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.

During this reporting period: 

- A 14 yo girl was referred to the Center after her younger sibling had been sexually abused by a family friend. The teen had begun acting out and feeling responsible that she didn’t protect her younger sibling.  The teen was also in a dating relationship that she recognized was unhealthy and was concerned about the way her boyfriend was treating her. She was able to process her feelings related to sexual abuse and process times although she had not been sexually abused there had been times in her life where she was at risk and had said something to an adult in order to protect herself. The teen also engaged in discussions about teen dating violence, healthy relationships, and sexual commercial sexual exploitation, and flags for trafficking. She was able to develop healthy coping strategies to manage her feeling about what had happened to her sister and ways she could protect herself from people taking advantage of her in dating relationships and the community. She reported feeling empowered and more aware of situation teens may encounter and resources available to them. 

-Staff provided theraputic services to a 12-year-old who is a victim/survivor of child molestation perpetrated by her father and brother. The client suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, has trouble falling asleep, has nightmares, and experiences flashbacks, agitation, anxiety and changes in appetite as a result of the trauma she has endured. During therapy sessions, the client engaged in sand tray therapy and creative arts, which are great tool for clients who need help managing their anxieties and provide a blank space for children to tell their story. The client continues to receive services at the Center, and continues to progress on her healing journey. 

-Staff provided trauma-focused services to a 15-year-old client who was sexually abused by her ex-boyfriend. Despite a restraining order being in place, the perpetrator has continued to harass the client indirectly through peers, contributing to an ongoing sense of violation and fear. As a result, the client has been experiencing frequent re-traumatization and heightened emotional distress. The client has gradually developed trust in the therapeutic relationship and has become increasingly able to identify, express, and process her emotions in session. Historically, the client has struggled with vulnerability and emotional expression with others, including her family, as such openness is often perceived as a sign of “weakness” within her culture. Despite these barriers, she has demonstrated remarkable progress in therapy, allowing herself to open up, reflect on her experiences, and actively engage in working through her trauma. The client consistently uses art as a primary mode of self-expression and has responded especially well to creative arts modalities, which have provided a safe, comfortable avenue for her to share her story and explore her feelings in a way that feels both authentic and empowering to her.