Sexual violence is a public health crisis.

While I am so grateful we train about healthy sexual development and healthy relationships, I want to acknowledge there is an undeniable privilege in being able to discuss healthy aspects of relationships and sexuality. This is a privilege many people do not have.

In places around the world (including in this country) there are countless people living in survival mode around issues of sexuality, gender identity and relationships. Concerns such as domestic and partner violence, gender discrimination, sexual assault by a family member, genital mutilation, molestation by a faith leader, sexual harassment in the workplace, military sexual assault, and much more plague our societies and create enormous physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual trauma.

The assumptions underlying all of our trainings are:

Relationships and sexuality are essential to a person’s identity, meeting their basic needs, their perception of their quality of life, and their overall health and well-being.

Sexuality is much more than “intercourse” (or sexual activities); it is a birth-to-death human experience; interconnected with just about every aspect of our life.

As parents and professionals, we need to prevent abuse, exploitation and assault; and we need to realize that people with disabilities are victimized at much higher rates than the average population.

Violence Prevention = Health Promotion & Dismantling Oppression; so for example: in order to prevent sexual violence we must promote healthy sexuality

The goals of our trainings are:

support the whole person and their full human experience

promote safe, healthy, legal, and situationally appropriate behaviors

help people meet their basic human needs and protect their legal rights

improve their quality of life and increase their independence

Here is what Shanya has to say about her education and work experience related to human sexuality, gender, consent, etc.:

I graduated from California State University Sacramento with a bachelor's degree in Human Development and a certificate in Family Life Education  (aka “sex ed”). That was the beginning of my journey as a sexuality educator.

Next, I graduated from Pacific School of Religion (seminary) with a Master's Degree in Divinity. While I was there I focused on learning what the world’s major religions think about sexuality. At the time my plan was to provide sexuality education work within faith communities.

While I was in college I wrote my first curriculum on healthy body image. I have since written 3 additional curriculums and designed over 75 trainings related to sexuality.

While I was in grad school, I also completed an internship with an agency focused on clergy sexual abuse.

After grad school, I worked in HIV/AIDS prevention in Southern Africa. This was especially meaningful to me because I was born in Zimbabwe.

After I returned, I worked in domestic violence prevention in Oregon. This was a return to the Pacific Northwest where I grew up as a kid.

And then, finally, I founded this agency, Among Friends, LLC.

Here is what Shanya has to say about her personal lenses for this work:

I have multiple lenses for the work we do at Among Friends, LLC.

1. I was raised in a religious household and am the daughter of a minister and missionary parents;

2. Growing up, I experienced countless non-consensual sexualized interactions and sexual harassment and I am a survivor of sexual violence. And, I have done a lot of therapy to process my sexual trauma;

3. Working in HIV/AIDS prevention and domestic violence prevention gave me many insights into healthy and unhealthy relational dynamics;

4. I am an advocate and activist for healthy relationships, healthy touch and healthy sexuality;

5. I have worked for over 10 years as a behavior professional in the field of intellectual, developmental, and neuro- diversity in Oregon (USA).

All of these identities and experiences inform how I approach supporting people and how I train on these topics.