Dear ,
Recently the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence released a sobering fact sheet which outlined their findings about the actual costs of sexual violence to the United States. Here are a few of the findings that I found astounding:
In 2008, violence and abuse constituted up to 37.5% of total health care costs, or up to $750 billion. Rape is the most costly of all crimes to its victims, with total estimated costs at $127 billion a year (excluding the cost  of child sexual abuse). In 2008, researchers estimated that each rape cost approximately $151,423. Sexual violence survivors experience reduced income in adulthood as a result of victimization in adolescence, with a lifetime income loss estimated at $241,600. Sexual abuse interferes with women's ability to work. Fifty percent of sexual violence victims had to quit or were forced to leave their jobs in the year following their assaults due to the severity of their reactions. The financial toll of sexual violence is staggering and it is only surpassed by the physical, mental and emotional toll survivors and their loved ones experience; a toll that cannot be quantified with hard numbers.
The good news however is that appropriate and early intervention services The Center provides to members of our community can mitigate the costs and reduce the consequences to survivors of sexual violence. A recent study found, "...when victims receive advocate assisted services following assaults, they receive more helpful information, referrals, and services and experience less secondary trauma or re-victimization by medical and legal systems. Furthermore, the same study found that when advocates are present in the legal and medical proceedings following rape, victims fare better in both the short and long term, experiencing less psychological distress, physical health struggles, self blame, guilt and depression. Rape survivors with advocates were 59% more likely to have police reports taken than survivors without advocates whose reports were taken only 41% of the time."
This past month also brought an opportunity for a new and exciting Sexual Assault Response Team training collaboration between The Center and our friends at Marshall Hospital. Working together we will ensure that we continue to do everything we can to meet the complex needs of sexual assault victims and their loved ones including increasing our sensitivity and knowledge of the impact of trauma and by building a foundation of understanding and empathy that will support them on their journey to recovery.
Be sure to join us for the 9th annual Community March to End Sexual Assault Saturday, April 30th at Town Hall on Main Street. Pancake breakfast begins at 8:30 am. See you there!
Matt
Matt Huckabay
Executive Director
P.S. Please tune into CBS 60 Minutes THIS Sunday, April 17th, 6 p.m. They will feature a story on Sexual Assaults on college campuses that includes an interview with the Women's Center of San Joaquin. The segment focuses on two rapes that took place at the University of the Pacific. The piece highlights the flaws in college campus sexual misconduct policies and the need for reform of these policies nationwide. We have all been waiting with great anticipation for this segment to air and again want to stress our hope that this piece brings a heightened awareness to the serious and prevalent problem of sexual assaults on college campuses across the country and initiates effective change so that rape victims are encouraged to report and that they will be better supported during this traumatic experience. We hope that you tune in this Sunday and continue to work with The Center to end sexual violence in our community. 
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Every 2 Minutes...
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 Every 2 minutes, someone in the U. S. is sexually assaulted.
Just what is sexual assault? When we think of sexual assault or rape most of us picture some scary guy jumping out of the bushes at night and attacking a woman. While this is a form of sexual assault, it also takes many other forms. It is important to include the wide range of actions that are considered sexual assault. Sexual assault is defined as child sexual assault, rape, attempted rape, incest, exhibitionism, voyeurism, fondling, and sexual harassment, virtually any unwanted sexual contact.
As much as we'd like to close our eyes to the fact, sexual assault happens right here in our community. Last year The Center assisted 133 sexual assault victims who received services 1089 times. The oldest victim is 75, the youngest sexual assault victim who received services is only 12 years old. In a national representative survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 26% of females and 41% of males who were forced to have sex were first raped before the age of 12.
These numbers are staggering and frankly very frightening. How do we keep our community safe? Is there more we could be doing or more we could learn to prevent this from ever happening to us someone we know?
Sexual assault is hard to see as a personal problem because we feel safer if we believe sexual violence only happens to certain types of people, behaving in certain ways, rather than accept that it could happen to us or someone we love. It happens that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime and 44% of the victims are under age 18.
