Updated August 3, 2026: Our commitment to these principles remains unwavering, despite recent federal actions that have eliminated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. We recognize that fostering an inclusive, trauma informed environment is not only essential but also a fundamental human right. Every survivor deserves safety, dignity, and access to healing, regardless of identity, background, or lived experience.
Anti-Oppression Statement
At the Peace of Mind Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as Union County’s designated provider of Sexual Violence Direct Services and Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence, operating as Karolina’s Place, we are guided by the belief that safety, healing, and access to sexual violence services are fundamental human rights. We stand in complete alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the United Nations Covenants on Human Rights. Our work also reflects the values outlined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Our staff, advocates, prevention educators, and administrative team are committed to upholding these principles in both policy and practice. Consistent with our contract with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division on Women, and with New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-12), we ensure that every victim and survivor of sexual violence has the same access to our services, regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, immigration status, disability, age, or socioeconomic status. We take particular care to center the rights and experiences of those most affected by systemic inequality, including women, children, people of African descent, Indigenous peoples, refugees, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQIA+ communities, and persons with disabilities. No survivor is denied services because of their personality, immigration status, mental health, substance use history, or any decision they make about their own safety. The only basis for denial of service is that the individual is not a victim of sexual violence.
As a trauma focused organization providing crisis intervention, counseling, victim advocacy, legal and medical accompaniment, and primary prevention, we recognize that racism, oppression, and discrimination are traumas that compound the harm of sexual violence for individuals, families, and entire communities. Intersectionality is at the core of our approach. We understand that many survivors experience overlapping vulnerabilities and systemic harm due to the intersections of race, gender identity, class, immigration status, ability, and other social positions, and that culture, language, and lived experience profoundly shape how victimization is experienced and how healing occurs. Our staff and volunteers are trained to reflect, and to be responsive to, the language, race, and cultural backgrounds of the survivors we serve, and we provide meaningful language access, including interpretation, translation, and ASL capability, so that no survivor is turned away due to language or communication needs.
We are committed to addressing the following human rights issues within our work:
- Discrimination and harassment, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion in the provision of sexual violence services
- Protection of children and youth, including compliance with New Jersey’s CARI child abuse registry requirements for all staff and volunteers
- Freedom of association and the right of survivors and communities to collective belonging and voice
- Occupational health and safety for our staff, advocates, and volunteers, including trauma informed supervision
- Advocacy for appropriate living wages, fair labor practices, and inclusive hiring
- Proactive identification of power dynamics and privilege within all relationships and structures we participate in, including our partnerships with law enforcement, medical systems, and the courts
Our internal practices also prohibit all forms of modern slavery, forced labor, and human trafficking. While we are not a high risk supply chain business, we are committed to ethical oversight in all our partnerships and procurement, and we recognize that human trafficking and sexual violence are deeply connected forms of harm.
We maintain open channels for feedback and accountability. Our work with anti-oppression consultant Tamu King of TKLane LLC ensures that we regularly review our internal systems, acknowledge bias, and repair harm when needed. We recognize the importance of naming white privilege, dismantling oppressive behaviors, and refusing to be complicit in systems that harm survivors. Consistent with our commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement, we treat this work as ongoing rather than complete.
We reject the idea that racism or oppression are conditions to be excused; they are choices and systems that must be unlearned and dismantled. Our role is to support those impacted by sexual violence and other forms of harm, and to hold ourselves and each other accountable to a higher standard of equity, healing, and care.
As the Executive Director of the Peace of Mind Foundation, I affirm our responsibility to stand firmly in support of human rights. Our mission is more than words; it is action. We call on everyone in our space, our partners, and our funders to walk with us in this commitment, not with tolerance, but with full hearted acceptance, allyship, and advocacy.
Kristina Silvestry (she/her) MA, NCC, LPC, CSVA, ACS, CCTP, RYT-500
Founder and Executive Director, The Peace of Mind Foundation