CAASE

Art Is Healing Workshop
2025-05-16 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | YWCA Parks Francis Center, 6600 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Join CAASE for Art is Healing on Friday, May 16, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at YWCA Park Francis Center!
This paint workshop will focus on utilizing art to navigate trauma and to promote healing. Paint supplies and refreshments will be provided.
This event is free to attend.
Please click here to register.
We look forward to seeing you at the YWCA Park Francis Center on Friday, May 16!

A CAASE of Empowerment: Prevention’s Impact
2025-05-15 18:00 - 20:00 | 151 N Franklin St, 151 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL, United States
Thank you for being our guest at A CAASE of Empowerment 2025 and making it a success! Please read more about the event here. We hope you’ll join us next year!

You’re invited to join CAASE for an immersive experience highlighting our prevention education program! Join us for an evening of connection, education, and changemaking. We invite our guests to learn firsthand from our prevention educators who empower students to become active allies in ending sexual harm. Participants will be able to ask questions and discuss with the educators and fellow participants.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. CDT
151 N Franklin St., Chicago, IL
Save the date for this new event! Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
We hope you will join us to socialize and fundraise. All proceeds from A CAASE of Empowerment: Prevention’s Impact will support CAASE’s prevention education program.
Tickets
Discounted tickets for young professionals, nonprofit, and government employees are available for $100. Regular tickets are available for $125.
Our Prevention Educators will lead a workshop about:
Consent
We’ll have an honest, open discussion about what consent is, why it matters, and how people can practice it in their daily lives.
Sexting
We’ll explore the ways sex and technology are becoming increasingly linked for young people—and practice using a helpful tool to keep sexting safe, healthy, and SPICY.
Victim Blaming
We’ll take a look at common examples of victim blaming, think critically about how it impacts people, and brainstorm some actions we can take to practice compassion instead.
Dress code: Business casual.
Accessibility: To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact us.
Donate
Support survivors and back our mission to end sexual harm by giving today. Here are some ways your donation helps us in the fight against sexual harm:

$350 enables the Prevention team to conduct a one-hour training on sexting or pornography to a classroom of high school students
$1,000 funds the purchase of one computer for a CAASE staffer
$1,800 covers the cost of implementing one 5-session Prevention program to a high school classroom

The Greer Foundation will match donations made to support CAASE’s prevention education program up to $50,000!
Can’t make this event? Support CAASE and our Prevention Education program by making a donation.
Generous Sponsors
Sponsoring A CAASE of Empowerment: Prevention’s Impact is a wonderful way to support survivors and demonstrate a commitment to ending sexual harm. We welcome you to look over the sponsorship opportunities.
Sponsorship will be available for purchase up until the event on May 15. In order to be included in our printed materials for the event, please purchase your sponsorship by Wednesday, May 7.
Platinum Sponsor
Friedman Family Fund
Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

Please contact LaQuita Hearn-Quinn to learn more about sponsoring this event by calling (773) 244-2230 ext. 217 or emailing LHearnQuinn@caase.org. We are gladly accepting new sponsors up until the event.
BECOME A SPONSOR
Stay connected to CAASE and hear about the work we’re doing with your support by subscribing to CAASE’s newsletter and following us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.

Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together
2025-05-15 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-04-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Third Thursday of each month, 3-5PM CST
Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together is an online gathering space for survivors of sexual harm and those who support them, either personally or professionally or both.
Join the Gathering on Zoom
The virtual gathering happens on the third Thursday of each month, from 3-5pmCST, and is facilitated by Mojdeh Stoakley, with occasional guest facilitators. The gathering begins with a check in and dialogue on current events, followed by a trauma-informed writing workshop designed for survivors of sexual harm. Attendees are invited to share their writing, if comfortable.
Virtually Together is supported by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and is produced and facilitated by Surviving the Mic.
More information about the Surviving the Mic method for holding brave space for those navigating the effects of trauma due to sexual violence is available at www.survivingthemic.org
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89465588394?pwd=[REDACTED]

Legal Clinic for City Colleges of Chicago
2025-04-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
City College of Chicago students– facing a legal issue but not sure where to start? Join us for a special SAAM event for students of the City Colleges of Chicago. This event will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Staff Attorney Marlee Rich will be running a virtual legal clinic for City Colleges of Chicago students who wish to consult with an attorney about Title IX and other legal options for sexual harm survivors
To request to register for the legal clinic, email sas@ccc.edu.
When requesting to register, include your full name, safe email address and safe phone number, legal concern, and preferred appointment times. Survivor Advocacy Services will follow up to confirm eligibility and provide next steps. Appointments are first-come first-served.
Please reach out to Beth Payne with questions about the event.

