Building Safer Spaces: Harm Reduction in Action Series

Part 3: Working with Survivors of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence: Redefining Trauma through a Harm Reduction Framework, with speakers Tanagra M. Melgarejo, MSW, and Joe Pereira, LICSW, CAS

Tuesday, June 24 (12-2pm EST)

2 CEUs available!

Sponsored by RIZE Massachusetts and the National Harm Reduction Coalition

This webinar will be on Zoom; details will be emailed a day before the webinar.

Webinar description:

This training will explore how sexual and intimate partner violence intersects with other forms of oppression such as substance use living/lived history, sex work history, gender identity/expression, race, class and sexual orientation.  Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how the application of a harm reduction and trauma informed framework to their work with survivors can support their empowerment, wellbeing and self-efficacy. 

Participation will: 

• Identify three ways in which survivors who use drugs experience trauma  and marginalization.

• Name two consequences of violence on a participant's ability to access services.

• Explain three ways to address the intersections of substance use and sexual/intimate partner violence at individual and agency levels.

• Recognize the interconnections of trauma informed services and harm reduction  principles.

Registration fees:

FREE for members and non-members

Register here for part 1: https://www.naswma.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1935371&group=

Register here for part 2: https://www.naswma.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1935375&group=

About the speakers: 

Tanagra M. Melgarejo, MSW was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is the proud daughter of Mexican and Cuban immigrants. She has over 20 years of experience in the fields of organizational and  program development, evaluation, technical assistance, community organizing, and direct service  with underserved/over-surveilled/stigmatized folks, particularly within Latinx communities. She  currently works as the National Learning and Engagement Strategist for the National Harm Reduction Coalition. Her commitment and passion for harm reduction started out in Holyoke, Massachusetts in the 1990’s while she worked as Popular Education Director for a local HIV prevention program. Before  moving to Oakland, she was working in Puerto Rico with women who are survivors of gender based violence, focusing her work and activism around economic/human rights of women. She holds an MSW from the University of Puerto Rico and was a lecturer for social work students at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus and the University of Turabo. Finally, Tanagra identifies as an intersectional feminist who believes in decolonization as the way towards liberation. 

Joe Pereira, LICSW, CAS is a licensed clinical social worker and addictions specialist who has been practicing for over 30 years.  Joe was a co-founder of Outlook Associates of New England, a practice started to assist persons with anger control problems. He is currently in private practice in Arlington, MA offering individual and group therapy as well as training and consultation with a focus on anger management to adults and adolescents. Joe has given numerous trainings locally as well as nationally and internationally on the treatment of anger management problems as well as workplace conflict, chemical addictions and stress management.  He was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal on the topic of working with people with anger control issues and has made an appearance on the Boston local news show “Chronicle” discussing”the topic of road rage. He also was involved with the Massachusetts Medical Society on developing a program for disruptive physicians. Joe has been a lecturer at the Boston University Graduate School of Social Work since 2013.