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SSTA Conference: Breaking the Silence
Sibling Sexual Trauma & Abuse Conference:
Breaking the Silence
June 23, 2026
Long Island University
(LIU Post)
720 Northern Blvd.
Brookville, New York
Register Now Through June 6 $250
for group and student rates, email info@5waves.org
​First in-person conference in the US to focus specifically on SSTA
Be a part of this historic event!
Share, listen, and learn with survivors, parents, family members, clinicians, advocates, researchers, and more.
​To receive monthly updates on this and other opportunities for SSTA learning,
Subscribe Here to our monthly 5WAVES e-newsletter.
Special thanks to our volunteer event planners and to our major sponsors:
Cindy Darcy, in honor of her mother, Evelyn Darcy Grender
An Event Led by Lived Experience
Sibling Sexual Trauma & Abuse: Breaking the Silence will be historic, as the first conference in the US devoted specifically and entirely to SSTA. It is also unique as an event that welcomes all who work with or have experienced the realities of SSTA, but planned through the lens of those who live personally with the effects, on themselves and/or their family.
Our Event Planner: Nubia DuVall Wilson, Cielo Consulting
Nubia DuVall Wilson (she/her) is a nationally-recognized writer, activist and speaker who is using her voice to break the cycle of generational trauma and unsilence survivors of sexual abuse, especially sibling sexual abuse (SSA). In 2026, she became the Community Organizer for the Incest AWARE Alliance, bringing on more members from the survivor community worldwide. In May 2018, she published her second book, The Survivors Club, a supernatural novella inspired by her journey to heal as a survivor of sibling sexual abuse. The novella catapulted Nubia into co-founding Starfury Productions with two partners, which develops, packages, pitches and distributes TV and film projects by underrepresented creators. When she is not managing the day-to-day operations of her PR and marketing firm, Cielo Consulting, she works to break through the silence around the high prevalence of child sexual abuse in the united states—especially among women of color—and the long-term effects of abuse into adulthood. She is currently writing a memoir to raise more awareness for incest and its impact on the Black community.
Nubia graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University, with a degree in English and a minor in Religion. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
Our Event Co-Chairs: 5WAVES Cofounders
SSTA Survivor Maria Socolof (left), SSTA Survivor Jane Epstein (right),
SSTA Parent Brandy Black (one of the three facing back)
Our Volunteer Planning Team
Special thanks to the survivor and parent volunteers who are donating their time to help with programming, logistics, funding, and so much else. Truly, this event would not be happening without your support!
Angie, Brinn, Colleen, Darlene, Diane, Grace, Heidi, Katelyn, Risa
Our Presenters
Click here to meet our speakers
Click here for conference program
Interested in Attending?
Lodging Options for nights of June 22 and/or June 23, 2026
On Campus Dorm Housing:
Linens provided, No A/C, includes lounge area and parking
Must pre-pay here by April 30:
Single Room $135 per night
Double Room (two twin beds) $150 per night
Hotel nearby:
Hilton Garden Inn, Roslyn, NY, 4 miles from LIU-Post
Conference rate of $222 including taxes and fees available until May 13
register at this link and enter promotion code: 5WAVES
shuttle service to the conference at LIU-Post available (details to come), NO airport shuttle
free parking, view hotel accessibility information here
Transportation to LIU-Post
Train: Long Island RR from Penn Station, downtown New York City (connections with Amtrak and many commuter lines); taxi, bus, or shuttle from station to campus (assistance will be arranged on day of conference and the night before)
Bus: MTA Long Island Bus N20, connects to NYC subway line #7 and LIRR stations
Air: John F. Kennedy International, (23 miles); LaGuardia (22 miles) and Islip-MacArthur (31 miles); taxis available
Auto: 720 Northern Blvd, Brookville ,NY; parking is available on campus (Port Jefferson ferry terminal 37 miles; Orient Point ferry terminal 83 miles)
Details and directions for all transportation options available here. Access to message board to coordinate travel with other attendees and ask questions from a conference planner familiar with the area will be offered upon registration.
Port Jefferson line to Hicksville station
OR
Port Washington line to Manhasset station
then
connect with bus N20 to LIU-Post​
Do you know others who might be interested?
Share the link to this page, or download and print or share our conference flyer.
Interested in Sponsoring?
Exhibit Tables and Sponsor Packages now available
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Your flyer on shared promo table $100
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Your own exhibit table $200​
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Sponsorships with perks start at $500
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Premier sponsorship levels $1000-$6500
Why Sponsor?
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Establish your brand as a leader in the emerging field of SSTA services and advocacy
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Connect with potential clients and colleagues
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Make an impact by supporting this historic event
FAQ
Will I be able to keep my identity/attendance confidential?
You may register or participate using a pseudonym. We will have a policy that no images or video or audio recordings be made at the conference unless consent is asked and obtained from all who are included in the image or recording. We plan to have a designated area with an opaque background for photos and selfies. That said, 5WAVES will not be able to monitor all places at all times, and we will depend on conference attendees to respect this policy and remind each other to follow it.
Are there any discounts available?
