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news
Advocates
speak out against sexual assault
By Heather Clarke
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
A program for individuals
who want to give something back to the community while improving
their resume is taking place this summer.
The YWCA is providing State Certified Advocate training from
July 8 through Aug. 16 for women and men who would like to
volunteer in the Sexual Assault Crisis Program.
Volunteers are certified through the curriculum of the Office
of Criminal Justice Planning to be advocates for sexually
assaulted women. Sexual assault advocates help women in dealing
with the assault by assisting them in going to police stations,
courts and hospitals, said Mikki Melton, administrative assistant.
The program is five weeks long and is held on Mondays, Wednesdays
and alternate Saturdays.
Volunteers are needed to work the hotline, for community education
and public speaking, office administration, direct services,
and self-defense. Rebeca Meléndez, direct service coordinator,
said it is a good opportunity for students to gain experience
in their field while earning units for their service in the
program.
Meléndez said scholarships are available to students
after one year as an advocate, which requires 24 hours a month.
The program also offers internships and job possibilities,
and trains volunteers in many areas. The first portion of
the training is 22 hours followed by specialized training.
Direct services require an additional 20 hours, self-defense
requires 36 additional hours, community education and public
speaking require 12 more hours, and office administration
requires five to 10 more hours of training.
The YWCA Sexual Assault Crisis Program has been in existence
for nearly 15 years. The program provides service for
women and children over the age of 12 and covers Compton,
Watts, Willow Brook and Lynwood.
"We return some of the dignity to the survivor that may
have been taken from them during the assault, and we empower
them to continue living their lives," said Meléndez.
According to the National Crime Victim Bar Association, 70
percent of sexual assault victims knew their attacker as a
friend or relative. The NCVBA findings also reported that
less than five percent of sexual assaults on college women
were reported to the police but two-thirds of the victims
told another person who was not an official.
According to Meléndez, one in three women is affected
by sexual assault.
Meléndez said when helping rape survivors through the
program, advocates are often the first people to see the aftermath
of the assault. She described it as amazing to comfort a person
and advocate for them when they cannot do it for themselves.
The YWCA encourages all types of people to volunteer, including
students from many different majors who would like to gain
experience and training. Meléndez encourages students
to be involved majoring in social work, human services, women's
studies and humanities and physical education.
"This is a community of color and we encourage all people
to come," said Meléndez.
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