We are so proud of our very own Dr. Gail Stern for being the recipient of EVAWI’s Media Excellence award of 2018.
From End Violence Against Women International website:
Each year we have the distinct pleasure of honoring courageous leaders in the field, at the opening session of our conference. Join us in Chicago April 3rd – 5th, 2018, as we recognize these three trailblazers at our International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Gender Bias.
CRITERIA FOR THE MEDIA EXCELLENCE AWARD: This award is given to journalists or other representatives of the media whose work achieves the highest standards of excellence in addressing the issues of violence against women. Accomplishing this goal requires pursuing the facts diligently to ensure that they accurately portray the real-world dynamics of violence against women, and the personal experiences of those whose lives are devastated by sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and stalking. Because the issues are complex, and often misunderstood by professionals and the public alike, representatives of the media who strive to “get the story right” often face an uphill battle of generating interest in the topic, sustaining support to follow it through, and reaching a wide and diverse audience with the information. Those who truly create a lasting impact then push beyond the “story,” to work collaboratively with professionals in their community who serve the needs of victims and pursue offender accountability. Because their work can alter the landscape of societal attitudes toward women, award recipients have the potential to truly change the world — by helping to prevent violence against women and respond appropriately when it does occur.
2018 Media Excellence Award – Presented to Dr. Gail Stern
For her decades of work changing the cultural dialogue around sex, gender roles, and sexual assault. Dr. Stern is the co-founder of Catharsis Productions, which has provided over 10,000 educational presentations, at more than 1,000 universities and 400 military installations. She co-authored the non-stranger rape prevention program ‘Sex Signals,’ and authored the programs, ‘Beat the Blame Game,’ and ‘Teaching Rape as a Moral Issue.’ She is also the co-creator of the Force of Awesome Institute, a training program for violence prevention educators that incorporates her research on using humor to reduce emotional and cognitive resistance to challenging issues, along with her 30 years of experience in stand-up and improvisational comedy.
Award presented at the 2018 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Gender Bias, April 3-5, 2018 at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago, IL.
Catharsis Productions
Catharsis Productions' mission is to change the world by producing innovative, accessible and research-supported programming that challenges oppressive attitudes and shifts behavior.