Kaitlyn Wagoner
The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).
Each year, Mountain Crisis Services continue to bring awareness surrounding sexual assault, abuse and harassment by honoring survivors’ voices and educating the community.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s theme for this year’s SAAM is “Together We Act, United We Change.” The theme highlights the importance of working together as a community to educate and prevent sexual assault, abuse and harassment.
What does that mean for us as advocates at Mountain Crisis Services and why is it important to adopt this theme?
MCS feels this theme is important, because as a community, we have come far in the way that sexual assault cases are addressed. Among our population there are survivors, those who know of someone who has been victimized, as well as those who want to support survivors of sexual violence.
This crime can be extremely detrimental to one’s mental and physical health costing victims $122,000 on average in their lifetime.
Mountain Crisis Services sees the importance of working together with community partners to meet the needs of victims of sexual assault in our community. It takes a multi-disciplinary effort to be able to fully support a survivor through all aspects of investigation, medical exams, prosecution, followed by the healing process.
Therefore, maintaining healthy relationships with community partners is vital for survivors to feel fully supported.
For example, victims of sexual assault may present themselves to the emergency room for various reasons. It is protocol for nurses in the ER to assess victims, call law enforcement and request an MCS advocate to provide support services (if that is the victim’s choice).
Nurses are able to provide a trauma-informed approach in the first stage of coming forward. With this interaction, it can set the tone for the remainder of the victim’s healing journey.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), consisting of law enforcement, MCS and forensic nurses, is a prime example of the importance of collaboration.
Law enforcement initiates the SART process, while MCS provides transportation and advocacy services for victims to a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam. The importance of collaboration is vital, so victims are feeling validated by overarching support from medical providers to law enforcement to advocacy and eventually the criminal justice system.
Once law enforcement collects all of the evidence and testimonies it needs, that evidence is then transferred over to the district attorney for prosecution. The district attorney has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed.
With the evidence from the exam, interviews and evidence collected by law enforcement, it gives the DA a reasonable chance in proving the case in court of law. In California, survivors of sexual assault have the right to be heard in court, including participating in proceedings, be protected from the accused and receive information about the case (Marsy’s Law).
With this, the survivor feels empowered to participate in the criminal justice system, further encouraging their healing journey.
Additionally, MCS relies on numerous community partners to provide additional support services to address their various circumstances. This community involvement empowers the victim to utilize resources and referrals to meet all of their needs.
“Together We Act, United We Change” rightly describes our community’s multidisciplinary approach. We continue to empower survivors to come forward and feel believed. This partnership of these agencies working together as a team ultimately fosters survivors’ pathway to healing.
This month, Mountain Crisis Services is participating in National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s #30DaysOfSAAM where we will be posting daily for 30 days to the prompts of the calendar.
April 1 was the Day of Action and it has continued from there. Denim Day is April 30 this year and we encourage businesses to participate in wearing denim and showing support to survivors of sexual assault.
On the same day, we will be holding a raffle that includes a complimentary one night stay at Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, along with a $150 complimentary Serenity Spa service and $150 complimentary meal.
Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20. Tickets can be purchased all month of April in Mountain Crisis Services office at 5075 Highway 140, Suite C in Mariposa or through GiveButter: givebutter.com/Jz37h1. Winners will be announced via live on our Facebook page at 4:30 p.m. on April 30 (Denim Day).
Join us in celebrating Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
If you or your business is interested in participating in Denim Day, send an email to katy@alliance4you.org. We will deliver ribbons and stickers the day before to your business to wear on the day of.
Thank you Mariposa community partners and members in supporting sexual assault survivors.
Kaitlyn Wagoner is a program specialist for Mountain Crisis Services.
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