friends, family, neighbors, service providers, and legal professionals — demand that stalking be recognized for the urgent and dangerous crime that it is. - Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center (SPARC)

Sign the pledge this Stalking Awareness Month to know it, name it, and stop it - link in comments.

01/23/2026

We've earned our 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency with Candid and are working to achieve the 2026 Platinum Seal. We rely on our profile to gather support; it enables funders and donors to find us and learn about our impact. Keep up with our work in the community so you can see what your donations help us accomplish!

01/22/2026

This National Stalking Awareness Month, learn practical strategies for technology-inclusive safety planning from Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center and the National Resource Center on Cybercrimes.

🗓️ January 30, 2026 @ 11am Pacific Time

🔗 Registration link in comments!

01/21/2026

📸 Through Their Lens: A Teen Photo Exhibit, at the 23rd Hawaiʻi Summit for the first time!

This special exhibit is just one way the 23rd Hawai'i Summit supports art as a tool for reflection and healing in young people. The Youth Arts Challenge is another. Open to Hawaiʻi residential youth, submit your artwork or poetry for a chance to win the grand prize of a $20,000 scholarship to Chaminade University of Honolulu! Most art mediums welcome, including drawings, paintings, digital art photography, sculptures, wood carvings, ceramics, and more.

🔗 Link in the comments to learn more about the Youth Arts Challenge. While you're there, tell us what inspires your art!

01/21/2026

The rapid expansion of ICE threatens our communities, human rights, and essential public services. Learn how policies under the Trump administration are putting America at risk and discover how you can make a difference. Read the full article and take action today! Please share! ✊🌎

Read more from the CIRCLE here:
https://www.circle4future.org/news/how-ices-rapid-expansion-endangers-public-safety-and-human-rights-while-draining-essential-services

01/20/2026

Heads up! 👋

This webinar is being postponed. Follow us so you don’t miss the latest updates on the new date!

01/20/2026

Snag your last minute registration - happening today at 11:00am Pacific Time!

On January 20th at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, our very own Director of Training, Mikayla Simeral, is being featured on the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT)'s webinar, "Criminal or Victim? Understanding the Evolution of Domestic Minor S*x Trafficking and the Unjust Criminalization of Trafficked Youth." The cost to attend is $40, a portion of that will be donated to Shared Hope International! https://ivat.ce21.com/item/criminal-victim-understanding-evolution-domestic-minor-sex-trafficking-unjust-criminalization-trafficked-youth-736891

01/20/2026

🌺 👀 HI Summit Sneak Peek 👀🌺

Healing happens together. With 100+ breakout sessions, the 23rd Hawaiʻi Summit centers collective healing and resilience through culture, connection, and care. Here’s a preview of sessions advancing thoughtful, community-rooted su***de prevention:

🔹 Session C08 Part II - Hope Across Platforms: Balancing Advocacy and Sensitivity in Su***de Prevention on Social Media

🔹 Session D08 Part I - Collective Care on Campus: A Scoping Review of Su***de-Prevention Policies & Practices

🔹 Session F04 - Hawaii’s Su***de Prevention Strategic Plan: An Example of Community-Driven Strategic Planning in Su***de Prevention

These conversations remind us that prevention is shared work—across platforms, campuses, and communities. Check out the full Summit agenda and register with the link in the comments!