Every 98 seconds an individual is sexually assaulted in the US equating to 1:3 women and 1:6 men being assaulted in their lifetime (RAINN, 2015). The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center (SAVA) is requesting funds to provide supportive services to victims of sexual assault throughout Weld County. SAVA’s services include: sliding-scale and free therapy in English and Spanish, free support groups for secondary survivors, group therapy, play therapy for youth ages 3 and up, a 24-hour rape crisis hotline, school-based prevention groups, advocacy and outreach, free community education, and peer leadership and mentoring. In 2018, SAVA provided services to 1,168 victims of sexual assault (an increase of 33% within the past year). Research demonstrates that the trauma that victims of sexual abuse have faced can never be undone, but with support the victims may become high functioning survivors and move from victim to survivor. Research also reported that through the “teaching, learning, and utilization of effective treatment methodologies, including same-gender survivors' groups, assertiveness skills training, art therapy, and family therapy, and EMDR” (Underwood, Stewart, & Castellanos, 2007), survivors can function, graduate from high school, maintain employment, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. The literature validates that when considering best practices sexual assault victims who receive immediate assistance combined with long term counseling will assist survivors regain sense of control, independence, and success in academics, employment, and relationships (Fernandez, 2011). SAVA employs evidence based practice in our work in addition to short and long term therapy to support victims of sexual assault. For counseling, our therapists are highly trained to employ evidence based practices to address trauma including EMDR, play therapy, and CBT (Chard & Gilman, 2005). In addition our advocates go through an extensive 40 hour training that address crisis intervention, advocacy, and de-escalation. SAVA is specifically applying for funding to provide supportive services that will lead to stability for victims and their families.

2020-2021 People Served by Area of Weld County

• Carbon Valley (Berthoud, Dacono, Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Longmont, Mead, Northglenn, Thornton): 12
• County Seat (Evans, Garden City, Greeley): 170
• Outback (Briggsdale, Grover, New Raymer): 0
• Poudre River Corridor (Severance, Windsor): 31
• South County (Brighton, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Keenesburg, Lochbuie): 5
• Thompson River Valley (Johnstown, Milliken): 15
• US-85 Corridor South (Platteville, Gilcrest, LaSalle, Kersey): 3
• US-85 Corridor North (Eaton, Ault, Pierce, Nunn): 3
• Outside Weld County: 833

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2019-2020
2020-2021

After working with the client on her coping and grounding skills, learning how to identify and her emotions and "sit" with them to process, and strengthening her self-worth, the work turned to processing her sexual assault. We discussed ways that were available for her to tell her story and process it in segments so that it would not overwhelm her. It was determined that a form of narrative therapy would be the best practice for her. The sessions are structured so that the first 10 minutes is "catch up" from the week, 30 minutes of writing/processing, and 10 minutes of grounding and "free" talk to allow for transition time to move out of the session. Through this work, the client reports that she is experiencing fewer triggers, communicating better with her partner about her needs and boundaries, and feeling a greater sense of control over her responses and reactions across life domains.