Partnership for Families, Children and Adults (Partnership), along with area agencies and community leaders, are recognizing Sexual Assault Awareness Month during the month of April to bring awareness to the rise in sexual violence and promote available resources for survivors.
On April 6 at noon, Partnership and the Children’s Advocacy Center welcome the public to attend a proclamation ceremony at the Courts Building declaring April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Presented by Mayor Tim Kelly of the City of Chattanooga and Special Advisor David Roddy of the Hamilton County Mayor’s Office, the proclamation will reaffirm the city and county’s commitment to support survivors, as well as encourage the public to engage in awareness efforts.
The ceremony will also recognize community partners whose work supports survivors, including the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hamilton County, Dr. Carol B. Berz Family Justice Center, local law enforcement, the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office and other survivor-serving organizations.
“In the United States, every 68 seconds someone is sexually assaulted, and every nine minutes, the victim is a child,” says Kevin Hyde, CEO, Partnership, adding that while young women and girls face the highest risk, homeless elderly women are one of our fastest growing demographics for sexual assault.
“Partnership provides critical resources for sexual assault survivors through its Rape Crisis Center,” states Hyde. “The Rape Crisis Center is the community’s only comprehensive service provider offering a full range of medical, emotional, and procedural services to adult victims of sexual assault. We collaborate with the Children’s Advocacy Center on those 13 to 17 years of age.“
Rape Crisis Center services include forensic medical exams performed by trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), trauma-informed counseling, court advocacy and other supportive services.
Partnership also provides the community’s 24/7 Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline. Local survivors or potential victims of sexual assault can contact the confidential hotline to receive immediate support, create safety plans and discuss available resources.
“Last fiscal year, we received and responded to 1,415 crisis hotline calls and performed 142 forensic medical exams for sexual assault and domestic violence,” says Hyde. “This represents a 27% increase over five years, a poignant reminder that the need for sexual assault services among our community is great. We must continue working together to holistically support survivors this April and year-round,” he concludes.
Throughout April, the public can also support Partnership and the survivors it serves by donating at partnershipfca.com/donate.
Any individual currently or at risk of experiencing sexual assault is encouraged to contact Partnership’s 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 423-755-2700 for confidential support. To report sexual abuse against children, call the Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline at 877-237-0004.
For nearly 150 years, Partnership has served the most vulnerable in our community. Our specialty is trauma-informed care for victims of rape and domestic violence, children impacted by trauma due to violence, Deaf neighbors, elderly at risk of homelessness, homeless youth, youth aging out of foster care, and families in poverty. We work to ensure safety, stability, and hope for a better future. Partnership is a qualified 501c3 charity operating under the EIN #62-1326050. For more information, please visit partnershipfca.com. Our 990 and Annual Report are loaded for your review.
