Our Values 
Defining sexual violence: Awakenings defines sexual violence as sexual activity when consent is not obtained or not freely given.
Survivor led: Awakenings was founded by a survivor, we design our space and our programs for survivors, and we include survivor voices at every level of decision- making. We acknowledge that survivors of sexual violence have a diverse array of experiences and backgrounds, and we welcome their input during program and project development, implementation, and evaluation.
Healing through art: Awakenings acknowledges that healing from sexual violence is a personal journey that looks different for each survivor. Access to resources is a privilege, and even when attainable, those resources do not work for everyone. There is a growing body of research proving the efficacy of arts among traumatized individuals. We invite you to read the following report from the World Health Organization to explore the evidence we use to inform our programs.
Trauma Informed Commitment: Awakenings is committed to compassionate and effective practices guided by the principles of trauma informed care. This commitment includes providing trauma-informed training to staff and volunteers; creating a safe environment for staff, volunteers, artists, community partners; addressing vicarious trauma in staff and volunteers; and ongoing self-assessment to ensure we are evolving along with the needs of our community members.
Land Acknowledgment: Awakenings sits on the stolen land of the Sioux, Miami, Potawatomi, Kiikaapoi, and Peoria tribes. As settlers of this unceded territory, we as an organization want to name and respect its original inhabitants. We cannot continue our work to dismantle sexual violence as a weapon of systemic oppression without acknowledging the colonialism we have inherited.
Pictured to the left: The Awakening by Judith Dawn Hickey
