How to resolve AdBlock issue?
On Dec. 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a survey revealing that nearly one in two women – or 44.6 percent – and one in five men, or 22.2 percent, experience sexual violence other than rape throughout their lifetime.
The 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey shows an increased need for rape crisis centers and rape prevention programs, with approximately 1.3 million women reported being raped in the 12 months prior to taking the survey.
According to LeMon Perales, program manager for the Lake Family Resource Center Rape Crisis Center, classically low reporting rates for this sexual violence make it extremely difficult to calculate an accurate rate of sexual violence in Lake County.
However, Perales said there were more than 200 such cases reported in 2010 in Lake County.
“It is always difficult, especially with the economy as it is currently, but this report clearly demonstrates that California must commit to supporting funding for rape crisis center programs that work to reduce the incidence of and provide support and treatment of sexual crimes. In the end, the dollars spent up front on prevention, early intervention, and treatment will reduce long term negative health consequences which, in turn, will save the state money in the long run,” said Lake Family Resource Center Executive Director Gloria Flaherty.
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey is an ongoing, nationally representative survey that assesses experiences of sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence among adult women and men in the United States.
It confirms what advocates and educators already know about the prevalence of sexual violence, intimate partner violence and stalking. It also sheds new light on the scope and context of these forms of violence.
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey revealed that close to 22 million people are victims of rape; more than two million of these survivors live in California.
In 2010-11, about 30,000 people accessed crisis intervention services from one of California’s 63 rape crisis centers, according to the findings.
A majority of funding dedicated to rape crisis centers is delivered from the federal budget, not from the state budget. The state of California only dedicated $45,000 to sexual violence programs, which means that the state of California allotted $1.50 for each individual who accessed services.
In order to decrease rates of violence and foster healthier communities, the study concludes that it is imperative that California develops a funding initiative for rape crisis centers.
The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault said that social norms that contribute to violence and the response to violence can be changed, and rape crisis centers and other anti-violence programs need support to help create that transformation.
Such agencies need resources to continue to provide counseling, legal advocacy, community education, prevention programming, shelter and policy advocacy, CALCASA reported.
“Rape crisis centers are doing phenomenal work to support survivors and prevent sexual violence, but there is still so much more that needs to be done,” said CALCASA’s Executive Director Sandra Henriquez. “It’s essential that advocates have the resources and capacity to reach more survivors and to create communities that are healthier and free from interpersonal violence.”
The federal budget crisis has resulted in a 40 percent reduction to rape prevention education awards, which has undermined critical efforts in California to prevent sexual assault throughout the state, according to the organization. California’s rape crisis centers and service providers could stand to lose more than $800,000 as a result of federal budget disputes.
Lake Family Resource Center said it’s a crucial time for its rape crisis center to reach out to members of community on the issues raised in the report.
Perales said Lake County is classified as a rural, underserved area with multiple “at risk” populations for sexual violence. Children, elderly, disabled, ethnic, mentally ill and economically disadvantaged all are at high risk of becoming victims of violence, especially sexual violence.
The prevention and intervention of rape must be a priority in Lake County, California and throughout the nation, according to Perales.
Lake Family Resource Center’s Rape Crisis Center Advocates are available 24 hours/day, seven days per week to serve families in Lake County.
They have received extensive training to enable them to share accurate information about trauma, victim rights and community resources and will support the victim and the family as they deal with this crime. There is no charge and no time limit for these services.
Lake Family Resource Center also operates the Community Crisis Line – 1-888-485-7733 – which is available 24/7.
The center can be visited online at http://lakefrc.org/.
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .
