SAWERA Blog

Why Doesn’t She Leave??

Recently, I came across at an article from Clackamas Women’s Services, which I thought gave answers to questions which my friends had repeatedly asked . If a woman was so miserable with her partner, why would not she leave him? After reading that article, I couldn’t help but share it with everyone who reads this blog.  Through this blog, I try to bring this knowledge to others who always wondered what stops a woman from leaving the man who batters her, belittles and puts her down . Why does she takes years before making the decision to leave him for good. The question  – “why doesn’t she just leave??”

So, here I begin-

Why doesn’t she just leave?

There are a number of reasons why a woman continues to live her abuser.  Love, for instance, is a major factor. Most of the women love the person who is abusing them. She may hate the abuse, but non necessarily hates the abuser. It is important to know that abuse doesn’t always occur in the beginning of the relationship. Most the relationships that start are often romantic and loving. So, when the abuse begins, the survivor finds herself hurt and shocked and connects the abuse to some random stress in abuser’s life.  She wants to believe that once the abuser is out of stress, the abuse will end.  Also, looking at the cycle of abuse, the survivor along with the abuser goes through cycles of honeymoon period followed by abuse which leaves her confused and wanting to remember the person she fell in love with. It is also very important to remember that they want the abuse to stop, not the relationship to end.

Other factors like fear, financial dependence, isolation, lack of resources and guilt also act as a deterrent in her decision making to leave the abuser. Most of the women are very fearful of their abusers and believe that they would get killed if they tried to leave flee.  Similarly, some women feel that it is safer to stay than risk being caught in the process of leaving. Also, some women are completely dependent on their abusers for money. It is widely seen that that abuser often destroys the women’s credit history, maintains control over of the household income and gets her fired each time she tries to work outside.  Additionally, we come across cases where a woman is kept isolated from the community to prevent her from making friends and eventually leaking the story of abuse out.  Abusers are smart or manipulative enough to set up situations that damage or destroy the survivor’s relationship with her friends or family so she never has anyone to reach out to.

Additionally, there are others factors like children, social and religious constraints, good image of the abuser in the community and fear of starting her life all over again that prevent her making that big decision. We should not forget that the women in an abusive situation are doing their best to avoid conflict and to bring back peace in their family and leaving their partners may seem like a trivial decision to someone who’s never experienced abuse but to them staying is most logical thing that they think of.

We as community, should put the responsibility on the abuser by asking why does he hurt her?? or why doesn’t he let her leave and live in peace??,  rather than putting the responsibility on the survivors by asking why don’t you leave??.

Finally, we need to remember that leaving is a process not an event as most survivors on an average return 7 times before finally leaving the abuser.

Please return back to this page for next week’s Question: “Why does she go back to the abuser??”

Courtesy: Clackamas Women’s Services

 

Self Defense for Women

 

Being a woman I constantly fear about ‘what ifs’.  What if I was attacked in an elevator while going to a friend’s place. What if I was standing face to face with a known or an unknown man who was trying to harm me. Although these fears make me imagine most unpleasant events,  it is good to know that women can protect themselves from predators by knowing their physical strength and by practicing some self defense techniques.  It is specially good to know that Self Defense  is a skill which can be learned by practice.

Here are some basic things to remember:

1. Awareness of the surroundings- Always be aware of the surroundings.  It is such a common sight to see almost everyone listening to their iPods while walking alone. Listening to phones and music limits your ability to be fully aware of the area around you.
2. Fight or Flight- When confronted by an attacker, you have only 2 options to think about and that too in a split second. If there is enough room for you to run, then run without looking back, and if there is no option of running, fight back.
3. Fight Back:

Hands –Use hands for grabbing and tearing at soft flesh to inflict maximum pain. The underside of the arm and the inner thigh are two good areas to aim for.

Elbows –Elbow can cause a lot of pain in the ribs, sternum, diaphragm, throat, and groin.

Knees – A woman’s legs are the strongest part of her body. The area around the kneecap can do unthinkable damage when brought up between an attacker’s legs.

Head –Whether you’ve been grabbed from the front or from behind, slamming your head into an attacker’s face can cause a lot of pain.

Feet – Use the ball of your foot to kick an attacker’s ankle, calf, or Achilles’ tendon or use your heel to stomp down on their instep.

