According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexual violence is a significant problem in the United States and defined as sexual activity when consent is not obtained or given freely. The victim usually knows the person responsible for the violence. These perpetrators are often friends, intimate partners, coworkers, neighbors, and family members. Many victims are told that no one will believe them, others feel shame from the stigmatism, and some feel powerless against the person abusing them. All abuse, especially sexual abuse, is about power and control over another person.
Research has led to programs aimed at understanding the problem of sexual violence and preventing the violence before it begins. According to Joanna Dragan, from Sexual Trauma Treatment and Recovery Services (STTARS) program, part of the SPHS Care Center, many survivors go years before they report the violence. The topic of sexual violence is still a stigmatized topic and leads to silence among its victims. The message for survivors is as important now as it ever has been: “Your voice has power, embrace your voice,” shares Joanna Dragan of STTARS, part of the SPHS Care Center, serving Washington and Greene counties.
Lately, it’s been even more difficult to hear the survivor’s voices because of the ongoing pandemic. In-person domestic and sexual violence awareness events were not available and many of our most vulnerable could not be seen or heard. The isolation created by the pandemic led to a breakdown of community support, shares Leslie Orbin of Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA (DVSSP). What Joanna and Leslie want the community to know is that services provided by their organizations are still available and not only for those in life threatening situations.
Many of the DVSSP’s counseling and prevention programs person went online this year. Group counseling is offered via zoom and one-on-one sessions are available by phone. STTARS continued advocating their message during the past year through online literacy programs educating the community on ways to stand up against violence. A coloring contest was held in the GreeneScene Community Magazine emphasizing that your voice has power and empowering youngsters to speak up and be heard.
The past year created additional stressors for families and economic hardships were abundant. This resulted in an increase to hotlines providing services for counseling and economic relief; abuse hotlines were no exception. During the pandemic, there was an estimated 25% increase on domestic disturbances around the world. “While some organizations have noted up to a 25% increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, in southwestern PA this was not necessarily the case,” Leslie says. The area may have not noticed an increase in calls for help if the perpetrator is someone that is close or living with the person they are abusing. During the past year, many have been sheltering at home, making escape from a dangerous situation difficult. The safe spaces normally available in the community – like school, church, and events – were unavailable. These safe spaces are often used to identify those that need help or provide the opportunity for the survivor to seek services. Visual clues such as a withdrawal or lack of interest from activities they enjoy or changes in appearance or mannerisms that display a lack of self-care are used to identify someone that may be suffering from abuse.
In the past, most sexual crimes had a statute of limitations restricted to only a few years for the survivors to file claims against those that abused them. This did not include seeking damages from institutions that hide offenses. Many states understood the need for change and pursued legislation to enact laws that extended the limitation of time to file claims. In Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolfe signed bills championed by State Representative Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who shared the story of his own rape as a boy of 13 at the hands of a priest. The multi-year amendment must pass the House and Senate in the 2021-22 legislative session before the vote in a statewide referendum. (Associated Press, 11/26/19) The new laws will extend the statues by several years for many survivors. Those having to report by age 30 for some instances of a sexual crime will have until the age of 55. Young adults ages 18-23 that only had two years to report, will have until age 30. Police will be given 20 years instead of 12 to file criminal charges for those over 17 years, filing as young adult survivors 18-23 years old.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of awareness for the victims of sexual assault and abuse and the world recently celebrated International Women’s Day. That celebration was recognized during a week-long event held statewide under a global campaign known as “No More” (www.nomore.org ). The campaign believes that, “Together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault”. Domestic violence and sexual assault affect one in three women at some point in their lifetime, with one in six men experiencing sexual abuse before the age of 18. Sixty-five percent of these survivors who did come forward to report the crime say no one would help. Along with the celebration of International Women’s Day came a “Choose to Challenge” movement promoted by the Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA. The movement challenges gender bias and discrimination in our communities.
Resources are available to those needing help or wanting to report a suspected domestic or sexual violence situation. “Your voice has power, embrace your voice,” Joanna says. Counselors are available to help you find the resources you need, and the safe spaces offered by these organizations will welcome you with genuine compassion, eager to help you end your suffering in silence. You will be met with individuals that “will be glad you felt comfortable enough to share your story with them,” Joanna adds. “They will believe what you tell them and are truly sorry that you had to experience this in your life”.
Get Help
Those wanting to talk or searching for answers to help them sort through the damaging effects of domestic violence and sexual abuse can find help at Southwestern Pennsylvania Health and Social Services at 724-627-6108 or 888-480-7283, www.sphs.org. Services for help can also be found through Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania, serving Washington, Fayette and Greene counties. Their number is 800-791-4000 or www.peacefromdv.org.