What I Talk About When I Talk About ATSA

by Aniss Benelmouffok

It usually happens after the server takes our drink orders. A new acquaintance sitting across from me will politely ask where I work. 

“What do you do?” 

For friends who have previously gone down this path, this is well-tread territory. I can sense their shoulders droop, their eyes re-scanning the dessert menu. We’re going to talk about sexual abuse—and depending on the willingness of my new acquaintance it might be the only thing we talk about all night. 

"I work for an international non-profit preventing sexual abuse."

"Oh wow," they whisper, "Thank you, that is such important work. Good for you."  Do I bask in their praise and smile contentedly or do I delve deeper? 

It is important work—carried out by thousands of ATSA members whom I’ve had the privilege to work with and represent. But their gratitude is for the willingness to face trauma. They instinctively recognize it as an act done on behalf of society.

So when I accept their thanks, I make it clear it's on behalf of ATSA’s members—those who turn toward the hard truths every day in the service of preventing and treating sexual harm.

"I work for a membership organization of treatment providers, researchers, and professionals within the criminal justice system who treat and manage individuals at risk of causing sexual harm." 

At this point, the table is typically silent. My friend will have to tell us about his kayaking trip off the coast of Seattle next time. The questions and conversation will pour out. And the thing is, this conversation energizes me every time.  We discuss who is at risk of causing sexual harm, the effectiveness of treatment, that a significant proportion of sexual harm is perpetrated by youth, how sexual harm often occurs within the context of a household, and the ways fear and retribution make our policies less effective to prevent harm before it occurs. Everyone is affected by sexual harm, directly or indirectly, this is never more clear than during these conversations. These topics are foundational to ATSA members, but can be revelatory at the dinner table.

As ATSA's Director of Public Affairs, and the Editor of the ATSA blog, I am eager to bring that energy for these conversations to the blog. I hope to promote our members voices in alignment with ATSA’s mission, our strategic plan, and the evolving policy agenda. I invite all members to reach out to me to collaborate on future submissions that support this direction. If you have a post in mind, feel free to send a brief outline or summary or if you want to bounce ideas around - well that's one of my favorite things to do- lets do it!  
 
I’d like to acknowledge and thank the previous bloggers—Kieran McCartan, David Prescott, Kasia Uzieblo, and Robin J. Wilson—and the regular and guest bloggers who built this platform. I look forward to building on their foundation and continuing the conversations the blog has fostered for over a decade. 

In true ATSA fashion, we have the numbers to prove it: over 1.26 million views, more than 300,000 words, and 575 posts shared to date.

Let's add a few more views to that count. I look forward to sharing the stories of ATSA members and the vital work they do.