Teeth – Bite and bite hard. It usually throws off the attacker in pain which can give you some time to escape. Like all times, use your judgment.

4. Hit him where it hurts the most:

Groin –Aim aim for the assailant’s testicles with your knee or crush or swat this area with your hand or fist.

Eyes – If you are held by the attacker, it means his hands are occupied. You can use one hand to grab the back of his neck and pull him down. Attack his eyes.

Throat – Attacking throat takes less force but is very effective.

5. Practice and envision.

Practice most of the moves, or create scenarios in your mind and think what you would do in case you are attacked.

Material based on information on :

http://www.selfdefense-4-women.com/

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!
–Rudyard Kipling

One more time-

Compilation Courtesy: SAWERA Volunteer

There is a common pattern of abuse which we call a cycle of abuse. Women and men who have gone through some kind of abuse would be able to identify with it and people who have never experienced abuse in their relationship would find this piece of information useful in understanding why the victims takes time before  seeking help.

The pattern goes something like this:

• Abuse – Here abuser does the act of abusing the victim. He or she may be aggressive, act violently towards the victim or use common household items as weapons to intimidate the partner. The goal here to show who is in control. The victim on the other side may feel threatened, violated, and would feel a heightened sense of fear. An outsider might think this that this battering event is incited by the victim, but rather, the act of battering is a conscious decision made by the abuser to abuse.

• Guilt – After the abuse, the partner feels/ pretends guilty of what not what he or she has done, but about the possibility of being caught.

• Excuses– The person who abuses rationalizes what he or she has done and would find blame with the victim’s behavior. ‘ You did that, that is why I hit you’.

• Acting Normal — Here the abuser acts normal as if nothing happened. This behavior from the abuser creates a sense of normalcy in the victim and he/ she starts to wonder if the abuser is too bad to leave.

• Fantasy – Abuser starts to find faults in the victim to start the whole act of abuse again.

• Set-up – The abuser sets the victim up and puts his/ her plan in motion, creating a situation where he/she can justify abusing the victim.

• Abuse- All over again.

It becomes every difficult for the victim to leave the abuser as the abuser apologizes and loving gestures in between the episodes of abuse makes it difficult to leave. The abuser may make the victim believe that he/she loves the victim very much and that things will be different this time. Most of the victims who have gone through multiple cycles of abuse often suffer from what is called battered person’s syndrome, where a victims feels it is his or her fault that the episode of abuse occurred.  Remember, Love doesn’t hurt !

Some recommended reads:

1. http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/depabuse2

2. http://www.womensweb.ca/violence/dv/cycle.php

Cultural differences play an important role in how the abuse is taken by the women and people around her.  Contrary to the belief that there’s more abuse towards women in the Third world or Middle Eastern countries, the research shows that abuse knows no boundaries. It does not discriminate between race, ethnic background or class. However, the way abuse is perceived in different backgrounds may be different. Interestingly, U.S is becoming even more multicultural with the influx of diverse immigrants from all over the world with the projection that by 2050, U.S will have its 47.5% of its population from multicultural background.

As mentioned before, although victims may suffer the same battering event, they might perceive and interpret it differently due to differences in how they lived their life with different belief systems. Women from each ethnic background faces unique problem due different social realities and cultural barriers (including language barrier).

The purpose of this blog is to make the readers aware of the American and South Asian cultures and invite them to have a dicussion on how ethnic minorities can be served better.

CULTURAL EMPHASIS
Asian – Indian Women	Euro – American Women
*        Their identity is  via kinship relations and extended Family	*        More stress is laid upon individuality and having individual identity.
*        Joint Family System	*        Nuclear Family System
*        Personal humility & modesty is rewarded.	*        Personal assertion & self advocacy is rewarded
*        Deference to authority is respectful.	*        Peer relations among adults is norm.
*        Women would not typically talk about abuse. *        “Insiders/Outsider” rule even with professional service providers	*        Women would more easy with sharing information. *        Private information is shared with professionals and acquaintances
*        Clear separation of familial duties; gendered segregation.	*        Limited separation of duties; shared space/activities
*        Indirect & Implicit communication.	*        Direct & explicit communication.
*        Belief in Karma & Predetermination.	*        Belief in living life here and now.

