A Special Roundup for the Year of Digital Safety. Check out these curated resources for a deeper understanding of digital violence.
July 2025 Resource Roundup
Project SAGE in the Community
Welcome Our New Office Manager Angel Falzone
Project SAGE Celebrates Disability Pride Month
Project SAGE in the News: May 2025
The Lakeville Journal
Trade Secrets at 25
On May 17 and 18, the 25th anniversary of Trade Secrets will unfurl like a perennial in full bloom. Held at Lime Rock Park and at private gardens in the area, the beloved garden and antiques fundraiser is part curated spectacle...Read the article here.
The Kent Dispatch
Project SAGE gets Purple Ribbon award
Project SAGE has received a Purple Ribbon Award from the Alliance for Hope International, which honored it as the Youth Initiative of the Year... Read more here.
The Lakeville Journal
Project SAGE receives Purple Ribbon Award
Project SAGE has been named Youth Initiative of the Year in the Purple Ribbon Awards presented by Alliance for HOPE International. Read the full story here.
May 2025 Tech-related Resource Roundup
PODCAST: Deepfake Technology and A.I. in Sexual Exploitation - Ending Sexploitation Podcast
In this episode of the Ending Sexploitation podcast , senior staff from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation discuss the current state of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology in the realm of sexual exploitation. Overwhelmingly, these tools are used for pornographic material, and 10% of teenagers have reported being aware of deepfake pornography depicting someone they know. Learn more and find out how you can advocate for meaningful change here.
ARTICLE: What Is Sextortion? And What to Do If It Happens to You
If someone is threatening to share private and explicit/nude photos or videos of you, even AI-generated ones, that’s called sextortion. It’s a crime. It’s happening to a lot of young people. And it’s not their fault. Read about how parents can help a teen who’s being blackmailed with sextortion.
ARTICLE: Take It Down Act
On April 28, 2025, Congress passed historic legislation to combat the online spread of non-consensual intimate images (NCII).. The TAKE IT DOWN Act represents a monumental shift in protecting victims—especially children and survivors of tech-enabled sexual abuse—from exploitation in the digital age. Read more here.
WEB RESOURCE: Social AI Companions
According to testing commissioned by commonsense.org (a leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools), social AI companions – AI-powered “assistants” designed to engage in interactive, realistic-seeming conversation – pose unacceptable risks to teens and children under 18, including encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions. See the results of the tests, read about the concerns, and view guidance and recommendations here.
May 2025 Resource Roundup
ARTICLE: How to Divorce an Abusive Spouse Military Edition
Divorcing an abusive partner is a complicated endeavor. If he or she is a member of the U.S. military, the process can be even more arduous. Explore one survivor’s story of navigating this often fraught process, and read advice from a family court strategist here.
VIDEO: New report details state's response to human trafficking through victims' eyes
Sex trafficking happens everywhere. Even here. Connecticut officials say that since Covid, sex trafficking in the state has been on the rise with no signs of slowing. A recent report on victims as young as 12 highlights some of the challenges facing the state in combating this abuse. Learn more in this two-minute news short.
Summer at Project SAGE
Summer leading into fall is one of the busiest times of the year for Project SAGE community outreach. It’s the season when we set up our table at community events and share information about healthy relationships – and how to get help if you have any questions or concerns about a relationship – all throughout the Northwest Corner.
This year, you can find Project SAGE at all of these events – and more! Just look for the purple table and the Project SAGE banner. If you see us, please stop by and say hello. And tell your friends to stop by as well. We can’t wait to see you at one of these events!
