Nicole Brown Simpson's sister to speak at child abuse, domestic violence conference

Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, will be a keynote speaker at the first Rural Institute on Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence Monday at the Blue Mountain Conference Center in La Grande.

Brown’s presentation, “There’s No Excuse for Abuse,’’ will be open to the public. Tickets for the 7 p.m. event are $20 and are available at Sunflower Books. All proceeds benefit the Mount Emily Safe Center.

The conference, which runs Monday and Tuesday, is sponsored by Mount Emily Safe Center, which provides child abuse assessments and victim support services in the nine counties in Northeast Oregon. Organizers hope to make the event an annual one.

Monday’s session includes “A View From the Bench” presented by Judge Greg Baxter. Baxter will explain current case law regarding restraining orders in Oregon and practical applications for victim/survivor services providers.

Also Monday, a presentation on “Trafficked Teens in Rural Oregon” presented by FBI Victim Specialist Mike Jones, will provide information on the occurrence and consequences of human trafficking and support service techniques for those involved in addressing this issue.

The keynote presenter, Denise Brown, is the sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, who was murdered 15 years ago after suffering years of abuse at the hands of her husband, OJ Simpson.

On Tuesday there will be a keynote presentation by Gina McCabe, author of “What if I Tell,” which will chronicle her courageous exploration of her own childhood abuse in hopes of compelling communities to intervene.

“A Profile of a Case” by forensic interviewer Lee Adams will cover a range of issues that arise in child abuse assessment and intervention cases.

Also on Tuesday, a session will be dedicated to the issue of “Throwaway Teens” presented by Dawn Schiller, who combines her own experiences with national research on trends for adolescents at risk for abuse.

The community is invited to Brown’s presentation at 7 p.m. Monday. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be available beginning at 6 pm.

Brown will describe her commitment to ending domestic violence and the intolerable toll it takes on victims/survivors, their families and their communities.

She will also discuss the driving force behind her work on behalf of victims/survivors of violence and abuse.

“I made a promise to Nicole so that she did not die in vain, and to keep this promise I’ve dedicated all my energies to making our communities safer through education and awareness, sharing programs that work, helping pass legislation, and challenging us all to stand up for what is right,” Brown says.

For more information about Denise Brown, visit http://www.denisebrown.com/education.htm.

For information about the conference visit www.mtemilysafecenter.com, or call Sandra Leavitt, executive director, or Kim McDonald, regional services assistant, at Mount Emily Safe Center at 541-963-0602.