The Center is hosting the 9th Annual Community March to Stop Sexual Assault on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 8:30 am at Town Hall in Placerville. Our Education Director, Judy Knapp is putting together a program on how bystanders can get more involved when they witness sexual violence either in the form of a harassing comment or an actual act of rape. Important information on how to intervene and keep our community safe from sexual violence.
We hope that you will mark Saturday, April 30th on your calendar and join us. We need to come together as a community and learn how to be more effective at Speaking UP and Speaking OUT against sexual violence. We are looking forward to seeing you there.
If you would like to get involved and support The Center's prevention educational programs. Please visit our website www.TheCenterNow.org or click the button below to make your tax deductible contribution.
If you would like more information on the March please visit our website:
www.thecenternow.org or contact Julie at (530) 626-1450 or julies@thecenternow.org
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Got Kids???
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 Ever wanted to build connection and respect with your kids? Or understand the needs behind your child's behavior? Want magical solutions to handling tantrums, disagreements and problem behavior? What about being able to motivate your kids to willingly contribute around the house? Well look no further! The Center is here to help...
The Center will be offering "Parenting from Your Heart" an 8 week series featuring Positive Solutions Program Director, Eddie Zacapa.
The workshops will focus primarily on teaching Parents Nonviolent Communication (NVC), founded by Marshall Rosenberg. NVC has been used around the world to mediate conflicts, nurture relationships, and promote peace. NVC is also known as giraffe language because the giraffe has the largest heart of all land mammals. It is considered the language of the heart.
Learn to parent without yelling, spanking or relying on the threat of punishments or promises of rewards. Empower your kids to open up, cooperate, and realize their full potential. With NVC all these things are possible.
The workshops are held at The Center. To sign up for the Parenting From Your Heart workshop, or for more information contact Eddie Zacapa at 530-626-1450 or 916-939-4464 or EddieZ@thecenternow.org.
Cost: Sliding scale $15-35 per session or $120-$280 for the entire workshop. Scholarships and assistance is available for those who qualify. No one will be turned away for the inability to pay.
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Got Money???
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March 25th kicked off The Center's Financial Empowerment class for our domestic violence clients. Thanks to grants from Allstate and The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, The Center was able to create a financial empowerment project that would help our clients over the financial hurdles they face when leaving a domestic violence relationship. The class will cover everything from budgeting on a shoestring to recovering from bankruptcy.
Often times, money worries are one of the main reasons that victims remain with their abusers for so long. Not only that, money issues can sometimes send them back to the abuser if they feel that they can't make it on their own after leaving the relationship.
After just one class, our clients said that they are excited and have a new way to think about money. They are used to feeling that there is never enough money to go around. Now... they repeat the mantra, "I have enough money for today."
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Got Chocolate???
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Imagine something you love to do. Now imagine making your living doing just that. With Berried in Chocolate, Shari Fitzpatrick inspires all would-be entrepreneurs to take the plunge and turn their passions into profits. Fitzpatrick realized early on that it was more important for her to be happy and enjoy her work than to simply chase a paycheck doing something that failed to bring her joy.
With no business education or experience, twenty-five-year-old Fitzpatrick had only a $1,500 cash advance and a passion for chocolate-dipped strawberries when she started a home-based business.
Today, she is the founder of a multimillion-dollar company and the owner of the Berry Factory, which provides the nation with her brand of gourmet berries. She has built a lucrative career simply by doing what she loves, and now she shares her secrets and tips so you can too. In this accessible and enthusiastic guide, Shari reveals her triumphs and failures, offering useful strategies and skills to create and maintain a business.
