Support rape victims ages 4 to 71 years old

The Center for Safety & Change, Inc. (“the Center”) is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to develop strategies to end gender-based violence and provide shelter and supportive services that empower survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse and other crimes. Since its inception in 1979, the Center has been the sole provider of domestic violence residential and non-residential services certified by the NYS Office of Child and Family Services and the only New York State Office of Victim Services designated Victim Assistance Program in Rockland County. In addition, all of the Center’s sexual trauma staff are certified and trained by the New York State Department of Health, all direct service staff and volunteers are certified rape crisis counselors, and, within the last decade, the Center became the sole provider of services to victims of human trafficking.  The Center's Special Victims Program includes a 24-hour rape crisis hotline, accompaniment to court and other appointments, legal services, trial preparation, counseling and therapy, a 15-bed emergency residential shelter, services for families of survivors, support groups, translation, transportation, and a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner program at both of Rockland’s acute care hospitals.

Over the last three months, the Center provided a total of 6,726 services to 220 victims in the Special Victims Program.

This quarter:
The Center's Director of Children, Youth, & Counseling Services reports:
1) A woman and her child were referred to the Center following an incident where the child reported a sex abuse allegation against the father. The parent was referred by a community agency and requested to meet with Center staff due to concerns about the child and ways parent could assist child. The parent had already filed a vacate order of protection and hired an attorney to assist with divorce. This child is currently receiving counseling services.

2) A 10 year old girl had been receiving therapy services due to sexual abuse. She was reluctant to talk about what had occurred and did not want to process feelings about the abuse. The staff continued to provide support, establish a relationship with the child, and engage the child in art interventions. She began opening up about the incident and feelings of embarrassment about what happened. The child recently discussed how coming to the Center is a safe place and feels comfortable processing her feelings and thoughts about the abuse.

The Center's Coordinator of Anti-Traffcking Services reports: A sustainable program is nothing without education, training and relationship building with different service providers. The working relationships between the Center and various Rockland County high schools proves how vital it is to have community members well trained and knowledgeable of the existance of human trafficking as well as the services we offer.  This past quarter, one of the local high schools completed the Office of Children and Family Services trafficking check list and referred a 15 year old to the Center for services.  The client is a survivor of sexual assault and trafficking. This client continues to receive counseling sevices and attends support group.