Brave Space: An Assembly for Sexual Assault Awareness
2025-04-26 09:00 - 13:00 | 1524 Simpson St., Evanston, IL, 1524 Simpson St., Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
You’re invited to Brave Space: An Assembly for Sexual Assault Awareness Month on Saturday, April 26! We will gather at 1524 Simpson St., Evanston, IL, from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Our mission is to create safe environments through education, support, and community engagement, ultimately empowering individuals to make informed decisions and take proactive steps to prevent sexual violence.
We will have a panel discussion with various advocates, followed by refreshments and interactive activities for open expression.

Prevention Education – This includes educating individuals on identifying unsafe situations, establishing personal boundaries, and intervening in harmful situations, with a focus on prevention rather than victim blaming.
Legal Experts – Legal professionals with expertise in supporting sexual assault survivors will be present to provide accurate information and guidance on navigating legal processes.
Emotional Support – Certified sexual assault advocates will be available to provide emotional support.

Featuring Saunté Harden-Tate, CAASE Community Engagement Coordinator, Anika Sterling-Florez, CAASE Community Engagement Director, Melanie Martin, CAASE Managing Attorney, Joanna Quargnali-Linsley, Northwest CASA, and Yaneth Corral, Advocate Aurora Health.
This event is free to attend.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-space-tickets-1219913015669

Shifting Culture: How Communities Can Foster Consent, Safety, and Respect - A Panel
2025-04-23 15:30 - 16:30 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Join CAASE’s Prevention Education and Community Engagement teams for this virtual Sexual Assault Awareness Month event on Wednesday, April 23, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Ending sexual harm isn’t just about changing individuals’ behaviors—it’s about creating communities where respect and empathy are the norm. Join CAASE for a panel exploring how nonprofits, schools, and community groups can create environments that forefront consent, safety, and respect while empowering members to end sexual harm.
Please click here to register for the panel.

Legal Info Tabling at School of the Art institute of Chicago
2025-04-15 11:00 - 12:30 | School of the Art Institute of Chicago, United States
Join us for a special SAAM event! Staff Attorney Marlee Rich will be tabling at the Art Institute to provide information to student survivors about Title IX and CAASE’s legal services. This event will be held on Tuesday, April 15, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Please reach out to Beth Payne with questions about the event.

Let’s Chat Over Lunch: Community Forum
2025-03-26 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-02-26 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-02-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-01-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-12-25 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-11-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-10-23 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-25 13:00 - 14:00 and 1 more date | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Fourth Wednesday of each month, 1-2PM CT
Join CAASE for our monthly virtual community forum, Let’s Chat Over Lunch. At each gathering, we’ll discuss current cultural events, media, and news headlines related to sexual harm and/or social injustice. Let’s Chat Over Lunch will be held every 4th Wednesday of the month from 1pm-2pm.

Topics for each gathering will be updated as current events unfold.
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81030893716?pwd=[REDACTED]

Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together
2025-02-20 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Third Thursday of each month, 3-5PM CST
Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together is an online gathering space for survivors of sexual harm and those who support them, either personally or professionally or both.
Join the Gathering on Zoom
The virtual gathering happens on the third Thursday of each month, from 3-5pmCST, and is facilitated by Mojdeh Stoakley, with occasional guest facilitators. The gathering begins with a check in and dialogue on current events, followed by a trauma-informed writing workshop designed for survivors of sexual harm. Attendees are invited to share their writing, if comfortable.
Virtually Together is supported by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and is produced and facilitated by Surviving the Mic.
More information about the Surviving the Mic method for holding brave space for those navigating the effects of trauma due to sexual violence is available at www.survivingthemic.org
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84061716481?pwd=[REDACTED]

Criminal Records Summit at the Women's Justice Institute
2025-01-26 11:00 - 14:00 | Women’s Justice Institute, 2150 S Canalport Ave, Chicago, IL, 60608
Join The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) for a criminal records summit on January 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Women’s Justice Institute (2150 S Canalport Ave, Chicago, IL 60608). Our legal team will provide criminal records legal services to formerly incarcerated survivors.
Please contact Elizabeth Payne at epayne@caase.org for more information or to schedule a consultation at the summit.
Learn more about CAASE’s legal services here. We hope to see you there!

Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together
2025-01-16 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-19 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-11-21 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-17 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-19 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-08-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Third Thursday of each month, 3-5PM CST
Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together is an online gathering space for survivors of sexual harm and those who support them, either personally or professionally or both.
Join the Gathering on Zoom
The virtual gathering happens on the third Thursday of each month, from 3-5pmCST, and is facilitated by Mojdeh Stoakley, with occasional guest facilitators. The gathering begins with a check in and dialogue on current events, followed by a trauma-informed writing workshop designed for survivors of sexual harm. Attendees are invited to share their writing, if comfortable.
Virtually Together is supported by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and is produced and facilitated by Surviving the Mic.
More information about the Surviving the Mic method for holding brave space for those navigating the effects of trauma due to sexual violence is available at www.survivingthemic.org
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lde6srjMpHdCpozm8IUfBeYoqvKviVfCU

Giving Tuesday 2024
2024-12-03 | Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States
Support CAASE this Giving Tuesday! Your donations support all of our programs, bringing healing to survivors throughout Chicago. Donate to CAASE and help us reach our $15,000 goal!
Our theme this Giving Tuesday is “Hope in Action”. Stand together with CAASE, invest in change, and create a ripple effect of hope and resilience. Every donation supports our mission to prevent exploitation, advocate for survivors, and empower communities. By giving, you help drive real, lasting change. Let’s put hope in action and work towards a future where every survivor can thrive.
Make your Giving Tuesday gift today! Thank you for being a vital part of our incredible community!
Plus, you can make your #GivingTuesaday impact go way beyond your gift by helping your friends champion survivors, too! Share why you are giving to CAASE on social media and encourage your own community to support survivors too. Check back soon for our Giving Tuesday 2024 toolkit full of sample emails, social posts, and graphics. Make sure to follow us @theCAASE on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X for the latest updates. Learn more about Giving Tuesday at CAASE here.

In-Person Legal Consultation for Survivors - October
2024-10-18 10:00 - 15:00 | YWCA Parks Francis Center, 6600 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Friday, October 18th, 10a-3p
YWCA Parks Francis Center
6600 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
CAASE provides free legal consultation and services to survivors of sexual assault, sex trafficking, or sexual stalking. You can talk to one of our attorneys in English or Spanish at this event. No appointment is needed.
Click here to join this event virtually via Zoom.
CAASE Legal Services
CAASE attorneys handle criminal and civil matters and can work to:

Assert and uphold your victim’s rights within the criminal justice system by advocating for you. For example: joining you at law enforcement interviews, following up with police, arguing in court, and more
Getting you legal protection from offenders through protective orders
Pushing for support, accommodations, and accountability from your employer and/or school (often through Title IX)
Seeking financial damages from your perpetrator, employer, or school through civil lawsuits
Taking action against revenge porn and cyber sexual abuse
Helping clear criminal records for sex trafficking survivors

For more information about CAASE’s legal services or this event, please contact our Legal Director, Elizabeth Payne, at 773-244-2230, ext. 209, or email legal@caase.org.
Who CAASE Can Help
We work on cases that took place in Cook County and involve victims aged 13+. We cannot assist with cases involving criminal defense, divorce, custody, property in common, family court, or immigration.
Click to learn more about our free legal services for survivors of sexual harm.

Celebrating Allies 2024
2024-10-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Skadden, 320 S. Canal St., Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Join us at the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation’s 2024 annual fundraiser as we bring together our supporters, advocates, allies, and survivors to celebrate the work of ending sexual harm and uplift those who are making a difference. The program will feature an award ceremony to honor transformational leadership in culture change, as well as critical legal work accomplished for survivors of sexual harm.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. CDT
Skadden Arps: 320 S. Canal St. Chicago, IL 60606
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Tickets
Registration is now closed. If you would like to support Celebrating Allies, please click here to donate.
Honorees and Speakers
Amanda Pyron – Visionary Award Honoree
Amanda Pyron serves as the Executive Director of The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. During her tenure, The Network has expanded membership to create impactful and effective campaigns to increase public funding for services, expand the safety net provided through the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, create new housing solutions, improve legal services to survivors, and, of course, to join CAASE in ending cash bail in Illinois. More importantly, she has earned the right to be surrounded by good people- leading a team of expert professionals who make her better every day. Amanda is an experienced professional in the domestic and family violence sector, having provided direct housing, services and advocacy to survivors in Washington, DC for over ten years. She also developed a national program for crime victims at the Department of Justice and trained nationally on the rights of crime victims after sentencing. Most recently, Amanda oversaw training, policy development, and research for a child welfare organization in the Republic of Ireland. Outside of work, she has been making dad jokes gender-neutral since 2009.
Chuck Smith – Legacy Builder Award Honoree

