The longer you keep it to yourself........... the harder it is to make it go away.
24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 404-377-1428
Office Line:
404-377-1429
Someone you know may need us
DRCC UPCOMING EVENTS
Tucker Chili Cook-off - Saturday, March 16 - 1-5pm
DRCC has been named the beneficiary of the upcoming Tucker Chili Cook-off. Participants will taste over 75 chili recipes and enjoy live entertainment. Organizers are expecting over 3,500 people. Sponsorships are now available and volunteers are needed. For more information, email info@dekalbrapecrisiscenter.org. For vendor information visit www.tuckerchilicookoff.com. For sponsor information, click here.
Crisis Hotline Volunteer Training - Begins February 23. This is a 38-hour course that will take place on Saturdays and Thursdays at Emory University. If interested in joining, email drccvolunteer@gmail.com.
A summer session begins June 11 and will meet Tuesday and Thursday evenings for seven weeks at DRCC in Decatur.
Upon graduating, hotline volunteers agree to take a minimum of two 12-hour shifts a month.
Women Who Lead Fundraising Campaign - click here for details on joining this important campaign.
DeKalb Rape Crisis Center Enters 2013 on a Positive Note
Last October, DeKalb Rape Crisis Center (DRCC) was experiencing severe financial challenges which required cuts in staff and counseling services in order to keep the Center open. Thanks to recent media attention and the generosity of donors across the country, DRCC has received enough donations to operate at current service levels through its fiscal year which ends May 31st.
At the end of December, DRCC received five major donations totaling $55,000. In addition, from October to January, DRCC received numerous individual donations ranging from $10 to $1,000 and the Center’s Women Who Lead campaign surpassed its fundraising goal.
Previous clients, their family members, volunteers, foundations, corporations and government entities have stepped forward to offer financial support to DRCC. Many individual donors been affected by sexual assault themselves or know someone who has been assaulted. It is clear that the community does not want to lose the vital services that DRCC provides. While the donations will support the current operational needs, the DRCC Board of Directors continues to work to develop sustainable plans for the future.
DRCC is working with Matchstic, a brand identity firm, to develop a new name, logo, and website. Matchstic awarded DRCC their consulting services pro bono and will help the Center broaden its donor base with new marketing strategies. These changes will infuse new life into DRCC.
Finally, DRCC has been named the beneficiary of the upcoming Tucker Chili Cook-off, planned for Saturday, March 16. Participants will taste over 50 chili recipes and enjoy entertainment. Organizers are expecting over 3,500 people. Sponsorships are now available. For more information, email info@dekalbrapecrisiscenter.org.
Last year, DRCC provided counseling to 609 clients; crisis hotline advocates provided assistance to over 1,500 sexual assault survivors. Every donation counts. For more information on how you can help, call DRCC at 404-377-1429 x 1. We greatly appreciate your generosity.
NEWS BRIEFS
Open letter to Republican Missouri Senate Candidate Rep. Todd Akin from Michielle Maggard, Counselor, DeKalb Rape Crisis Center:
I recently read your abhorrent comments regarding what you termed “legitimate rape”. I know that millions of Americans were as offended and angry as I was after hearing your inaccurate and dangerous words. With all due respect Rep. Akin, you cannot begin to imagine the damage that your words have done. How many women whose rapes ended in pregnancy have now been re-victimized and marginalized by your words? How many angry persons, like myself, who work in the movement to end sexual violence, have become distracted and outraged by your words?
My anger is what has motivated me to write this in response to your ill-advised comments. My anger is what inspires me to continue to do the work that I do. In my anger, I want to scream out RAPE IS RAPE! I am not alone in my anger, as your words have sparked outrage in many who join me in this movement to end sexual violence, and collectively our voices are shouting RAPE IS RAPE! I really hope you can hear it. So, in a way, I would like to thank you, Rep. Akin. Your words have ignited the momentum that we have needed to bring renewed attention and awareness to sexual violence. I encourage others to use this as a catalyst to urge our elected officials to increase funding for the Violence Against Women Act. This is a critical time in our movement and we will capitalize on this momentum to make sure our words, and not yours, Rep. Akin, are the ones that are remembered.
DRCC Client Awarded Prestigious 2012 “Courageous Pursuit of Justice” Award by Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
DRCC is very proud of one of our strong survivors who was recently awarded the 2012 Courageous Pursuit of Justice Award by the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association at their annual conference on May 11. The recognition was given to her because of her outstanding patience and perseverance for four years while waiting for her civil case to be resolved.
While her attacker was immediately caught and imprisoned, our client sued the alarm company who failed to act when her house alarm repeatedly went off when the assailant broke into her home. This is an historic case which will positively change how alarm companies respond and we commend our client for her bravery, strength and courage to see this case through. You are truly an inspiration!
No Translation Needed: Why Group Therapy Works by Claudia Fedarko, LCSW
Professional Counselor Makeesa Johnson and I have been co-facilitating Trauma Recovery Groups for three years, and we continue to view group therapy as a treatment of choice for women who have been victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse. Why is group therapy so effective for some women? As one member of the last series stated, “I love this group. There is no translation needed. I don’t have to justify what I did or didn’t do, and I don’t have to be afraid that I will be judged harshly.” In addition to talking about the sexual assault, the group members also focus on learning skills to reduce anxiety, be more assertive, recognize triggering and calm down more quickly. However, the greatest strength is the sharing of the women themselves. They gain the knowledge that they are not alone with their confused emotions.
We live in a violent and highly sexualized culture, but most people do not want to look at the problem of sexual assault with open eyes. The most common response that most of our victims receive when they confide in a friend or family member about the assault often feels judgmental and condemning. “Aren’t you over that yet? That happened 4 years ago.” The group members can be much-needed supportive and understanding listeners for each other. It is when a woman feels free to speak about what happened that she truly begins to heal.
Since 1989, DeKalb Rape Crisis Center (DRCC) has offered vital, comprehensive services for survivors of sexual assault including:
* 24-hour crisis intervention hotline * hospital accompaniment * individual counseling * support groups * legal advocacy * prevention education
If you are in need of support for mental health, developmental disabilities or addictive services, please call the DeKalb Crisis Center at 404-892-4646.
DeKalb Rape Crisis Center 404-377-1429 Office Page updated 2/5/13 204 Church Street 404-377-1428 Crisis Hotline Decatur, GA 30030 info@dekalbrapecrisiscenter.org
