MTMV Community Support Network

Supporting Survivors: Building Online Communities Virtual Workshop. Saturday, May 23rd, 12p-2p ET. Sign up tinyurl.com/MTMVevents (or link in bio) Isolation is one of the biggest challenges survivors of abuse and sexual violence face. The added difficulty of not knowing where to turn for support often deepens this isolation, leading to further trauma. Online communities provide survivors with a vital space to find resources, support, and solidarity. This workshop will explore how to create and nurture survivor-informed, supportive online communities for both survivors and their supporters with special focus on navigating the volatile and precarious nature of social media and these uncertain times. This two hour virtual workshop will cover a variety of topics, including but not limited to: • Choosing the right online/social media platform for you; • How online spaces can be beneficial for both supporters and survivors; • Tips for building online communities that align with your own unique goals; • Resources for making content accessible to people with different needs, including those who are blind, Deaf, hard of hearing, or live in low bandwidth areas; • How to set and maintain healthy boundaries within your community spaces; • Navigating potential safety concerns; • Social media at uncertain times; • This workshop will also include space for individual questions. (2/3) This workshop’s created by Lauren Weingarten (she/her). A survivor, a victim advocate, trauma support specialist, and community builder. She is the voice and founder of MTMV Community Support Network, one of the first social media-based support communities established for survivors & supporters of survivors. Her work has shaped how we talk about trauma and sexual violence online. She is passionate about community as justice and leading conversations surrounding mental health, trauma, and survivor-informed care. Lauren works both directly with survivors and their supporters leading support groups, workshops, and trainings. As a consultant, she works with many organizations and institutions that serve the survivor community. (3/3) Image descriptions: the first three slides is the text above.

Looking ahead at May for MTMV. 🗓️ 1️⃣ Two awesome virtual workshops this month. 5/6 Survivor-Informed Journalism 101 with @survivorstoriesdeservebetter x @morethanastoryworkshops and 5/23 Building Online Communities. [tinyurl.com/MTMVevents] 2️⃣ We have some spots in MTMV’s longest running virtual support group. This weekly Thursday group has been going for over 6 years. [mtmvsupport.com/peer-support] 3️⃣ By request, we will be trialing the Age 40+ Group twice a month rather than meeting monthly. Free to sliding scale. 5/11 and 5/18. [tinyurl.com/40plusMTMV] 4️⃣ Our Surviving Fascism Support Group returns 5/13. Free to sliding scale. [tinyurl.com/ We will return to holding a monthly community event and Chronic Illness Support Group in early June. DM or email with any questions. Image descriptions: Teal background. Heading reads, MTMV Community Events. 5/6 Survivor-informed Journalism 101 Workshop 5/7 Weekly Survivor Support Group 5/11 Age 40+ Support Group 5/13 Surviving Fascism Support Group 5/14 Weekly Survivor Support Group 5/18 Age 40+ Support group 5/21 Weekly Survivor Support Group 5/23 Building Online Communities Workshop. End description. @mtmvcommunity is one of the first social media-based communities for survivors and their supporters. We offer peer support, groups, workshops, consulting, events, and resources for individuals affected by trauma, abuse, and sexualized violence (and those who support them) across the globe. MTMV also connects individuals with resources aimed at enhancing mental health and overall well-being. In a world that judges and ostracizes victims, community is justice. #MeTooManyVoices #SurvivorSupport #SurvivorCommunity #CommunityCare #SurvivorHealing

Survivors and their supporters deserve access to support, justice, and care. I’m here to help you figure out what that looks like for you. Check out the story highlights towards the top of the MTMV profile page. DM or email [email protected] to learn more. Image description: White background with text that reads, Learn how MTMV can support you. Find these guides in our story highlights. There are pictures of three different colorful guides that speak to work MTMV does. Guide 1: More than Trauma Informed. Survivor Informed. MTMV Offers Survivor-Led Individual & Group Support. “I’m a survivor, a credentialed victim advocate, and trauma support specialist.” Secure Virtual Sessions International Bookings Sliding Scale / Guide 2: More than trauma-informed. Survivor-informed. MTMV offers workshops and customized project-based consulting, events, and trainings. Learn more at mtmvsupport.com or email [email protected] / Guide 3: Support survivors in style :) MTMV Survivor Made Survivor Shop Gift Guide. End description.