SOCIALIZATION
South Asian Women	Euro – American Women
*        Self-sacrifice & tolerance is taught and appreciated. *        There is dependency on one’s husband; honor & reputation of natal and husband’s family upheld; collective identity	*        Sacrifice only to an extent for immediate family; tolerance seen as weakness & passivity; separation from natal & husband’s family after marriage
*        Assumes collective shame & personal responsibility for transgressions	*        Shame & blame directed toward individual transgressors
*        Authority figures (males, in-laws, government) give unquestioned obedience	*        Authority figure questioned
*        Motherhood is woman’s identity & grows in importance & prestige within community as she ages	*        Motherhood role diminishes as children grow; anticipates independence or self actualization in later years
*        Demure, unassuming demeanor. Modest apparel	*        Forthright, independent demeanor; Fashion dictates apparel
*        Know who you are & stay there Please contact SAWERA at 503 641 2425 or at  sawera@sawera.oeg if you wish to have a training or a discussion on cultural differences and how women and children from ethnic backgrounds can be served in a culturally sensitive manner.	*        Know what you want & go for it.

Shattered Lives: Homicide, Domestic Violence and Asian Families

Recently, the Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence came out with a study on 160 Asian, Native American and Pacific Islander families, all victims of  homicide resulting from Domestic Violence. Here are are some of the key findings of the study( taken directly from the paper).

• 160 cases resulted in 226 fatalities, of which 72% were adult homicide victims, 10% ..were child homicide victims, and 18% were suicide deaths.
• Three types of homicides dominated: intimate partner homicide with 81 cases, in ..partner homicide-suicide with 34 cases, and non-intimate family killing with 25 cases.
• 78% of victims were women and girls, 20% were men and boys, 2%..i unknown.
• 83% of perpetrators were men, 14% were women, 3%..ii unknown.
• 68% of victims were intimate partners (either current, estranged, or ex-partners). ..
• Almost one-third (59 out of 184) of total homicide victims were wives…
• Children were the second largest group of homicide victims and the primary victims of ..familicides (13 out of 20 victims). Over two-thirds (14 out of 22) of all children killed were age 5 and below.
• Perpetrators’ in-laws and parents of girlfriends were the third largest group of victims…
• 118 out of 184 victims were killed in the home.

You can read the details of the research by clicking on the link below:

http://www.apiahf.org/images/stories/Documents/publications_database/dv_Homicide_Report.pdf

Though we are an agency that serves Oregon in particular, we get many calls from all over the United States. If you have a friend or a relative who you know is experiencing domestic violence and needs help, please refer them to the appropriate agency from the list below. There are about 30 South Asian Not for Profit organizations spread across the U.S.A, all committed to helping South Asian population.

List of South Asian Women’s Organizations in the U. S

 ALABAMA

 AshaKiran, A Ray of Hope

P.O Box 12311.Huntsville, AL 35815

Phone: 256-213-9664; Ashaline (Hope line): 256-509-1882

Email: asha117@gmail.com; Website: www.ashakiran.com

ARIZONA

 

ASAFSF, Arizona South Asians for Safe Families

P.O. Box 2748, Scottsdale, AZ 2748

Phone: 877-723-3711

E-mail: info@asafsf.org; Website: www.asafsf.org

 

CALIFORNIA

 

Aasra

41835 Albrae St., Fremont, CA 94538

Phone: 510-657-1245 and 1246 (office), 1-800-313-ASRA (hotline)

E-mail: asraa1@aol.com; Website: www.sawnet.org/orgns/aasra.html

 

Maitri

234 E. Gish Rd, Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95112

Phone: 408-436-8398 (office); 888-862-4874 (crisis); Fax: 408-436-8381

E-mail: maitri@maitri.org, staff@maitri.org; Website: www.maitri.org

 

Narika

PO Box 14014, Berkeley, CA 94712

Phone: 510-444-6068; Fax: 510-444-6025

E-Mail: narika@narika.org; Website: www.narika.org

 

Sahara

17918 S. Pioneer Blvd Suite 204, Artesia, CA 90701

Phone: 562-402-4132 (office), 1-888-724-2722 (hotline); Fax: 562-402-6093

E-Mail:saharaorg@yahoo.com ; Website: www.sahara-social.org

South Asian Network

18173 S Pioneer Blvd, Suite 1, 2nd floor Artesia, CA 90701

3465 West 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90005

Phone: 213-480-9632; 1-800-281-8111 (Helpline); Fax: 562-403-0487

E-Mail: saninfo@southasiannetwork.org; Website: www.southasiannetwork.org

CONNECTICUT

 

