WICHITA AREA SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER WASAC Helen Smalley Taylor Swanson Jennifer Eaton Michelle Calhoun Natalie Nicks WICHITA AREA SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER

WASAC WICHITA AREA SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION 355 N WACO AVE, SUITE 100 WICHITA, KS 67202 (316) 263-0185 www.wichitasac.com

SERVICES 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE MEDICAL & LEGAL ADVOCACY THERAPEUTIC SERVICES FOR CHILDREN THERAPEUTIC SERVICES FOR ADULTS SUPPORT COUNSELING SUPPORT GROUPS TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA OUTREACH TO THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY COMMUNITY EDUCATION

24- Hour Crisis Line Information or help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. (316) 263-3002

Medical & Legal Advocacy Advocates are available to assist victims as they move through the medical and legal systems. Medical advocates will meet the victim/survivor at the hospital emergency room or during an exam to provide support and offer information. Court advocates provide support, offer information/referrals and accompany through law enforcement and district attorney interviews, and throughout the court process; preliminary, jury trial and sentencing. The Protection Order Advocate is housed in Family Court Services and will assist people who have experienced sexual or domestic violence and are in need of a protection order.

Therapeutic Services for Children Intermediate, short term, individual therapy for children who have been victimized, either directly or indirectly, by sexual abuse.

Therapeutic Services for Adults Intermediate, short-term, individual therapy for adults who have been victimized, either directly or indirectly, by sexual abuse.

Support Counseling One-on-one crisis counseling available. There is no charge for these services and all sessions are confidential.

Support Groups All support groups meet weekly and are open-ended with no appointment necessary to participate. This type of self-help service is very beneficial in allowing victim/survivors to share experiences and their feelings about the assault and, in addition, participants learn information and coping techniques from each other.

Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Groups An important part of healing from sexual violence is learning ways to regain a sense of calm and safety in our lives and our bodies. People around the world have been using yoga as a powerful healing method for thousands of years to calm the body and mind. Research has shown that yoga can have a strong impact on the healing processes of many survivors of trauma. WASAC provides a yoga group for teen girls on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and for adult women on Tuesdays at 6:45 p.m.

Outreach to the Spanish-Speaking Community Bilingual advocates are available to provide direct victim services, education, and advocacy to the ESL community within the Wichita area.

Community Education WASAC’s education and outreach programs are intended to educate the public about WASAC services while challenging cultural myths about sexual assault. Programs offered to the community are provided free and are confidential. Presentations can range from 15 minutes during a neighborhood meeting to a two-hour parenting class, each designed to fit the needs of the hosting organization. Educational programs can be arranged throughout Wichita and Sedgwick County in English and/or Spanish.

Diversity Among Survivors Domestic and sexual abuse can impact anyone regardless of sex, age, race, sexuality, gender presentation, level of physical/mental ability, socioeconomic background, or educational or cultural background. Domestic and sexual violence is a pervasive problem in virtually all countries, cultures, ethnic and racial groups, and social classes People who fall into diverse areas of these categories tend to go underserved, likely because there is a lack of information or understanding about the abuse they experience. Male Survivors Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual Survivors Transgender Survivors Underprivileged or Affluent Survivors Military or Police Partners Elderly Survivors Immigrant Survivors Substance Abusing Survivors Religious Survivors Survivors of Color

Future Plans for this Agency In addition to the many services offered by the WASAC, there are future opportunities they will be providing as well. This in effort to continue the success of this agency and assist those in our community. Volunteer opportunities A 40-hour training session is offered to interested volunteers that complete an application and screening process. These volunteer advocates are asked to commit to a year of service and sign up for two shifts a month on the crisis line. Creating Self-Compassion WASAC is now offering Art & Writing Workshops for Survivor s of Sexual Violence. The 8-week workshops are free and confidential. All supplies are provided. Adult female only and mixed gender groups are available. Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Groups WASAC plans to continue this service as it has proven to be powerful healing method for thousands of years to calm the body and mind. 

Domestic Violence Domestic Violence in Kansas Domestic Violence National Statistics Domestic Violence in Kansas Every 21 minutes, some form of domestic violence is taking place in Kansas. More than 25 percent of all homicides in the state are the result of domestic violence. It is estimated that 10% of women in Kansas are victims of domestic violence each year. 1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. 85% of victims are women. Like sexual assault, few Incidents are ever reported to law enforcement. In about 40-45% of relationships with incidents of battery, sexual assault does also occur.

Sexual Violence Sexual Violence National Statistics Nearly 1 in 5 women have been raped in their lifetimes. On average, almost 500 women (483) are raped or sexually assaulted each day in the United States. Nearly 1 in 2 female victims and 52.4% of male victims of sexual violence reported perpetration by an acquaintance. Sexual Violence in Kansas In 2013 1,645 victims of sexual assault received services from the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center. In Kansas, one rape is reported to law enforcement every seven hours. In 78% of rape cases reported to law enforcement in Kansas, rapists know their victims.

Survivor Quilt Survivor quilt found in the lobby at WASAC includes patches made by victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

WASAC STAFF Social Workers within this agency account for most of the overall staff. Many of the professional roles within the company include: Outreach Advocate Adult Therapist Protection Order Advocate Latino Outreach Coordinator Statistical Coordinator Accountant Court Advocate Coordinator of Program Services Volunteer Coordinator Assistant Director Executive Director

Personal Impressions of WASAC I plan to become involved in some of the upcoming volunteer opportunities at WASAC. I look forward to the direct assistance that I will be able to provide sexual assault survivors. I was impressed with the tour that I received at WASAC. I’ve become educated on the various classes offered and the services that they provide. I wasn’t aware of the many free and confidential services at WASAC that are available tor survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. I plan to enroll in the 40-hour volunteer training, and I hope to become a part of such a well respected and valuable agency. I was inspired to become involved with ongoing efforts to promote sexual assault awareness within our community.

Power Point References (Mary Stolz-Newton- Assistant Director, personal communication, November 13, 2015). Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, Statistics. (2015). Retrieved October 30, 2015, from http://www.kcsdv.org/learn-more/stats.html. National Sexual Violence Resource Center.(2015). Retrieved November 2, 2015, from http://www. nsvrc.org. Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, Services. (2015). Retrieved November 2, 2015, from http://www.wichitasac.com. Mary Stolz-Newton. (2015, November 02). Domestic Violence Awareness Month. [ The Advocate, The Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center Newsletter]. Retrieved from http://wichitasac.com/newsletters/.