Rape Victims Get a Helping Hand

Rape Response, a program dedicated to helping victims of sexual violence in the Birmingham area, is gearing up for their annual Raise the Voice event that will take place Thursday, February 5 at WorkPlay.

“Raise the Voice is the sole fundraising effort for the Rape Response and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs of the Crisis Center,” said Jen Hall Henderson, an intern with Rape Response and a UAB student. “All of the services offered by Rape Response and SANE are offered free of charge to our clients, so the auction is a crucial part of the annual funding for these programs. These programs are vital for the survivors of sexual assault in the Greater Birmingham area.”

Raise the Voice will feature live tunes from Jesse Payne along with a great selection of food including a London broil, hickory smoked trout canapé, and chicken fingers. A silent auction will begin at 6pm and a live auction at 7pm. The live auction will offer spectacular works of art by local talents, a wine country getaway, and spa trips.

According to Lauren Snyder, a Rape Response advocate and UAB student, this event not only provides great entertainment for the evening, but also affords an opportunity to meet some of the people who are the backbone of the Crisis Center.

“Raise the Voice is a wonderful way for us to spread information about our services to the community,” she said. “It is also a good chance to meet the fabulous people who work with Rape Response such as the director, education coordinator, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and the advocates. Raise the Voice gives people in the community who want to contribute to the program a chance to make donations and provide financial support.”

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. College age women, however, are 4 times more likely to be sexually assaulted.

“It is crucial that college students, particularly females, are aware of Rape Response because sexual assault is so prevalent for this age group,” Snyder said. “Rape Response provides a great deal of services including initial medical care and counseling, survivor support groups, and family or friend support counseling.”

The Crisis Center holds quarterly training sessions for those interested in volunteering with Rape Response. Classes cover the legal and medical issues of sexual assault and the most effective ways to communicate with survivors and their loved ones. Hands-on experience is acquired by shadowing an advocate for a period of time. According to Henderson, the work is tough but quite fulfilling.

“Working as a medical advocate is the most difficult thing I have ever done,” she said, “but it is also the single most rewarding experience of my life. It is virtually impossible to describe what it feels like to know that you are making a difference in the life of someone who has just experienced sexual violence.”

Tickets to Raise the Voice are $50 per person or $25 for students; these may be purchased at the door or by contacting Lauren Lanehart at 458-8982.

The Crisis Center, a United Way organization, has been assisting the Birmingham community since 1975.

Published in the UAB Kaleidoscope newspaper, 02/02/2009