Recuerda que nadie puede obligarte a compartir detalles de lo que te paso. Es tu historia y tú decides con quien compartirla y que tanto deseas compartir. Es un proceso y todos vamos a nuestro ritmo, quizá haya días en que quieras compartir más detalles y otros donde no quieras hablar nada del tema. El hablarlo siempre ayuda, pero creo que debes de hacerlo solo si te sientes list@ y con personas que en verdad confies. Obligar a alguien a que cuente su historia cuando aún no esta list@, creo que puede llegar a ser contraproducente y lastimar más a una persona que de por si ya esta sufriendo por lo que paso. Post original en ingles: mtmvcommunity ❤️‍🩹 #trauma #emociones #pstd #psicologia #resiliencia AlwaysKeepFighting

Survivors wouldn’t have to be so brave and resilient if they had more support from the folks around them. Video description: Video of a woodsy outside area with a large bubble. There is a text overlay of the above caption. End description. Follow @thesurvivorinformedadvocate for survivor support and musings from the survivor experience. #SurvivorSupport #SurvivorExperience #MeTooManyVoices #TraumaHealing #VictimSupport

Meant to share this last week! We always get pushback when we post about our valid concerns regarding AI so it’s important we keep talking about it. As always, we want to remind folks this is not about survivors using AI for their individual support needs. This is about advocacy groups and organizations in the survivor space and the larger picture of using AI. Video description: Video of a white, blonde woman at a microphone. A text overlay reads, A non-exhaustive list of why we say no to Al as a survivor org. It’s devastating to the environment. It steals survivor stories and expertise. (Survivors of color, disabled, and queer survivors are disproportionately impacted.) It’s not consensual. It contributes to the mis/disinformation crisis. The lack of safe guards against CSAM and deep fakes. Critical survivor services are being defunded and we shouldn’t give our jobs away. Survivors are the experts. Data centers destroy communities. It does not align with our values. End description. #MeTooManyVoices #NoAI #SurvivorAdvocacy #CommunitySupport #SurvivorCommunity

Supporting Survivors: Building Online Communities Virtual Workshop. Saturday, May 23rd, 12p-2p ET. Sign up tinyurl.com/MTMVevents (or link in bio) Isolation is one of the biggest challenges survivors of abuse and sexual violence face. The added difficulty of not knowing where to turn for support often deepens this isolation, leading to further trauma. Online communities provide survivors with a vital space to find resources, support, and solidarity. This workshop will explore how to create and nurture survivor-informed, supportive online communities for both survivors and their supporters with special focus on navigating the volatile and precarious nature of social media and these uncertain times. This two hour virtual workshop will cover a variety of topics, including but not limited to: • Choosing the right online/social media platform for you; • How online spaces can be beneficial for both supporters and survivors; • Tips for building online communities that align with your own unique goals; • Resources for making content accessible to people with different needs, including those who are blind, Deaf, hard of hearing, or live in low bandwidth areas; • How to set and maintain healthy boundaries within your community spaces; • Navigating potential safety concerns; • Social media at uncertain times; • This workshop will also include space for individual questions. (2/3) This workshop’s created by Lauren Weingarten (she/her). A survivor, a victim advocate, trauma support specialist, and community builder. She is the voice and founder of MTMV Community Support Network, one of the first social media-based support communities established for survivors & supporters of survivors. Her work has shaped how we talk about trauma and sexual violence online. She is passionate about community as justice and leading conversations surrounding mental health, trauma, and survivor-informed care. Lauren works both directly with survivors and their supporters leading support groups, workshops, and trainings. As a consultant, she works with many organizations and institutions that serve the survivor community. (3/3) Image descriptions: the first three slides is the text above.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we are holding space for survivors of sexual assault and reminding every person healing from trauma that their story matters. Survivor affirmations can be a small but powerful way to reconnect with self-worth, safety, and hope. You are worthy. You are valuable. It was not your fault. Healing is not linear, but you deserve support every step of the way. Save this post for a hard day, share it with someone who may need the reminder, and visit I Have The Right To for survivor support, student safety resources, and tools for building communities rooted in respect. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #SurvivorSupport #SurvivorAffirmations