North Canaan Spring Fest: Saturday, May 31
Kent Farmers Market: 2nd Friday of every month, June-October
Sharon Arts on the Green: Saturday, August 2
Lakeville Journal Community Street Fair: Saturday, August 2
Kent Sidewalk Sale: August
North Canaan Railroad Days: August
Cornwall Agricultural Fair: September
Kent Carnival: TBA
Falls Village Fall Festival: October
Salisbury Fall Festival: October
Mohawk Mountain Fall Festival: October
April 2025 Tech-related Resource Roundup
ARTICLE: What Adolescence gets right (and wrong) about the manosphere
The Netflix series Adolescence raises the important issue of online radicalization and the manosphere – but there is no straightforward reason as to how or why young people are radicalized to commit extreme acts of violence. Read more about how this series sheds light on the phenomenon of online radicalization.
SERIES: Adolescence
Watch Adolescence on Netflix. Watch now.
SHORT VIDEO: Dirty Dozen List 2025 Presents: Communications Decency Act Section 230
Every year, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation presents a Dirty Dozen List targeting 12 entities or platforms that they find to be facilitating, enabling, or profiting from sexual abuse and exploitation. This year, they are focusing on 12 stories that unmask the real root of the problem: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Watch this 2-minute video to learn more and find out how you can take action. Watch now.
ARTICLE: When Abusers Threaten Revenge Porn
Sharing explicit images without permission or “leaking nudes” is a form of sexual violence that is used to exert control over a partner or ex-partner. Learn more about this coercive tactic and what you can do if you are targeted. Read now.
April 2025 Resource Roundup
ARTICLE: Ask Amanda: Should I Text My Ex?
Should you text a red-flag ex? Amanda of the monthly relationship-advice column Ask Amanda weighs in on the subject. Read now.
VIDEO: 10 Signs of Financial Abuse You May Be Missing
Financial abuse is one of the many ways abusers assert power and control over their partner and it can take many forms. This type of abuse is very common and occurs in 99% of domestic violence cases. Learn to spot signs of financial abuse. Watch now.
PODCAST: If You Touch, I'll Tell: Preventing Children from Sexual Abuse
In this episode of the Voice2Change Podcast, host Jocelyn Maminta interviews Dr. Shamina Aubuchon, author of "If You Touch, I'll Tell," a children’s book designed to help parents talk with their children about body safety. Shamina, a survivor of child sexual abuse, shares her journey and the powerful motivation behind becoming an author. Listen now.
ARTICLE: Does Anger Management Really Stop Domestic Violence?
Court-ordered anger management is a common recommendation after abusers are charged with violence against their partner. However, domestic violence is rooted in power and control, and anger is a tactic of control aimed specifically at one person: their intimate partner. Learn more about the relationship between anger and the dynamics of power and control. Read now.
Purple Ribbon Award Winner
Youth Initiative of the Year
Project SAGE is thrilled to have been named Youth Initiative of the Year in the Purple Ribbon Awards presented by Alliance for Hope International.
Launched in 2021, The Purple Ribbon Awards are the most comprehensive awards program honoring the countless hopegivers of the domestic violence movement. The nationally competitive awards are presented to "hopegivers who are making a substantial positive impact on the lives of domestic violence survivors."
The Youth Initiative of the Year award honors the Project SAGE Prevention Education team and the work that we do in creating and delivering the Healthy Relationships curriculum to youth throughout the Northwest Corner.
Please join us in celebrating this win, not only for Project SAGE, but for all our partner schools. We are grateful to be able to do this work with and for them.
Thank You To Our Volunteers
You Make Our Work Possible
Whether helping shelter a client, teaching children healthy communication skills, or bringing our major fundraising event, Trade Secrets, to life, volunteers are essential to the work we do at Project SAGE. For the countless hours, energy, and commitment you provide to the agency and to our clients, thank you.
March 2025 Tech-related Resource Roundup
New research finds that 40% of children have a tablet by age 2 and spend about 2.5 hours per day on screen time. Gaming time has surged 65% since 2020, and traditional TV viewing has declined, while short-form video platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts are on the rise, underscoring the increasingly complex media environment that parents must navigate in their children's early years. Read more key findings and find the full report here.
