Reminder...please stop by the office and join us for our annual Open House on Wednesday, April 4th, 3:00 - 6:00 pm...details here

  

During the entire month of April, and especially on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25TH,  Operation Care asks businesses, organizations and individuals to wear Denim in support of sexual assault survivors and to raise awareness about sexual assault misconceptions.   

 

Why Denim?

A symbolic gesture - In 1998, a teenage girl in Italy was raped by her driving instructor. He was tried and convicted and sentenced to jail, and his case went to the Supreme Court of Appeals in Rome. The court overturned the original ruling stating that because the victim wore very tight jeans she had to help remove them, thereby giving consent to have sex. The case made international headlines and the young woman's jeans became a symbol of the many misconceptions still surrounding sexual violence, such as there is a "correct" way for someone to respond during an assault and what someone wears can be an excuse for rape.  

 

Don't Be Quiet |Speak Out |Take Action 
More Information: California Coalition Against Sexual Assault  

Ashley Carnicello, Deputy Director

For the next few issues, we will do a spotlight on members of our staff. This month we are featuring our Deputy Director, Ashley Carnicello and our Shelter Coordinator, Linda Crabtree.

Ashley Carnicello

Ashley began working for Operation Care in September of 2002, and worked with adults, teens, and youth as Shelter Specialist and Program Specialist. Ashley earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology in 2010 from Charter Oak State College. In recent years, her specialty has been group facilitation for our youth and teen programs including Making the Peace, a 15-session workshop helping youth deal with issues around violence, and Chrysalis, a 10-session violence prevention workshop for girls to help them understand different types of violence and the roots of violence. A 17-year old attending one of these workshops commented, "She's pretty cool and pretty awesome, positive vibes and she is very understanding." Other comments from attendees include "She's nice, she's cool to talk to", and "She's Alright"!

Ashley was recently promoted to Deputy Director. In her new position, she supervises staff and the day-to-day operations of the agency. She meets with every client to assure they are receiving the care and assistance available to them through our programs.

Linda Crabtree, Shelter Coordinator

Linda Crabtree
We are pleased to introduce Linda Crabtree, our new Shelter Coordinator.  Linda first began working at Operation Care in December 2010 as a Shelter Specialist.  She quickly showed that she was dedicated to Operation Care's mission though interactions with clients and advocating on their behalf.  As Shelter Specialist, Linda would help safe house clients gain independence and feel safe though counseling, setting goals, and advocating on behalf of them.   Now as Shelter Coordinator, Linda oversees the safe house property and programs, however she still continues to work closely with safe house clients.  It has become a consensus in the safe house that our clients feel safe when Linda is around. When asked about Linda, our clients had only positive comments.  One safe house resident said, "Linda is very helpful, warm and caring. She makes us feel safe." Another woman said "She has helped me so much.  She made me feel like I can be independent and live violence free." Other comments include, "Linda is very helpful. She is a good person and always talks to me when I need someone.  She makes the house feel safe."

If you would like to know more about Operation Care's safe house and programs please contact Linda at 209-223-2897.

If you or someone you know needs help, dial 911 or call the 24-hour crisis line at 209-223-2600 or (800) 675-3392. Operation Care provides safe shelter for women, men, and children, as well as counseling, support services, crisis intervention, education, and referrals. For more information, to make a contribution, to volunteer your services, or to obtain Denim Day materials for your group, office, or organization, please call 209-223-2897.  A domestic violence support group is held every Tuesday at 10:00 and drop-in's are encouraged. Contact Denise at 223-2897 for details. 

 

 

Related web sites:
Operation Care: http://www.operationcare.org
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
http://calcasa.org/
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence: http://www.cpedv.org