Sneha

P.O. Box 271650, W. Hartford CT 06127-1650

Phone: 1-800-58-SNEHA (hotline for CT only), 860.658.4615

E-mail: sneha@sneha.org ; Website: www.sneha.org

FLORIDA

 

SAHARA of South Florida

10290 NE Second Avenue. Miami Shores, FL 33138

Helpline 1-866-567-7635

Email: info.at.saharafl@gmail.com ; Website: www.saharafl.org

GEORGIA

 

Raksha

PO Box 12337, Atlanta, GA 30355

Phone: 404-876-0670 (office); 404-842-0725; Fax: 404-876-4525

E-mail: raksha@raksha.com; Website: www.raksha.org

ILLINOIS

 

Apna Ghar

4753 North Broadway, Suite 632, Chicago, IL 60640

Phone: 773-334-0173, 773-334-4663 (crisis), 1800-717-0757; Fax: 773-334-0963

E-mail: info@apnaghar.org; Website: www.apnaghar.org

Hamdard Center

228 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Addison IL 60101

Phone: 630.835.1432/ 630-860-9122; Fax: 630-835-1433

E-Mail: admin@hamdardcenter.org; Website: www.hamdardcenter.org

 

MARYLAND

 

ASHA – Asian (Women’s) Self-Help Association

PO Box 2084, Rockville, MD 20847-2084

Phone: 202-207-1248

E-mail: coordinator@ashaforwomen.org; Website: www.ashaforwomen.org

 

Counselors Helping Asian Indians (CHAI)

4517 Redleaf Court, Ellicott City, MD 21043

Phone: 410-461-1634 Ext. 2

E-Mail: raziakosi@chaicounselors.org; Website: www.chaicounselors.org

 

MASSACHUSSETS

 

SAHELI

PO Box 1345, Burlington, MA 01803

Phone: 1-866-4SAHELI

E-Mail: ushavakil@aol.com; Website: www.saheliboston.org

MICHIGAN

 

Michigan Asian Indian Family Center

32401 West 8 Mile Rd, Livonia, MI 48152

Phone: 248-477-4985 (office), 1-888-664-8624 (hotline)

Email: info@maifs.org; Website: www.maifs.org

NEW JERSEY

 

Manavi

PO Box 3103, New Brunswick, NJ 08903

Phone: 732-435-1414; Fax: 732-435-1411

E-Mail: manavi@manavi.org; Website: www.manavi.org

NEW YORK

 

Islamic Center of Long Island, Domestic Harmony Project

835 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury, NY 11590

Phone: 516-333-3495; Fax: 516-333-7321

Email: 1icli@optonline.net; Website: www.icliny.org

Sakhi for South Asian Women

PO Box 20208, Greeley Square Station, New York, NY 10001-0006

Phone: 212-714-9153; Helpline No.: 212-868-6741; Fax: 212-564-8745

E-mail: contactus@sakhi.org; Website: www.sakhi.org

SAATHI of Rochester

P.O. Box #92 East Rochester, NY 14445-9998

Phone- 585-234-1050

E-Mail: saathi_rochester@yahoo.com; Website: www.saathiofrochester.org

 

NORTH CAROLINA

 

 KIRAN

PO Box 3513, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3513

E-Mail: kiraninc@hotmail.com; Website: www.kiraninc.org

OHIO

 

 ASHA – Ray of Hope

583 Franklin Ave, Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-326-2121; Fax: 614-223-2131

E-Mail: asha_rayofhope@sbc.global.net; Website: www.asharayofhope.org

 

OREGON

 

South Asian Women’s Empowerment & Resources Alliance (SAWERA)

P.O. Box 91242, Portland, OR 97291-0242

Phone: 503-641-2425; Help line: 503-778-7386

Email: sawera@sawera.org; Website: www.sawera.org

 

PENNSYLVANIA

 

Service and Education for Women against Abuse (SEWAA)