VIDEO: Digital Essentials for Seniors
This video by Older Adults Technology Service (OATS) and AARP explores how to create strong passwords, spotting and avoiding online spam and phishing attempts, securing online banking, and other useful digital tips. Watch now.
ARTICLE: Digital Essentials: Online Safety
Research shows that deepfake pornography makes up 98% of all deepfake videos online, and 99% of the individuals targeted in deepfake pornography are women. It now takes less that 25 minutes and costs $0 to create a 60-second deepfake pornographic video of anyone using just one clear face image. Create a free account with medium.com to read more about this troubling trend.
VIDEO: Unpacking the Threat of Chatbots (with Adam Dodge)
Research shows kids spend more time on Character AI than TikTok. Why? Companion bots (chatbots), like Character AI, are more addictive than social media because they simulate real human relationships without the potential for conflict. They offer 24/7 validation - a “friend” who is always there to support, entertain and agree with you. It’s nice in theory but harmful in practice. Digital safety advocate Adam Dodge unpacks this phenomenon here.
March 2025 Resource Roundup
ARTICLE: Neuropsychologist shares the one sentence boys need to hear (over and over again)
Neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez reports that “middle school boys often absorb societal messages that discourage emotional expression….[and] suppressing emotions can lead to stress, anxiety and difficulty forming healthy relationships.” How can parents help counter these harmful messages? Read the article now.
ARTICLE: Understanding Boundaries and Consent in Relationships
Just as your home may have a fence that divides your property from your neighbor’s, a boundary is a virtual fence that separates your body, emotions, and energy from someone else’s. Boundaries help establish limits for what you deem acceptable. Read this guide to see examples of healthy boundaries and learn more about the importance of consent in every relationship.
PODCAST: S6 Ep 5: Power To Break Free
Listen as Anisha Durve – survivor, author, and motivational speaker – uncovers the red flags of abusive relationships, explores the critical role communities play in either enabling or preventing partner abuse, and highlights the resilience and healing that survivors can achieve.
History-making Women: Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month. Here are just some of the history-making women whose stories span the geographical, historical, and ethnic diversity of the United States.
Elizabeth Freeman was born a slave and later used the Massachusetts Constitution in a 1781 court case to gain her freedom. This was the first in a series of “freedom suits” that eventually led Massachusetts to outlaw slavery in the state.
In the 1850s, Lucy Stone was a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery, a significant organizer for the women's equality movement, and the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. When she got married in 1855, Lucy kept her last name, sparking a trend toward more equality within marriage.
Patsy Mink, the first Asian American woman elected to Congress, was the major author of Title IX, the landmark 1972 legislation that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools and education programs.
Equally influential was Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías. She championed women’s health justice, including reproductive rights, and worked steadfastly to include the perspectives of minorities medical care.
Finally, Wilma Mankiller, whose Cherokee surname "Mankiller" (Asgaya-dihi) refers to a high Cherokee military rank, became the first woman elected chief of a major American Indian tribe in 1985. While she was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, she revitalized the Nation’s tribal government and worked tirelessly to improve education, healthcare, and housing.
Celebrating the contributions of these and other inspiring women not only honors the causes they advanced but also pays homage to Project SAGE’s very beginnings. Started as a volunteer-run organization by women who saw a social need and stepped up to address it, Project SAGE is now staffed by over a dozen employees serving all six towns of the Northwest Corner. Want to help us make a difference? Become a Project SAGE certified volunteer or summer intern.
2025 Spring Volunteer Certification Training
Are you interested in supporting the important and life changing work of Project SAGE? Now is the perfect time to become a volunteer!
Join Project SAGE for our 2025 Spring Volunteer Certification Training over 6 consecutive Thursdays, April 24 to May 29, 2025 from 3pm-5pm. Trainings take place at the Scoville Library (or remotely on zoom) located at 38 Main Street in Salisbury, CT. Sign up before May 1, 2025 to join this year’s spring training.
Sign up today!
