Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center

DARCC IS COMMITTED TO ENGAGING AND EDUCATING COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND SUPPORTING SURVIVORS AND THEIR LOVED ONES AS THEY HEAL AND THRIVE.

ADVOCACY - DARCC PROVIDES IMMEDIATE SUPPORT TO THOSE IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE. ALL ADVOCATES, BOTH STAFF AND VOLUNTEER, COMPLETE A RIGOROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE 40-HOUR, OAG-APPROVED SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCATE TRAINING PROVIDED BY DARCC ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. THESE ADVOCATES ACCOMPANY SURVIVORS TO THE HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND INFORMATION DURING THE FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAM AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. THEY ALSO STAFF DARCCS 24-HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE AND STAND READY TO OFFER EXPERT CRISIS INTERVENTION, INFORMATION, AND REFERRALS IF NEEDED, INCLUDING REFERRALS TO NO COST LEGAL SERVICES. ADVOCATES FURTHER PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH ONGOING SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, ASSISTANCE WITH CRIME VICTIM'S COMPENSATION AND TEXAS VINE (VICTIM INFORMATION & NOTIFICATION EVERY DAY). IN 2023, THE ADVOCACY TEAM TRAINED 95 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED 14,603 HOURS OF HOTLINE AND HOSPITAL ADVOCACY. IN TOTAL, PAID ADVOCATES ACCOMPANIED 418 SURVIVORS DURING THEIR FORENSIC EXAMS AND SUPPORTED 1,099 SURVIVORS WITH ACUTE AND ONGOING ADVOCACY NEEDS. DARCC VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF RESPONDED TO 3,098 HOTLINE CALLS.

COUNSELING - DARCC PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL, TRAUMA-INFORMED COUNSELING SERVICES TO THOSE IMPACTED BY ANY FORM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE (INCLUDES SEXUAL ABUSE, ASSAULT, HARASSMENT, STALKING, ETC.), ALL AT NO COST TO THE SURVIVORS OR THEIR LOVED ONES. DARCCS CLINICAL TEAM IS MADE UP OF LICENSED, MASTER'S-LEVEL COUNSELORS OR INTERNS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LICENSED STAFF. COUNSELING SERVICES INCLUDE SHORT- ANDLONG-TERM INDIVIDUAL, COUPLE, FAMILY, AND GROUP COUNSELING, AND ALL SERVICES ARE GUIDED BY TRAUMA-INFORMED PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES. THE CLINICAL TEAM FOCUSES ON PROVIDING CARE TO THE WHOLE PERSON USING VARIOUS COUNSELING INTERVENTIONS. THESE INCLUDE ART THERAPY, MINDFULNESS, EMDR, COGNITIVE PROCESSING THERAPY, AND MORE. IN 2023, DARCCS COUNSELING TEAM CONTINUED TO OFFER ALL SERVICES BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON BASED ON THE SURVIVORS' PREFERENCES. 394 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED COUNSELING SUPPORT DURING THE YEAR. CLINICIANS PROVIDED 3,553 HOURS OF COUNSELING AND 650 GROUP SESSIONS.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - DARCC EDUCATORS TAKE VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT TOPICS SUCH AS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT, BULLYING, AND GENDER SOCIALIZATION INTO THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY TO EFFECT CHANGE IN BELIEFS AND BEHAVIOR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE. INCLUDED IN THESE GENERAL INFORMATION TRAININGS IS A SPECIAL TYPE OF EDUCATION CALLED PRIMARY PREVENTION. PRIMARY PREVENTION EDUCATION IS THE GOLD STANDARD IN PREVENTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND IS APPROVED AS THE BEST PRACTICE FOR PREVENTION EDUCATION BY THE CDC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. IT DIFFERS FROM THE RISK REDUCTION MODEL OF THE PAST, WHICH PLACES THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE POTENTIAL VICTIM TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE. THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS CERTAIN BELIEFS AND CULTURAL NORMS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY THAT CAN LEAD TO SEXUAL ABUSE AND ASSAULT. DARCC IS OVERWHELMED WITH REQUESTS FOR BOTH COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PRIMARY PREVENTION PRESENTATIONS WITHIN THE METROPLEX, AND THESE REQUESTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY EACH YEAR AS THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE BECOMES MORE PREVALENT IN MAINSTREAM SOCIETAL CONVERSATION. IN 2023, DARCC'S TEAM REACHED OVER 26,000 INDIVIDUALS IN DALLAS WITH THIS VITAL EDUCATION.