As the President of the San Diego Domestic Violence Council, it has been my absolute honor to participate in the development of a multi-prong public awareness campaign surrounding teen dating abuse with the San Diego Chargers. I strongly believe that conversations surrounding healthy relationships, self-worth, and other topics related to the partners we choose for…
Author Archive | Jessica Yaffa
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
I’ve traveled the country this past month (and it’s not over yet) with the intention of bringing awareness to domestic violence and the responsibility we each have to take a stand against it. From Starbucks Headquarters in Seattle, to colleges in San Diego, Michigan, and Missouri, I stay committed to the cause no matter the…
Domestic Violence and Mental Health
Those of us who have experienced domestic violence recognize the number of ways it affects our being. Domestic violence can cause an adverse ripple effect on the emotional and psychological state of a survivor. Panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety are often ignited by domestic violence and/or other severe forms of…
Mine Until Prepares to Launch
In less than one week my memoir, Mine Until will become available across the country. It was with many mixed emotions that I participated in the final read through as it went off to the design team close to two months ago. As I flipped through the pages of what is my life, I was…
In Honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month – When Is It Rape?
Presented by Jessica Yaffa, Author, Speaker, and Survivor Over 80% of sexual assault survivors report knowing their perpetrator. Even more, thousands of young men and women also express feelings of confusion surrounding the existence of rape within the context of relationship. Jessica will share her experiences around her own misconceptions about her being raped, while…
Ringing in the New Year
As we approach the New Year many of us tend to spend time reflecting on the previous months. I’m reminded of the many years I spent reviewing all of the ways in which I had failed, what I wish I could have changed, the guilt I felt surrounding my circumstances, and the deficiency I had…
Oranges Make Orange Juice
I was inspired to write this post after meeting with a colleague where we discussed the dynamic surrounding survivors of domestic violence blaming themselves for the violent outbursts displayed by their partner. I began to express my own experiences around self-blame, of which I’ve had many, when he stopped me. My colleague then shared a…
Redefining Justice
I’ve had countless conversations with women around this idea that the only form of justice suitable for an abusive partner results from the action taken by the criminal justice system. I’d like to challenge each of us to begin to think differently about this. I’m all too familiar with the feelings associated with not feeling…
No More Shame
As I prepare for the upcoming conference at SDSU this coming Saturday I spend some time reflecting on my journey, and which pieces of it I’ll choose to share with the young adults I’ll be speaking to, with the intention of creating opportunities for conversation and learning. In doing so I’m reminded of the many…
Ending Domestic Violence is Everyone’s Responsibility
As I participated in a conversation earlier today with a few new friends it became evident that while there is some awareness around domestic violence as an epidemic, there is little education surrounding what we as a society at large can do to actively make a difference. In sharing my story with these new found…
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