Education & Public Policy

Day at the Capitol

We are excited to continue with "Day at the Capitol" where you can talk with your legislators!

The Education & Public Policy Committee is also planning to hold a Zoom preparation event prior to that day to make sure your questions are answered and you can feel prepared!

- Preparation/Q & A session will occur from noon-1pm via Zoom on Wednesday, March 9th
- Day at the Capitol is scheduled for Thursday, March 10th!

**The date and day is a placeholder as meetings may be scheduled via Zoom. It is unclear if anyone will physically be at the capitol for the session due to the COVID-19 variant.

MnATSA is constantly striving to help lawmakers & professionals have access to up to date research in the field, fact sheets, MnATSA Statement, & Informational Papers.

MnATSA Statement on Racism

Racial disparities in Minnesota create imbalances in the distribution of economic resources, opportunities, and access to services that are among the worst in the nation. These imbalances extend to the intersections that exist between racism, sexual violence, and incarceration. Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionally subjected to sexual violence and are incarcerated at disproportionate rates. Protests occurring in the Twin Cities and throughout the world are indications of the severe impact systemic racism has on so many individuals.

The services MnATSA members provide (treatment, supervision, legal representation, etc.) link us to this system and create a responsibility to address the racial oppression that impacts so many of our clients. We must better understand the intersections between racism, sexual violence, and incarceration if we are to effectively work with the people we serve. We as an organization are committed to addressing sexual abuse issues, and we must recognize that we cannot combat sexual violence unless we also actively combat racism.

The MnATSA Board, MnATSA membership, and service providers in our state are predominately white, while the people we serve are disproportionately BIPOC. MnATSA members are encouraged to understand racial disparities in Minnesota, to understand the impact of systemic racism in our work, and to do the work in addressing racism and privilege within ourselves and the systems in which we work. Effectively combating sexual violence and racism requires each person to take action, both individually and as part of the larger society.

MnATSA’s mission is the multidisciplinary promotion of education, research, and professional intervention regarding sexual abuse issues. MnATSA is committed to continuing to provide training and resources on understanding and combating racism in the services provided to people who have engaged in sexually abusive behavior. The MnATSA Board is committed to being actively anti-racist, including engaging colleagues in discussions about racism and privilege, and confronting racial issues when they arise in our day-to-day work. Please see the Resources page on the MnATSA website. We also would like to hear from MnATSA members on ways we can support you in understanding and combating racism in your work and suggestions you have about how MnATSA can actively support anti-racism. MnATSA is committed to holding trainings in support of anti-racism, increasing visibility among our membership of local community agencies doing anti-racism/racial equity work, and encouraging members to do the work in being actively anti-racist.

MnATSA Resources

MnATSA Fact Sheet

MnATSA members have specialized knowledge about sexual offending. We stand ready to serve as resources to policy makers who are considering legislation addressing the costs (both financial and human) of sexual violence.

MnCASA Info & Site

MNCASA policy efforts promote change by strengthening prevention approaches, supporting targeted funding, and building a strong justice system response through effective laws and policies.

Child Sexual Abuse Image Offenders Fact Sheet

Through research, education, and shared learning MnATSA and its parent organization,ATSA, promote evidence-based practice, public policy, and community strategies that lead to the effective assessment, treatment, and management of individuals who have sexually abused or are at risk to sexually abuse.

Residency Restrictions for Sexual Offenders (Informational Paper)

Residency or zone restrictions for individuals with sexual offences have become increasingly popular in recent years, but such restrictions tend to be rooted in fear and anger, rather than informed public policy. “There is no research to support residence restrictions as effective in reducing sexual recidivism.”1 The Minnesota Department of Corrections concluded in one study that, “during the past 16 years, not one sex offender released from a MCF (Minnesota Correctional Facility) has been re- incarcerated for a sex offense in which he made contact with a juvenile victim near a school, park, or daycare center close to his home.”2

MnATSA Statement on Sexual Harassment

The Minnesota Chapter of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (MnATSA) is the state chapter of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA). MnATSA is a non-profit, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to making society safer by preventing sexual abuse. MnATSA 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. MnATSA is dedicated to the advancement of education, research and professional intervention regarding sexual abuse issues and prevention in the state of Minnesota.

 

In this spirit, MnATSA encourages a dialogue around recent events regarding sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is on the continuum of sexual abuse and has a ripple effect for not only the individuals involved, and their families but the community as a whole. MnATSA recognizes that sexual abuse and sexual harassment are complicated and very personal. That said, no one should be subjected to sexual harassment. MnATSA reasserts its mission to creating a safer society for ALL people and to ending sexual assault in all its forms. MnATSA also takes this opportunity to applaud and support those individuals who have courageously stepped forward. When ALL people take violations of personal boundaries seriously and are assertive in wanting to make change and holding others accountable, prevention is possible.

The MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MnCASA) has put together a Sexual Harassment Resource Packet.

Is Sex Offender Treatment Effective (Informational Paper)?

There are many factors that contribute to the efficacy of treatment for sex offenders, but it is important to understand that ‘sex offenders’ are a highly diverse group of people (mostly men) who have sexually offended in a variety of ways. Rather than asking whether treatment is effective, perhaps the better questions are what kind of treatment is indicated? Or perhaps how much treatment is enough? But when people ask, “Is sex offender treatment effective,” what they typically want to know is, “Does treatment ‘work’?”