Rape & Abuse Crisis Center Of Fargo-Moorhead

Causes: Human Services, Victims Services

Mission: Our mission is to provide crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling and education to all persons affected by sexual and domestic violence and to provide prevention programs to create a society free of personal abuse.

Programs: Prevention and education:public education and the implementation of prevention-based programming are important elements to the overall mission of the rape and abuse crisis center. Trainings and presentations are available to places of employment or community groups on issues of healthy relationships, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, child abuse, or other issues of interpersonal violence. In the area of prevention-based education, numerous presentations and programs are presented to local schools regularly. Programming includes "red flag green flag" personal safety curriculum, "i wish the hitting would stop" domestic violence prevention curriculum, and for older students, programming related to healthy relationships and dating violence is available. In 2014, the rape and abuse crisis center provided 900 presentations reaching 18,211 individuals: 743 presentations reached 15,520 elementary, middle, high school and college students, 133 presentations reached 1,885 community members, and 24 presentations were provided to 806 professionals (law enforcement, nurses, social workers, etc). Engaging the community in working to prevent domestic and sexual violence is an important part of racc's work. In 2014, racc hosted a "call to men" event with a nationally known speaker at a local university, attended by approximately 600 student athletes and a men's breakfast the next day with the same speaker, with approximately 200 in attendance at that event. Sexual assault services: the rape and abuse crisis center (racc) provides crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling to victims of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Crisis intervention includes staff and volunteers responding to the immediate needs of victims. In 2014, racc served 1,014 victims of sexual assault, 261 of those victims were children. Racc is a member of the community sexual assault response team (sart). Advocacy services may include assistance to victims during hospital exams, law enforcement investigations, and with obtaining orders for protection. Ongoing counseling services are provided to primary and secondary victims. Advocates provided service to victims of sexual assault at emergency centers on 68 occasions in 2014. Domestic violence services: the rape and abuse crisis center provides crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling to victims of domestic violence. In 2014, racc provided services to 1,623 victims of domestic violence including 114 children. Crisis intervention includes staff and volunteers responding to the immediate needs of victims following an incident of violence. Advocacy services may include assistance to victims during hospital exams, law enforcement investigations, and with obtaining orders for protection. In 2014, racc assisted 138 victims in obtaining emergency orders for protection. Counseling services are provided to primary and secondary victims following the initial crisis. Racc also works with local law enforcement officials to reach out to victims identified in domestic violence incident reports; in 2014, staff reviewed 1,531 reports and made contact with 1,058 victims. Victims were provided with information on the criminal justice system, their rights and services available to them. Racc provides emergency financial assistance to victims who need help with food, rent, utilities, transportation, medication, and other necessities. Advocates responded to victims of domestic violence in emergency centers on 18 occasions in 2014. Cac family advocate services: racc provides a family advocate at the red river children's advocacy center. The family advocate provides assessment, education, emotional support, and information and referral services to non-offending caretakers of children who are undergoing an interview as part of a sexual abuse investigation. Many of the children identified in racc's sexual assault services are seen at the rrcac initially. In 2014, there were an additional 91 care takers and 100 children who were seen by racc's family advocate but who were not viewed as a sexual abuse victim after the investigation. Services to children who are sexually acting out (sao): in 2014, 9 children and 17 parents were served where children were inappropriately sexually acting out and parents were requesting, and received, education and counseling.