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 provide critical services and support to women and all victims and survivors of gender-based violence and other crimes while working toward justice by creating social change. The Center is the sole provider of services to domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and all other crime victims in Rockland County, NY—there are no other resources for victims in the county. The Center is the sole domestic violence residential and non-residential services certified by NYS Office of Children and Family Services in Rockland County, NY (“Rockland”) and is Rockland’s only NYS Office on Victim Services designated Victim Assistance Program. In addition, all of the Center’s staff are certified and trained by the NYS Department of Health, all staff and volunteers are certified rape crisis counselors, and the Center serves as Rockland’s only Rape Crisis Program and operates Rockland’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner services. Finally, the Center is the largest non-profit provider of immigration legal services in the county, and the largest provider of family law services specifically for victims in the county.

The Center offers a comprehensive continuum of programs and services that are available in multiple languages to all victims, free of charge, regardless of age, citizenship, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. These services include, but are not limited to:

• Information and Referrals: information about the criminal justice process, information about victims’ rights, referrals to other victim service programs, and referrals to other services, supports, and resources;
• Advocacy and Accompaniment: victim advocacy/accompaniment to emergency medical care, victim advocacy/accompaniment forensic exams, law enforcement interview advocacy/accompaniment, individual advocacy, performance of medical forensic exam or interview, or medical evidence collection, immigration assistance, intervention with employer, creditor, landlord, or academic institution, childcare, transportation assistance, and translation/interpretation services;
• Emotional Support and Safety Services: crisis intervention, hotline/crisis line counseling, on-scene crisis response, individual counseling, support groups, therapy, and emergency financial assistance;
• Shelter and Housing Services: emergency shelter, transitional housing service, and relocation assistance; and
• Criminal and Civil Justice System Assistance: notification of criminal justice events, civil legal assistance in obtaining protection or restraining order, civil legal assistance with family law issues, immigration attorney assistance, prosecution interview advocacy/accompaniment, criminal advocacy/accompaniment, and other legal advice and/or counsel.

This reporting period, the Center assisted 70 child victims of sexual trauma, including:  

• Staff provided therapy services for a 16-year-old female who was sexually assaulted by a former acquaintance from school. in working with the Creative Arts Therpaist,  2she is actively focusing on building rapport, expressing her story, and coping after the horrific assault. The client has been having a hard time in school ever since the incident occurred. She has been opening up more about the incident, which is helping her move forward. The therapist provides coping skills and grounding techniques to help the client manage her day to day emotions and feelings. The client has goals of building her self-esteem and expressing herself. She has made progress in incorporating her coping skills into her life, advocating for herself, and understanding that she is not at fault. The therapist works towards supporting the client in reaching her goals and will continue to provide the means necessary for her to grow.
• Staff provided therapy services for a 16-year-old female who has been victim to sexual assault at the age of 13-15 perpetrated by her step-father. The client recently disclosed this assault to detectives and this is now an ongoing court case. Although the client no longer has contact with the perpetrator, she continues to struggle with the long-lasting effects of the trauma. The client struggles with symptoms such as hypervigilance, nightmares, flashbacks and body memories (it is common in sexually traumatic cases for client’s to no longer feel connected with their own body).  The client’s focus is to practice mindfulness and body awareness. Staff continue to provide support and validation for the client, provide legal assistance/representation, and other supportive services to help the client recover from the trauma she has endured.