One in four. That's right. One in four women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. And, statistics show that one in seventeen men will be victims of sexual assault in the state of Colorado. The prevalence of sexual assault has now reached epidemic proportions. That means that we all know someone who has been devastated by this issue. These people might be our mothers, sons, sisters, friends, or coworkers. Isn't it time that we do something to support the men and women in our lives and to stop sexual assault from occurring in our community?
Local nonprofit, Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA), is accepting applications for its volunteer programs in the hopes of making a positive difference in the lives of many.
"Volunteers are the heart and soul of MESA," says Janine D'Anniballe, Ph.D., the Executive Director of MESA. "The time and energy our volunteers donate is the equivalent of having about 10 full time paid staff."
Counselors (women and men) serve on the 24-hour rape crisis and information telephone hotline and may also accompany survivors to the hospital and police interviews. Training is 40 hours of intensive education on the psychological, medical and legal implications of sexual assault, as well as all forms of oppression and how they are interconnected. Crisis intervention and counseling skills are developed through discussion, role-plays and feedback. Hotline Volunteers must complete the application and screening interview process, attend all training sessions, have access to transportation and private telephone while on-call, fill three shifts per month, attend two evening meetings per month, and fulfill at least a 6 month commitment.
Training for the 24 hour hotline and Men's Educators Program begins on February 11th. Currently, MESA is looking for volunteers in the following positions: hotline counselors for its 24-hour crisis and information hotline, bilingual volunteers for its Spanish hotline, male volunteer educators for its Men Aligned for Social Change program, office volunteers, and volunteers for special events. Interested individuals may contact the MESA staff at 303-443-0400 or by emailing info@movingtoendsexualassault.org.
Photo Information: MESA Intern and CU Boulder Student, Megan Leeds holds a sign summarizing why she volunteers for MESA. Each volunteer participates for a different reason and find satisfication, valuable work and life experience.
