April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and this year's theme is '25 Years Stronger: Looking Back, Moving Forward,' which celebrates the resilience of survivors and the communities that have worked for change as well as honoring the history and growth of the commitment to building a safer future for all.
Sexual violence encompasses all types of unwanted sexual contact including rape or sexual assault, sexual harassment and abuse, voyeurism, incest, child sexual abuse, and any unwanted sexual contact.
'Other forms of sexual violence include sex trafficking, nonconsensual image sharing and words and actions of a sexual nature against a person's will and without their consent,' said Lori Gonzalez, Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) Vice President of Advocacy Services.
Sexual assault can impact a survivor's daily life for an untold amount of time as processing and healing from trauma is different for each survivor. 'Each person handles it in their own way, there is no right or wrong path,' Gonzalez said. Guilt, shame, fear, and feelings of isolation are all common reactions to a sexual assault, according to Gonzalez.
'There are also concerns of physical impacts such as possible pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; as well as economic concerns for things such as medical expenses or missed work days,' she said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of women (45.1%) and nearly 17% of men in the United States have experienced contact sexual violence in their lifetimes. The most common offenders include acquaintances, family members, and trusted individuals.
Oklahoma State Department of Health reports that the rate of rape and attempted rape reported to law enforcement has been 3545% higher in our state than the national average for the past decade. It is estimated that over 51% of Oklahoma women and 46% of Oklahoma men will experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking at some point in their lifetime.
'The most sobering fact about those numbers is that rape is a very underreported crime,' said Gonzalez.
As with most things, education is the first step to action; empowering communities to be a part of the solution. 'We need to have a dialogue and understand sexual violence and how our communities respond to that,' she said.
Other actions include promoting safe behaviors and healthy relationships, according to Gonzalez. 'We need to keep working toward creating safe communities where everyone is treated with respect, no matter their situation,' she said.
Gonzalez added that DVIS has advocates for anyone who has been a victim of sexual violence as well as educators on the subject.
'This is a huge problem facing our society and we alf need to be proactive and educate ourselves on how we can work together to confront this issue and make a difference in the lives of those affected by these senseless and oftentimes violent acts,' said Gonzalez.
'Our Hospital Advocacy provides trained advocates to accompany each survivor to their sexual assault exam and provides support to the victim, as well as their family members, before, during, and after the exam. 'We also make referrals to community resources and provide physical resources such as clothing, toiletries, and shoes after the exam,' said Gonzalez. Other Survivor Advocacy includes Protective Order assistance, safety planning, case management, crisis intervention, victim compensation, and address confidentiality.
Through their help line, DVIS provides 24-hour crisis response and crisis intervention at 9187HELP-ME. 'This is also our central channel for survivors, community members, and law enforcement to contact advocates and counselors,' said Gonzalez. The help line also provides information to the public concerning how to receive an exam, counseling, and community services, she added. DVIS also has a text line you can reach by texting 'SAFE' to 207-777, 8 p.m.-I a.m., daily.
'DVIS also has a fully staffed location in Sapulpa, for residents of Creek County,' Gonzalez said. 'We want to ensure that we are serving all of our residents, and the Sapulpa branch helps us to reach all areas of Creek County, no matter how rural.'
DVIS's Sapulpa location can be reached at (918) 224-9290.