PO Box 1591, Havertown, PA 19083

Phone: 215-62-SEWAA

E-Mail: sewaa@sewaa.net; Website: www.sewaa.net

TEXAS

 

Asians Against Domestic Abuse

PO Box 420776. Houston, Texas 77242 – 0776

Hotline: 713-339-8300,

Email: info@addainc.org; Website: www.aadainc.org

Chetna

P.O. Box 832802, Richardson, TX 75083

Phone: 1-866-410-5565

Email: chetna_dfw@yahoo.com; Website: www.chetna-dfw.org

Daya

P.O. Box 571774, Houston, TX 77257

Phone: 713-981-7645 (work), 713-981-7645 (helpline)

Email: manager_daya@yahoo.com; Website: www.dayahouston.org

Saheli

PO Box 3665, 1806 S. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78764

Phone: 512-703-8745

E-mail: saheli@saheli-austin.org; Website: www.saheli-austin.org

 

VIRGINIA

 

Asha (please see details under Maryland)

WASHINGTON, DC

Asha (please see details under Maryland)

WASHINGTON

Chaya

P.O. Box 22291, Seattle, WA 98122

Phone: 206-568-7576 (office); 206-325-0325 (hotline); 1-877-922-4292 (toll free)

E-mail: chaya@chaya.org; Website: www.chayaseattle.org

Abuse is tough and freeing yourself from it is even tougher. Same way, being a victim is tough but breaking out of the victim mentality is tougher. So, why is it important to come out of that rut and change the way you perceive and think about life? Because, life is beautiful and everyone no matter what they have done and gone through have a right to enjoy a fulfilling life. Living the life with a victim mentality keeps you away from experiencing it. How can you start?Start by listening to yourself.  If you find yourself blaming everything else and everybody else in life for your condition and are angry at the injustice served from the system around you, you probably have victim mentality and it is time to help yourself change it. Some people are right to think that because they have suffered at the hands of people they trusted most. But there is hope and they can still rise above it and refuse to submit to others.

So, what can be done in order to make that change? It might actually be easier than you think. Take baby steps.

Read along-

• Refuse to think like a victim. Come to terms with yourself. You are where you are now and only you have the power to change it.
• Take responsibility for the highs and lows of your life. This way, you will stop relying on external sources for help.
• Forgive. Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself to take the control back.
• Forgive. Forgive the abuser. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to give. But it makes a lot of difference in the quality of life once you decide to forgive and move on.
• Have Gratitude. Look back and see where you have come, for this will give you strength to proceed further.
• Focus. Turn your focus towards helping others and towards your well being.
• Be kind to yourself. You may be a mother, sister, wife or friend. You play a vital role in the life of people connected to you. So be kind to yourself.

Helpful books:  Train your Mind, Change your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves by Sharon Begley

Self esteem for a Lifetime by Dr. Ingrid Schweiger

Domestic Violence should not happen to anyone. But it does. Domestic Violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, child abuse or intimate partner violence, is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behavior by one or both partners in an intimate relationship. We all come across a friend, co-worker or an acquaintance who we think might have or are suffering from domestic violence but have no clue as to how to help them. Leaving the abuser isn’t always easy for the victim but with ample support, she might seek help sooner.

Here are some points to remember when offering to help a victim:

• Listen, listen and listen. Let her express all her fears and other feelings.

• Tell her it is not her fault.

• Tell her she does not deserve it. No one ever deserves to be hurt.

• Tell your friend she is not crazy. A person who has been abused often feels upset, depressed, confused, and scared. Let her know that these are normal feelings to have.

• Tell her good things about herself. Let her know you think she is smart, strong and brave. That her abuser is trying to bring her self esteem down.

• Encourage her to build a wide support system. Encourage her to talk to friends and family.

• They are often kept isolated, so try and help your friend break out of the isolation the abuser has put her in. Keep in contact with her on the phone or by going out with them.

• See if she needs medical attention. Your friend may not realize the extent of their injuries.

• Ask her about her children’s safety. Encourage her to talk about the effects this might have on them.

• Give her information about abuse. Give her phone numbers where she can talk in case she needs help.

• Be patient. Self-empowerment may take longer than you want. Go at the victims pace, not yours.

• Never try to pretend that the abuse isn’t happening or that it isn’t that bad. Let your friend know that it is serious offense and pretending won’t make it go away.

• Never blame or attack the abuser. Bad-mouthing the abuser may make the victim feel responsible for defending him.

• Never spread gossip.

• Never try to make her do anything she doesn’t want to. It won’t work unless it’s her decision.

• Never blame a victim for the abuse or for their decisions. Leaving an abusive relationship is hard and usually takes a long time.

• Don’t give up. Let her know you will always be there for her when she may need help or just needs someone to talk to.

• Encourage her to call 911 if she feels unsafe.

• Make a safety plan with her so that she has a picture of what she would do in case she was attacked.

• Most importantly, TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF.

Through this blog, we hope to help women who help victims of domestic violence in some capacity.

Resources:

1. SAWERA- www.sawera.org- 503-778-7386

2. IRCO-www.irco.org- 503-234-1541

3. Raphael House-www. raphaelhouse.com – (503) 222-6222

4. Domestic Violence Resource Center- www.dvrc.org- 503.640.5352

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month! As concerned citizens, it becomes our duty to make ourselves aware of this issue and educate friends and family on how it can be prevented. It is alarming to know that every year, an estimated 300,000 women are raped and 3.7 million are confronted with unwanted sexual activity. In addition, of the approximately 900,000 children who are maltreated each year, 9% are sexually abused.

The National Women’s Health Information Center defines Sexual Assault (SA) as ‘any type of sexual activity that you do not agree to’. Like Domestic Violence (DV), SA can be verbal, visual or anything that forces a person to join in unwanted sexual contact of attention. It usually can happen in different situations such as; in the home by someone you know or by a complete stranger outside of your home.

Although the numbers are alarming, it is good to know that each one of us can lower the risk of getting ourselves in the situation that might lead to SA. According to National Crime Prevention Council, follow the tips below to reduce the risk of getting sexually assaulted.

• Be aware of your surroundings — know who’s out there and what’s going on.
• Walk with confidence. The more confident you look, the stronger you appear.
• Know your limits when it comes to using alcohol.
• Be assertive — don’t let anyone violate your space.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in your surroundings, leave.
• Don’t prop open self-locking doors.
• Lock your door and your windows, even if you leave for just a few minutes.
• Watch your keys. Don’t lend them. Don’t leave them. Don’t lose them. And don’t put your name and address on the key ring.
• Watch out for unwanted visitors. Know who’s on the other side of the door before you open it.
• Be wary of isolated spots, like underground garages, offices after business hours, and apartment laundry rooms.
• Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night. Change your route from time to time. Stay in well-traveled, well-lit areas.
• Have your key ready to use before you reach the door — home, car, or work.
• Park in well-lit areas and lock the car, even if you’ll only be gone a few minutes.
• Drive on well-traveled streets, with doors and windows locked.
• Never hitchhike or pick up a hitchhiker.
• Keep your car in good shape with plenty of gas in the tank.
• In case of car trouble, call for help on your cellular phone. If you don’t have a phone, put the hood up, lock the doors, and put a banner in the rear mirror that says, “Help. Call police.”

Please watch videos the videos below on Sexual Assault:

It’s Not Ok: Speak Out Against Sexual Assault

RAINN: Speak Out!

Courtesy: RAINN

Please visit the links below for more information and resources on Sexual Assault.

Information and Resources:

Washington County

http://www.co.washington.or.us/DistrictAttorney/CriminalProsecution/CrimeInformation/SexualAssault/sexual-assault-response-team.cfm

Multnomah County

http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/da/va/bro-male_sexual_assault.php

Division of Violence Prevention, NCIPC, CDC, HHS
Phone: (770) 488-4362 http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/index.html

Office on Violence Against Women, OJP, DOJ
Phone: (800) 799-7233
Internet Address: http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Phone: (800) 692-7445
Internet Address: http://www.nsvrc.org

National Center for Victims of Crime
Phone: (800) 394-2255
Internet Address: http://www.ncvc.org

National Crime Prevention Council
Phone: (202) 466-6272
Internet Address: http://www.ncpc.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Phone: (800) 799-SAFE
Internet Address: http://www.ndvh.org

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Phone: (877) 739-3895
Internet Address: http://www.nsvrc.org

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network
Phone: (202) 544-1034
Internet Address: http://www.rainn.org

www.mencanstoprape.org