For the first time, the Gail
Burns-Smith Award honors two advocates who are bridging
support for survivors with treatment for those who cause sexual
harm.
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 5, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The National Sexual Violence Resource Center
(NSVRC) and the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of
Sexual Abuse (ATSA) are pleased to honor Dr. Alissa Ackerman and Casey Ballinger with the 2024 Gail-Burns Smith
Award. Ackerman, co-founder and owner of an organization dedicated
to restorative justice for sexual harm, Ampersands Restorative
Justice, and Ballinger, Training and Technical Assistance Manager
with the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCCASA), will
receive the award during the 2024 National Sexual Assault
Conference®.
Presented jointly by ATSA and NSVRC, the award is named in honor
of Gail Burns-Smith, one of the first advocates to recognize
and speak publicly about the importance of collaboration between
victim advocates and those working in sex offender management to
effectively prevent child sexual abuse.
New in 2024, NSVRC and ATSA are proud to offer this award to two
individuals, one who primarily provides services to those who have
been sexually harmed and another to an individual who provides
treatment or does research in treatment or prevention of sexual
harm.
In the spirit of Burns-Smith's work, Ackerman says she has used
her experiences as a practitioner, academic, and survivor to
understand, "everything she can about sexual offending, the impacts
of sexual victimization, and restorative options for those impacted
by sexual harm." Holding a PhD in Criminal Justice from the
City University of New York, and
serving as the Criminal Justice Department Coordinator and
Associate Professor at California State
University, Fullerton, is just a part of her story as a
researcher and advocate. Early in her career, her research,
"focused on the detrimental impacts of sex crimes policies and
practices in the United States."
This, in combination with her participation in a community-led
treatment program for perpetrators who had committed sexual
offenses in the past, led to her understanding that efforts to
prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment must include
treatment for people who perpetrate. Her work includes authoring
and co-editing eight books, co-authoring a law review article
in CUNY Law Review, writing 35 peer-reviewed journal articles,
hosting two seasons of a podcast (Beyond Fear: The Sex Crimes
Podcast), co-editing a special edition of the Journal of Sexual
Abuse, and giving 75 talks and trainings domestically and
internationally, such as her TEDx Talk in 2018. Her steadfast
dedication to aligning an understanding the underlying factors
behind why sexual violence occurs, the need for individual and
institutional accountability, and pathways to healing for survivors
and people who perpetrate all underscore why she is more than worth
the recognition this award brings.
With respect to providing treatment and services to those who
have experienced sexual harm, awardee Ballinger has given a decade
of her life to aiding and supporting survivors, particularly in the
legal space. A pioneer, Ballinger, "developed and supervised
Colorado's first post-conviction
victim advocacy programming, creating intentional spaces for
survivors to have their voices considered in the treatment and
supervision of those who have caused harm." Her journey to helping
others began with earning her Master's in Social Work from
Colorado State University, and she has
not slowed down since. In addition to her role at CCASA, she is an
appointed victim representative on Colorado's Sex Offender Management Board and a
practitioner representative on the Colorado Restorative Justice
Council. Through her work in post-conviction planning and services,
she says she, "discovered a passion for restorative practices and
finding more opportunities for those impacted by sexual harm to
seek accountability and healing on their own terms." For her
innovation, compassion, and hard work, she excellently represents
the award's goal of connecting victim-centered support for
survivors of sexual assault and prevention efforts focused on
people who perpetrate abuse.
ABOUT ATSA
The Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse is
an international, multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to
preventing sexual abuse. ATSA promotes sound research, effective
evidence-based practice, informed public policy, and collaborative
community strategies that lead to the effective assessment,
treatment, and management of individuals who have sexually abused
or are at risk to abuse. ATSA's members include treatment
providers, researchers and educators, victims' rights advocates,
law enforcement and court officials, and representatives of many
other stakeholder groups. ATSA promotes the philosophy that
empirically based assessment, practice, management, and policies
enhance community safety, reduce sexual recidivism, protect victims
and vulnerable populations, transform the lives of those caught in
the web of sexual violence, and illuminate paths to prevent sexual
abuse.
ABOUT NSVRC
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center
(NSVRC) is the leading nonprofit in providing
information and tools to prevent and respond to
sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into
best practices that help individuals,
communities and service providers achieve
real and lasting change. The
center also works with the media to
promote informed reporting. Every April, NSVRC leads
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a campaign to
educate and engage the public in addressing this widespread issue.
NSVRC is also one of the
three founding organizations of RALIANCE, a
national, collaborative initiative dedicated
to creating equitable, respectful, and safe environments.
NSVRC is a primary division of Respect Together.
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SOURCE National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)