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In October of 2003, SafeHouse Center began providing services
to survivors of sexual assault. The Sexual Assault Crisis
Center had previously provided these services, but due to
budgetary constraints they were forced to close their doors
in October 2003. SafeHouse was able to provide a seamless
transition of services for survivors of sexual assault by
providing a 24-Hour HelpLine, emergency shelter, counseling,
support groups, advocacy, community education, prevention,
social change and a 24 hour Sexual Assault Response Team.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is a multi-disciplinary
team composed of advocates from SafeHouse, specially trained
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), prosecutors, and law
enforcement. The Washtenaw County SART was formed in 2002
to formalize and coordinate the response to survivors of sexual
assault. This SART team was developed beginning in 2000 by
the Washtenaw County Coalition on Gender Violence and Safety,
a coordinated community collaboration of domestic violence
and sexual assault service providers, batterers intervention
service providers, prosecutors, police, hospitals, community
government officials, and other community partners. The SART
approach provides survivors with the most efficient, sensitive
and appropriate services by streamlining the processes of
the hospital, law enforcement, prosecution and advocacy. The
SART has resulted in reduced waiting times in the Emergency
Room for survivors of sexual assault, better service provision,
and increased conviction rates.
When a sexual assault survivor presents to the Emergency
Room at either The University of Michigan Health System (Ann
Arbor) or St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (Ypsilanti), the survivor
is triaged immediately and is given a private place to wait.
Hospital staff then calls the SART team. The SART dispatcher,
a staff member at SafeHouse, gathers relevant information
and pages the SANE on-call and the SafeHouse advocate on-call.
The SANE and advocate respond promptly to the hospital to
provide a medical/forensic exam (rape kit) and crisis intervention
and support services to the survivor. The hospital staff is
trained to alert law enforcement, who also responds immediately.
SafeHouse Center advocates follow-up with survivors within
two business days of their hospital visit to offer on-going
counseling, support, and advocacy, including legal advocacy.
Law enforcement are also authorized to contact SART prior
to a survivor’s arrival at the hospital, or when a survivor
does not need a medical/forensic exam but wishes to speak
with an advocate.
Survivors are able to choose whether to
participate with any, or all of the services provided by the
SART team. |
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In 1987, SafeHouse Center established a first response team in order to provide support immediately following a domestic violence assault. All Washtenaw County law enforcement agencies contact the SafeHouse Center Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) after receiving a report of domestic violence. Local area hospitals also page DVRT when a patient discloses that she experienced domestic violence. SafeHouse staff or volunteers then travel to the survivor’s location to offer support and information and to help her plan for her safety. The DVRT contact is often the fist time that a survivor learns of SafeHouse and of the options and services that are available to help her. This is often the first time that she has been able to talk with someone about her situation without being blamed for the violence or judged for staying with her assailant. The strength of this program is that we go to the survivor; therefore, she does not have to identify herself as a domestic violence survivor or request services from us first. Response from survivors to the DVRT is almost entirely positive.
The Response Teams Coordinator trains and supervises all DVRT volunteers with the help of a full-time Response Teams advocate. On weekdays during business hours, staff at SafeHouse Center responds to pages from the police or hospital. A pool of 35-40 volunteers cover all evening, weekend, and holiday shifts. Volunteers are always on DVRT in pairs and make contact by phone if it is not safe to do so in person. The Response Teams Coordinator is always available to DVRT volunteers by pager to answer questions, consult on particular cases, and advocate in emergency situations. |
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| Peacefest '08 |
April 14th, 2008 - doors at 6:30p.m.
Where: Eastern Michigan University Ballroom
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| For more info, please call (734) 487-2282 |
| Mast Shoes store event fundraiser |
Details coming soon.
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Gift Cards (Meijer, Target, Kroger, etc) |
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Phone Cards |
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Cell Phones |
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Gas Cards |
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| NEW ITEMS: |
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Towels |
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Silverware |
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Pillows |
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Microwaves |
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Twin Sheet Sets |
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Coffee Pots |
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Pots & Pans |
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VCR's |
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Dishes & Glasses |
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DVD Players |
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Underwear for women and children up to teens |
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Baby Formula |
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Baby Jar Food |
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Large Size 5 and 6 Diapers |
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