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, 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: 

- The Bilingual Special Victims Advocate assisted a client who was sexually assaulted by her physical therapist. This advocate received the referral through the collaboration with the Rockland District Attorneys office. Advocate provided an overview of services and discussed confidentiality. Along with crisis intervention and supportive counseling, this advocate processed clients’ feelings surrounding her guilt and victim blaming. Provided information regarding the criminal justice system, the legal/court process, OVS and discussed future court accompaniments. This advocate sent a referral to the adult therapy department for client to begin services with a counselor, while also providing client with information to the Spanish Sexual Trauma group on Mondays. This advocate has provided ADA advocacy to follow up and check in on the criminal case on client’s behalf to remove that stress of having to keep up with the criminal case while processing and healing from the incident. The client and advocate will continue to check in as needed for supportive counseling. The client thanked the Bilingual Special Victims advocate for helping her navigate the criminal justice system and offering free and confidential services in Spanish

-Staff provided supprotive services to a 15-year-old female who came to the Center due to a sexual assault from her ex-boyfriend. In addition to the assault, she is experiencing DV tactics of being controlled and manipulated by her ex-boyfriend and she is currently an at-risk candidate for human trafficking. She is beginning individual art therapy with the art therapist weekly, where she utilizes art as a form of expression. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, she is learning to replace negative thoughts and behaviors with positive thought patterns and behaviors. This client also regularly attends the teen support group. She is working on building rapport with her therapist, processing her trauma in a safe space and is being provided with crisis interventions. She is working towards limiting self-destructive behaviors while developing positive coping skills.