Support rape victims ages 4 to 71 years old

When 13-year old Amy was sexually abused by her father yet again, she finally broke down and confided in her mother about what had been happening to her. Amy’s mother immediately called the Center for Safety & Change 24-hour hotline and got to speak to one of our advocates. Together, they assessed whether Amy, her two brothers and her mom would still be safe in their home and decided that was no longer the case. To ensure everyone’s safety, Amy, her brothers and their mother came into our emergency shelter.

With the help of our advocate, Amy’s mom began the legal proceedings to prosecute the father. Because of the trauma of the abuse to the whole family, our advocates made sure that none of them ever had to go to any of the police or court appointments on their own by offering them all accompaniment.

To help Amy and her brothers process the trauma they experienced as a result of the abuse and of being displaced from their home, we provided the siblings with extensive counseling, we helped them get support in their school. Through the children’s support group at the shelter, they all learned about their worthiness as human beings and that none of what they experienced was their fault.

As the children were engaged with various activities, Amy discovered her love for playing the saxophone. Amy’s advocate saw her passion and talent and was able to connect her with a local music school, which not only offered her music lessons, but even gifted her with her very own saxophone.

Three months after Amy and her family came to our shelter, they were ready to move into an apartment that our advocates helped Amy’s mom find. Now that the father has been sentenced, the family is feeling much safer and they are grateful for the support you helped them receive.

Since November 2014, we have worked with nearly 300 survivors of sexual assault and their families. We provided them with direct services, which included crisis intervention, supportive counseling and therapy. Sexual trauma advocates also provided survivors with information and referrals, advocated for survivors and provided them with accompaniment.

All of these services would not have been possible without the support from generous friends like you. Thank you!

Abby is a young teenage girl who was sexually abused by her father. As a result of the abuse she experienced, Abby got pregnant. Her pregancy however was not noticed until she was passed the seventh month, when her mother frantically brought Abby to the Center for Safety & Change. Due to the advanced stage of the pregancy Abby carried the baby to term.

The terrible abuse and what ensued not only traumatized Abby but her mother and her siblings as well. Given the extensive experience with such trauma, the court systems and knowledge about other services Abby and her family needed, the Center's advocates went out of their way to ensure Abby's safety and that she and her siblings received the services they needed.

Due to the remote location of Abby's home, the advocates drove multiple times each week to provide counseling for her and her family. The Center's advocates also ensured that the family had groceries and sufficient clothing during this particularly cold winter. In an effort to provide Abby with as much support as possible, advovates accompanied her to court and medical appointments.

Because of the serverity of her experience, the Center's advocates will continue to work with Abby and her family for a long time, helping them transform their lives and recover after this trauma.

Abby's case was just one of the 153 survivors and their families to whom the advocates provided services such as counseling, therapy, medical exams, accompaniment, safety planning, hotline call responses and other services since November 2014.

As demonstrated by the incredibly healing experiences many of the Center's clients have as a result of working with the Center's advocates, the services listed above are critical for the future well-being of the survivors. Their recovery would not be possible without the support from donors like you. On behalf of the staff, the board and the women, men and children we at the Center for Safety & Change serve every day, we extend our greatest thanks for your generous support.