The Rape Recovery Center joined several organizations in a gathering at the Utah Capitol Rotunda on April 2 to promote sexual assault awareness month.
Speakers at the gathering included Dr. Julie Valentine, a forensic nurse and professor at Brigham Young University; Dr. Susan Madsen, professor of leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University; Liliana Olvera-Arbon, director of Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault; and a testimony from a sexual assault survivor.
In her remarks, Olvera-Arbon shared some sobering statistics: that one in three women and one in six men in Utah are expected to experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime.
According to its website, the Rape Recovery Center aims “to support and empower survivors of sexual violence and educate the community about the causes, impact, and prevention of sexual violence.” The center is a leader in trauma-informed care and systemic change, serving over 2,000 survivors annually.
The center’s community engagement director, Sana James, said the Start By Believing campaign is something the organization hopes will become more prominent in the community.
“The Start By Believing campaign is where survivors can move forward and share their stories and their experiences, really, without any sort of judgment. And we are here to gather the community together to inform about how sexual violence really is an issue in our community,” James said. “We want to make sure that the community is aware of the resources available and prevention tactics as well.”
Keala, who wished to have her last name withheld due to an ongoing family legal matter, knows directly how crucial it is to believe a survivor and show up at events that emphasize how to support loved ones.
“I know first-hand how important it is for us to start by believing,” Kaela said. “We have faced the stigmas of them [survivors] not being believed in their disclosures. I think this is very necessary and impactful for us to be supporting.”
James expressed that believing survivors from the beginning can have a significant impact on their willingness to reach out to support services.
“I feel like the phrase ‘start by believing’ sounds very simple. It really can go a long way,” James said. “If you are approaching a survivor with more questions, or were asking them to justify what they’re explaining to you, it can leave them feeling more isolated and less likely to open up or seek help in the future.”
Keala attended the event to strengthen her community’s advocacy.
“I’m just here to support our children, women and men in our communities,” Kaela said.
Eight organizations that offer support to victims of sexual assault, including the Rape Recovering Center, set up tables to share information about available services to the approximately 60 attendees.
One of the attendees, Dr. Margaret Russell, a pediatrician, remarked on the various perspectives and the continual need for progress.
“It was really powerful hearing from people in different organizations [and] about how culture is changing,” Russell said. “It still needs to change.”
As a medical professional, Russell expressed appreciation for learning about the resources available to survivors.
“It’s helpful to understand what’s available outside of our medical resources, and probably one of the most powerful [discussions] was hearing the prosecutor, who was able to speak to how the culture has changed within law enforcement,” Russell said. “That’s an element that I don’t have my finger on the pulse of.”
For more information on events and workshops held by the Rape and Recovery Center, visit their website.