February 2025 Tech-related Resource Roundup
Digital Boundaries The line between healthy and unhealthy relationships can get confusing once online. It’s not always clear what your digital boundaries or relationship should look like. These tips show how couples can discuss their digital boundaries in a safe and healthy way. Read now.
Romantic AI Chatbots Don’t Have Your Privacy at Heart
Although AI girlfriends are marketed as something that will enhance mental health and well-being, they specialize in delivering dependency, loneliness, and toxicity, all while prying as much data as possible from users. All 11 romantic AI chatbots reviewed by moz://a earned their *Privacy Not Included warning label – putting them on par with the worst categories of products moz://a has ever reviewed for privacy. Read more about the privacy concerns surrounding AI chatbots.
Thorn's Issue Page The intersection of child abuse and technology has created a public health crisis that demands our attention. Child sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital age are complex issues, driven by a variety of factors that make them challenging to fully understand. Explore how we got here and what’s fueling this crisis on Thorn’s issue page.
Catherine Chen & Sara Woldehanna: Ending Human Trafficking with Survivor-Centered AI
Catherine Chen and Sara Woldehanna share a unique vision for AI: one in which the technology protects, uplifts, and empowers survivors of all forms of injustice, exploitation, and abuse. Their vision is more than just a dream. It’s a testament to what’s possible. Read more about their work leveraging AI in the anti-trafficking space.
February 2025 Resource Roundup
PODCAST: First Podcast About Financial Abuse as a Domestic Violence Issue!
Financial abuse can be a silent yet devastating form of domestic violence, often going unrecognized even by those experiencing it. In this podcast, host and survivor Laurie G. sheds light on this pervasive issue that affects individuals across all demographics. Listen now.
ARTICLE: Your Body, My Choice Has Made Its Way to High Schools
Misogynistic slogans like "Your body, my choice" are being used by young boys in schools as a form of harassment, influenced by online hate speech. This behavior creates unsafe environments for female and marginalized students and reinforces the dangerous misogynistic rhetoric that fuels relationship violence. This article explores how to talk with youth of all genders about healthy masculinity and healthy relationships – and how to respond if your child becomes a target at school. Start reading.
SHORT VIDEO: What is The Power and Control Wheel?
The Power and Control Wheel shows how domestic violence is perpetrated in a pattern of power and control. Survivors say they see it and “everything clicks into place.” Learn more about how this powerful graphic can be used to identify domestic violence by watching this two-minute video.
SPECIAL RESOURCES: Addressing & Preventing Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault The annual NFL Social Responsibility Curriculum is taught to all members of NFL teams and NFL league offices using a combination of videos and interactive discussion. The curricula are available for free, and the NFL encourages everyone to utilize them to help engage male allies through sports. Explore now.
QUIZ: Am I Emotionally Abusive?
When someone calls you emotionally abusive, they may be trying to shift the blame off of them and onto you. Take this 8-question quiz to see if your actions could be considered abusive. Start quiz.
ARTICLE: Teaching Teens About Dating Violence
Learning about healthy relationships early means less chance of domestic violence later on. Let your teen know that spotting the signs is important—it could help protect them as well as those they care about. Read now.
Volunteer for Trade Secrets
Trade Secrets is the principal fundraiser for Project SAGE, and we’re excited to invite you to volunteer in this year’s 25th-anniversary celebration on Sunday, May 18th, at Lime Rock Park! We have several roles available, including event setup, assisting vendors, and transporting guests. As a thank you, you'll receive a $150 value of free tickets including a free ticket to all available garden tours on Saturday, May 17th (various locations) and a late bloomer ticket to the Sunday sale event at Lime Rock Park.
Volunteering at Trade Secrets is a unique opportunity to support a cause that directly impacts our community. The funds raised from this event help Project SAGE provide vital services, including crisis response, shelter, and education. Last year, we assisted 800 clients, responded to nearly 2,000 crisis calls, and provided 1,400 nights of emergency shelter.