Chuck Smith is an experienced and highly regarded trial lawyer, who has served as Partner at Skadden Arps since 1988. He has represented many companies and their officers and directors in securities and derivative litigation, including Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, UBS, Sprint Corporation, Fidelity Investments, and Allstate Corporation. Mr. Smith has repeatedly been identified as among The Best Lawyers in America, ranked in Band 1 of Chambers USA for his work in securities litigation, and been named a Client Service All-Star by The BTI Consulting Group.
Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker on litigation, compliance and enforcement issues. In 2014 he was honored by the National Diversity Council for his leadership, resolve and outstanding achievements for the benefit of his clients, collaborators and community. Mr. Smith is a current member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, a trustee emeritus at Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, and he previously served on the University of Chicago Law School Council, a body comprised of judges, senior corporate executives and practicing lawyers that advises the law school on strategic matters.
CAASE is thrilled that Chuck has agreed to let us honor him with the Legacy Builder Award, which CAASE created to recognize his outstanding and exceptional service—both as a provider of pro bono legal services, and as an extraordinary, visionary, and generous mentor to colleagues. For more than a decade, Chuck has been known to CAASE not just for the generosity of his support for CAASE’s mission and clients, but for the ways in which he has been a steadfast and inspirational teacher, leader, and supporter of numerous women Attorneys at Skadden who have taken on the legal representation of people who have endured rape or sex trafficking.
K&L Gates – Pro Bono Excellence Award Honoree
K&L Gates is a recognized leader in offering pro bono assistance for cyber sexual abuse cases. In late 2014, K&L Gates created the Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project (CCRLP), a global K&L Gates pro bono project providing legal services to victims of nonconsensual pornography (i.e., “revenge porn”) whose sexually explicit images are distributed and displayed online without consent. The CCRLP utilizes the firm’s elite cybersecurity and cyber forensics practices, allowing volunteers to deliver quality pro bono services to victims across the globe. Since its inception, the CCRLP already has helped thousands of victims fight back against cyber harassment and reclaim their online identities. This year marked 10 years of service and more than 28,000 pro bono hours provided by K&L Gates under the CCRLP.
We are honored to award K&L Gates with the Pro Bono Excellence Award at Celebrating Allies 2024.

Josette Huang – Speaker
Survivor and former CAASE client
Guests will have the privilege of hearing directly from a survivor about the impact of sexual harm and the power of seeking justice with the support of compassionate allies. She is a former client of CAASE’s legal services and we’re honored to welcome her as a speaker.

Sauntè Harden-Tate – Performer
Writer and Spoken Word Artist
Sauntè Harden-Tate (pronounced Sahn-tay) is a Black American Chicago Westside Native, creative writer, Advocate, Community Educator, Trauma Advocate, proud mother of two, and wife. With a deep-rooted passion for healing, advocating, and educating the community on trauma, Saunte has over 10 years of advocacy and prevention work. With her deep understanding of trauma, Sauntè has a special affinity for uplifting and educating the community on the long-stemming traumas and struggles that disproportionately affect the Black community. Knowing firsthand and witnessing the depth of trauma among black people, Sauntè has a profound desire to start the healing process. She created a web show called “Oh! We Gon’ Talk!” which facilitates conversations centered around generational trauma within the black community. Sauntè not only uses public speaking to advocate and educate, but she also uses poetry and writing to share with others about different traumas and emotions.
DONATE NOW

Donate
Support survivors and back our mission to end sexual harm by giving today. Here are some ways your donation helps us in the fight against sexual harm:

$100 provides a stipend for survivors who share expertise and input on CAASE policies and programs
$350 enables the Prevention team to conduct a one-hour training on sexting or pornography to a classroom of high school students
$500 funds the hosting of one focus or support group for survivors
$1,000 funds the purchase of one computer for a CAASE staffer
$1,800 covers the cost of implementing one 5-session Prevention program to a high school classroom
$5,000 covers the cost of resolving one legal matter for a survivor of sexual harm
$7,500 pays for comprehensive legal services for one survivor for one year
$10,000 resolves two legal matters for survivors

MAKE A DONATION
Generous Sponsors
Sponsoring Celebrating Allies is a wonderful way to support survivors and demonstrate a commitment to ending sexual harm. We welcome you to look over the sponsorship opportunities and contact Kaethe Morris Hoffer and take full advantage of sponsorship benefits. Call 773-244-2230 ext. 202 or email kmh@caase.org.
We are gladly accepting new sponsors up until the event. To be included in printed sponsor materials, we kindly ask you to submit your sponsorship by Tuesday, October 1.
Presenting Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Friedman Family Fund

Bronze Sponsors

Chris Lilek

Jennifer Zobair
and Chuck Smith
Beverage Sponsor

Stay connected to CAASE and hear about all the amazing work we’re doing with your support by subscribing to CAASE’s newsletter and following us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