One of our core conference values has been to provide a basic conference at a low rate for everyone. We are also offering a student rate of $50, for graduate or undergraduate students enrolled in fields related to SSTA (social services, education, criminal justice, law, psychology, etc). We are also offering a 2 for 1 registration discount for staff in primary responder roles, such as CAC, human services-child protection, etc. For all others seeking financial assistance, we have a limited amount of scholarship assistance available--contact info@5waves.org for details.
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Can I get CE credits for the conference?
Unfortunately, no.
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Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the buildings and rooms where conference sessions, exhibits, and meals will be held is accessible via ramps and elevators. The main building is adjacent to the parking lot. We are still awaiting confirmation regarding the accessibility of dorm rooms.
What does that little hand symbol mean?
It means that this event will include ASL-English interpretation, to assist in communication between those who are Deaf or hearing impaired and those who use spoken English.
If I have a book or a nonprofit, can I promote it?
We hope to schedule some time during the conference day for an author reception, when authors can bring sample copies of their books, share flyers with codes for book sales, and interact with each other and conference attendees. Check back later for more information. Another option is to purchase an exhibit table for $200, or a spot on our shared promotion table for $100 (large enough for a sample book and a flyer or QR code). These spaces can be used to promote books, nonprofits, therapy and healing services, etc. Book and organization promotions will not be allowed as part of presentations. If you are selected to present, you will not be able to promote your book or business during your presentation time.
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What if I go and I’m triggered?
We are vetting presentations and request that they not include explicit details of sexual activity. However, we realize that everyone’s triggers are unique, and there is potential for strong emotional reactions anytime SSTA is discussed. We will have trauma-informed professionals on site and a wellness room dedicated to calming and assistance during the conference. Special thanks to Saprea for their in-kind assistance in providing two dedicated professionals to staff this wellness space.
Will siblings who are responsible for sexual harm be allowed to attend?
5WAVES does not have the capacity to screen attendees; it is possible that people who have displayed harmful or abusive sexual behavior are present in any public space.
If you are a person who has ever sexually harmed your sibling(s), we expect that you obtain consent from any sibling you harmed before you attend this conference. We also ask you to keep in mind that there will be survivors of SSTA and other types of sexual assault in all conference spaces, and prioritize their mental health and emotional safety at all times.
We will not have programming that is specifically aimed at siblings who have harmed; however there will be discussion about treatment and support for siblings who have caused harm in sessions for parents and practitioners, and workshops on healing or relationships may have useful insight for those who have acted in harmful or abusive ways in the past.
Is food provided in the ticket price?
The price includes a coffee/tea/water station, and a light lunch.
I have special dietary needs. Can you accommodate them?
We will post the planned menu on the conference program when it is available. However, it is subject to change. We recommend that anyone with special dietary needs bring their own food, to ensure their own health and safety. We will not offer discounts or refunds to those who cannot eat conference-provided meals.
Are conference tickets refundable?
No, unless unforseen circumstances force the conference to be cancelled.
What about next year?
5WAVES is hosting this first-ever SSTA conference; however, we have no current plans to host future in-person conferences. So if you are interested, be sure to register for this one!
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Will the conference sessions be streamed, or available to view later online?
We do not have the technical capacity to livestream the conference. Check back later for possible posting of some conference content online. This will be subject to presenter choice and also to the consent of anyone included in any possible recordings.
Conference Values
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Inclusive: Those with connection to SSTA [1] will be welcomed and supported while participating in planning and attendance, including those in historically and commonly marginalized groups (such as Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color, LGBTQIA+, those who are neurodiverse, and people with disabilities). This includes respecting all attendees' religious or spiritual beliefs or nonbeliefs.
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Trauma-Aware: Our spaces, processes, language, and attitude will reflect a deep understanding of trauma and the many ways it may be reverberating in the lives of those who plan, lead, and attend the conference.
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Lived-Experience-Centered: We value and will amplify the voices of those with lived experience of SSTA (e.g., survivors, parents, partners of survivors).
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Research-Informed: We value sound research, which provides empirical evidence to inform effective prevention, intervention, and healing responses to SSTA.
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Encouraging: Our messages will reflect the true reality of SSTA, while also pointing toward the possibility for restoration, healing, and hope.
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Respect Individual Agency: We will provide information for individuals to make their own decisions regarding each unique experience of SSTA, including choices regarding justice, healing, and family relationships.
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Expectation of Privacy and Consent: We will prioritize privacy and confidentiality of personal images and stories throughout the conference. [2]
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Simple and Affordable: In order to keep costs low and respect the time required of our volunteer planning team, we will strive to identify what needs to be done to provide a conference that aligns with our values and fulfills our mission, and focus on doing those things well.
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[1] We will not have any specific space or group at this event for people who have sexually harmed a sibling. We expect that there will be presenters, practitioners, and parents who are supporting those who caused harm as a child or young person. There also may be people who are not yet clear about how much responsibility they bear, or those who were harmed but also harmed someone else. We cannot guarantee that no one who attends has ever caused sexual harm. We do expect those who have caused sexual harm to obtain consent from the sibling they harmed before registering.
[2] We will hold our attendees to the expectation that they must get consent of all, including those nearby or in the background, before taking or sharing any images, videos, or voice recordings. We will offer the opportunity to share and present anonymously, or using an icon or pseudonym.