Sexual Assault Response Services Of Southern Maine

PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CUMBERLAND AND YORK COUNTIES IN MAINE

UNDER THE PILLARS OF INTERVENTION, PREVENTION, AND ENGAGEMENT, 1416 HOURS OF SARSSM PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 783 CLIENTS IN 2,690 SESSIONS OF 1:1 SUPPORT AND SYSTEMS ADVOCACY. SART: SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM (SART) PROVIDES SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SURVIVORS AND THEIR LOVED ONES AND THE PROVIDERS WHO SERVE THEM ACROSS CUMBERLAND AND YORK COUNTIES. SART PROVIDED ADVOCACY SERVICES TO MORE THAN 658 SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN FYE23. SART PROVIDED 90 SESSIONS OF SYSTEMS ADVOCACY TO INCARCERATED VICTIMS/SURVIVORS AND AN ADDITIONAL 511 SESSIONS OF SYSTEMS ADVOCACY TO 133 CLIENTS, ENABLING THEM TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR EMPOWERMENT AND HEALING PROCESSES.IN FYE 2023, STAFF AND VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES WORKING THE 24-HOUR HELPLINE PROVIDED CRISIS INTERVENTION, VALIDATING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, AND RESPONSIVE RESOURCE REFERRALS AND INFORMATION TO SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. HELPLINE ADVOCATES PROVIDED IN-PERSON SUPPORT ON ACCOMPANIMENTS WITH VICTIMS TO HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTERS TO RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE AND/OR FORENSIC EVIDENCE COLLECTION. HELPLINE ADVOCATES PROVIDED POLICE DEPARTMENT ACCOMPANIMENTS WHEN VICTIMS CHOSE LEGAL RECOURSE. HELPLINE ADVOCATES PROVIDED 792 SESSIONS OF PHONE-BASED HELPLINE SUPPORT TOTALING 306 HOURS, SUPPORTED 38 SURVIVORS THROUGH HOSPITAL ACCOMPANIMENTS, AND 12 VICTIMS IN REPORTING CRIMES THEY EXPERIENCED. AS PART OF OUR EMERGE PROGRAMS, UNDER THE PILLAR OF ENGAGEMENT, PEER SUPPORT GROUPS: PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT, CONNECTION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE. SUPPORT GROUPS ARE FACILITATED BY LICENSED THERAPISTS, SARSSM STAFF, AND/OR SPECIALIZED PRACTITIONERS IN TRAUMA. SARSSM OFFERS TRADITIONAL TALK-BASED GROUPS AS WELL AS ACTIVITY/EXPERIENTIAL BASED GROUPS. OUR TRADITIONAL TALK-BASED GROUPS ARE OFTEN IDENTITY BASED, SUCH AS OUR MEN'S SUPPORT GROUP, YOUTH GROUPS AND GROUPS FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE. TALK-BASED GROUPS ENCOURAGE PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE SPECIFIC ISSUES, EMBRACE ASPECTS OF THEMSELVES AND TAKE POSITIVE STEPS THROUGH DIALOGUE WITH THEIR PEERS. OUR ACTIVITY/EXPERIENTIAL BASED GROUPS INCLUDE MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES, CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS, AND SHARED INTEREST ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE HEALING AND BONDING THROUGH SHARED POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.

SARSSM PREVENTION & EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROMOTE HARM REDUCTION, ABUSE PREVENTION, AND CULTURE CHANGE, THROUGH OUTREACH, TRAINING, AND AWARENESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THESE ARE DELIVERED TO K-12 AND POST-SECONDARY SCHOOLS, CIVIC GROUPS, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS. IN FYE 23 WE SERVED OVER 5,000 STUDENTS ACROSS YORK AND CUMBERLAND COUNTIES AS PART OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING.

THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF YORK COUNTY PROVIDES A SAFE, NEUTRAL SPACE FOR COORDINATED FORENSIC INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS FOLLOWING AN ALLEGATION OF SEXUAL AND/OR PHYSICAL ABUSE. SERVICES INCLUDE NON-LEADING, LEGALLY SOUND FORENSIC INTERVIEWS; ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT FOR THE VICTIM AND THEIR FAMILIES; A NEUTRAL SPACE TO FREELY COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE ON INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER INTERVIEWS; AND SEAMLESS REFERRALS TO VARIOUS HEALTH AND MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS. IN FYE23, THE CAC HAD 270 TOTAL CLIENTS, PROVIDED 245 HOURS OF FAMILY ADVOCACY IN 246 SESSIONS, AND OUR FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS COMPLETED 144 INTERVIEWS FOR 143 CLIENTS.