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Traumatic stress isn’t a mental illness but it is a mental health issue. (slide 1/4) Trauma is an injury not an illness though it often impacts your mental health. Experiencing the initial abuse then trying to heal in a society that favors perpetrators while struggling to survive is all continuous violence that takes a toll. So unfortunately, it makes sense that both your mental and physical health will be impacted. (slide 2/4) Survivors of abuse and sexualized violence have an increased chance of experiencing depression, suicidality, anxiety, disordered eating, sleep issues, and other mental health concerns. (slide 3/4) Please remember the importance of supporting survivors. Supporting survivors means supporting yourself, too. May is Mental Health Awareness Month but your mental health matters all year long. (slide 4/4) Image descriptions: Text above with background photos of pink and blue puzzle pieces and flowers. End description. @mtmvcommunity is one of the first social media-based communities for survivors and their supporters. We offer peer support, groups, workshops, consulting, events, and resources for individuals affected by trauma, abuse, and sexual violence (and those who support them) across the globe. MTMV also connects individuals with resources aimed at enhancing mental health and overall well-being. In a world that disparages and ostracizes victims, community is justice. #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MeTooManyVoices #TraumaticStress #ImpactOfTrauma

Some thoughts for journalists and storytellers interested in building survivor-informed practices of care. Image descriptions: Each slide has text with a light beige background. Slide 1: Some thoughts for journalists and storytellers (interested in building survivor-informed practices of care.) / Slide 2: Survivor-informed care in journalism isn’t about going down a checklist. Rather, it’s about building ongoing practices of care to use throughout the reporting process. / Slide 3: Aim to find a balance between working with the systems you are dealt while also pushing against those same systems toward more trauma-responsive and survivor-informed methods. / Slide 4: It is crucial to acknowledge the inherent power differentials between storyteller and story owner. / Slide 5: Take the time to communicate and process the story or content you are creating. It’s both beneficial for the project and also helps to prevent trauma and burnout from exposure to these topics. / Slide 6: Storytellers should not have to disclose their identity as a survivor, but they should not be treated as biased if they do. Further, developing trauma-responsive practices for storytelling staff is essential in creating a conducive environment for this work. / Slide 7: Set realistic goals and objectives. It’s not all going to change overnight. Small changes make big differences. Learn more about survivor-informed journalism @SurvivorStoriesDeserveBetter . End description. Follow @survivorstoriesdeservebetter for more survivor-informed journalism tips. Toolkit coming soon! #SurvivorInformedJournalism #EthicalJournalism #SurvivorStoriesDeserveBetter #TraumaResponsive #SurvivorStorytelling

Both the police and my friends were supportive after I was mugged. The same cannot be said after I was assaulted. This is abuse culture. Video description: Photo of a white woman with red hair. A text overlay reads, No one asked me what I was wearing after I was mugged at gunpoint but I’ve constantly been blamed for what I was wearing the night I was r@ped . End description. Follow @thesurvivorinformedadvocate for survivor support and musings from the survivor experience. #VictimBlaming. #AbuseCulture #CrimeVictim #VictimSupport #SurvivorJustice

You matter. You deserve love and happiness. 🌼 Image description: Background is a photo of yellow flowers. A text overlay reads, Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is mothering & reparenting themselves. You are worthy of all the love and happiness in the world. End description. @mtmvcommunity is one of the first social media-based communities for survivors and their supporters. We offer peer support, groups, workshops, consulting, events, and resources for individuals affected by trauma, abuse, and sexual violence (and those who support them) across the globe. MTMV also connects individuals with resources aimed at enhancing mental health and overall well-being. In a world that disparages and ostracizes victims, community is justice. #MothersDay #MotheringYourself #SurvivorSupport #MeTooManyVoices #YouMatter