Shari will be sharing the proceeds of her book with The Women's Fund and will be hosting 3 local book signings with complimentary dipped berries with ever book purchase:
The 3 book signing events are: 
Saturday April 16th
From 11am to 1pm
Tony Matthews
447 Main Street
Placerville, Ca 95667
(530) 626-9161
www.tonymatthewsstore.com
Saturday April 16th
From 2 - 4 pm
Miraflores Winery
2120 Four Springs Trail
Placerville, California 95667
(530) 647-8505
www.mirafloreswinery.com
Sunday, April 17th
From 3 - 5 pm
Gold Vine Grill Restaurant
6028 Grizzly Flat Road
Somerset, CA 95684
www.goldvinegrill.com
By following her sound advice, readers will be able to find their talents, learn how to maximize resources, set priorities, and persevere to start leading the life that will bring sweet, sweet rewards.
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Got Friends???
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Working together in our community...
The El Dorado County Child Support office received some training from The Center's Education and Legal departments on our agency's services and legal program. The Center often interfaces with Child Support Services when our clients need help collecting child support from the abuser. It was great to be able to share information that will help both agencies.
The Center's Legal Department is also collaborating with the El Dorado County Superior Court and the South Lake Tahoe Women's Center to revamp the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) process. Currently if someone needs a restraining order due to domestic violence or other violnece, process is very cumbersome and difficult to do without an attorney. Most victims of domestic violence are leaving home with the clothes on their back and don't have money to pay for food and clothing let alone an attorney.
The TRO Team hopes to streamline the process and create simple steps to follow for those needing restraining orders so that victims will be able to complete the forms correctly and get the help and protection that they need.
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The Center for Violence-free Relationships is dedicated to building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual assault and domestic violence through education, advocacy, and services in western El Dorado County.
The Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All contributions are tax deductible and vital to continue our services. |
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THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
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The El Dorado County
Board of Supervisors and The Placerville City Council both
passed and adopted Proclamations recognizing April As Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Elva Manor, our Latina Outreach Advocate, will be honored with a Champion for Children award by the El Dorado County Child Abuse Prevention Council on April 27th at their annual awards luncheon held this year at Green Valley Community Church. Elva is being awarded for her 14 years of tireless efforts on behalf of Latino families. She goes above and beyond to help her families deal with immigration issues, lack of housing and transportation, employment, parental skill building, and more. Thanks to Elva's commitment to improving the lives of others, this "Champion" award is recognition Elva truly deserves. |
Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault
24/7 Crisis Help Line
530-626-1131
916-939-6616
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| Support The Center | |
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CENTER'S SUPPORT GROUPS
Domestic Violence Support and Education Groups:
Tuesdays 5:30-7:30 pm
Wednesdays 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
CAP - Women's Changing Abusive Patterns
Peace First - Men's and Women's Workshops on Improving Relationships
MAAP - Men's Alternatives to Abusive Patterns
(English and Spanish)
For more information on these groups call
(530) 626-1450 or
(916) 949-4464
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 CENTER'S CALENDAR
Economic Empowerment
Project for DV Victims The 6 Module Series begins:
Tues. March 22
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
or
Wed. March 23
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Parenting from Your Heart9 week series starts April 25th 6:00 - 8:00 pm here at The Center for info call (530) 295-4210
Community March to Stop Sexual Assault
Saturday, April 30th
at Town Hall, Main Street
8:30 AM Registration & Breakfast
Mark your calendars!!
Great educational event or way to get involved in your community!
Breakfast goodies, men in high heels and more!
For more information call
530-626-1450 or 916-939-4464 |
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Time Tested Beauty Tips
by Sam Levenson
For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed;
Never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands;
one for helping yourself,
the other for helping others.
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Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault
24/7 Crisis Help Line
530-626-1131
916-939-6616
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The Center has... a 24/7 crisis line for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
11 counselors and 1 volunteers cover the phone line 365 days a year 24 hours a day!!!
They answer nearly 2000 calls per year!
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The Center's Safe Pet Program
The Center currently has 11 animals in our safe pet program including a snake, 2 fish and 5 kittens! Here is a picture of one of our Safe Pet animals. She came to The Center to visit with our volunteer Laurie! 
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