YWCA Bergen County: Healing Space

Support-Prevention-Advocacy-Counseling-Empowerment

A sexual Violence Resource Center

24 Hour Hotline:

(201) 487-2227

Eliminating racism empowering women YWCA-Bergen County.

24 Hour Hotline: (201) 487-2227

We provide a confidential 24/7 hotline to survivors of sexual assault and abuse, their families and friends. Support is available to anyone who has experienced sexual violence, whether it happened hours or years ago.

HealingSpace services are available to anyone with concerns about all forms of sexual violence.

Confidential sexual violence advocates are available 24 hours a day, seven day a week to provide:

*Short-term crisis intervention counseling.

*Medical and legal accompaniments to hospital emergency rooms, medical appointments, police/law enforcement agencies and legal proceedings within Bergen County.

*Information about all options including medical attention, reporting, the legal process and sources of support for survivors, family and friends.

*Referrals and community resources for survivors and family members seeking group counseling, long-term counseling, medical legal and/or financial information as well as other community resources.

Individual and Group Counseling:

Individual and group counseling is available for survivors and their loved ones. Separate groups for men and women are available free of charge and individual counseling is offered at a small fee for individuals ages 13 and older. All clinical services are provided by a Master’s level licensed professional with experience in working with survivors of sexual violence.

Community Education/Training:

Our speakers bureau is available to address schools, professional and community groups on issues surrounding all forms of sexual violence. Training is available to professionals and first responders who work directly with survivors and we offer a variety of informational brochures and handouts.

Prevention:

Our goal is to stop sexual violence before it starts and one way to accomplish this is through bystander intervention. Our primary prevention strategy works with local schools and other youth-serving organizations to educate key stakeholders on becoming active bystanders, while promoting a safe and healthy environment for all.

Volunteers:

Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks including office work, public speaking, letter writing, research and direct service provision.

To schedule a speaker or find out more about our service or volunteer opportunities call (201) 487-2227 or visit http://www.ymcabergencounty.org.

Awareness Events: healingSPACE sponsers events throughout the year to help raise community awareness of sexual violence. These include:

Bergen County Clothesline Project:  A powerful display of T-shirts, created by or on behalf of survivors that bears witness to sexual assault, sexual abuse, incest, child abuse, domestic  to violence and death as a result of violence. Call (201) 487-2227 to schedule a display in your school, business or community.

Denim Day: An annual observance held on April 28th dedicated to raising awareness and educating young women and men about consent and the prevention of sexual violence.

The Art of Healing: An Exhibit of Survivors Artwork & Poetry: An event featuring an art exhibit and poetry reading that seeks to acknowledge the pain of survivors of sexual victimization, celebrate their healing process and develop a sense of community among concerned individuals.

Sexual Violence is:

*Sexual activity where consent is not obtained or freely given.

*Perpetrated by someone the survivor knows. Approximately 70%-80% of survivors know their attacker in some way.

*The responsibility of the offender, not the survivor. No person “asks for” or provokes sexual assault by acting or dressing in a particular manner.

*Not an act of lust. The offender’s motive is not sexual gratification but to control, humiliate and/or degrade a person.

*The most under-reported crime. The FBI estimates that only 1 in 10 rapes are reported.

*A serious problem that affects survivors in significant ways over their lifetime, including long-term health problems. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression.

Sexual Assault Can Happen:

*At any time, night or day.

*Anywhere: at home, on a date, in a car or in a public place.

*To any person; regardless of sex, gender identity, age, race, sexual orientation, appearance, religion, occupation or educational level.

If you are sexually assaulted:

*Get to a safe place.

*Call healingSPACE for support and information.

*Consider obtaining medical attention to assess for and treat potential injuries.

*Consider notifying the police or activating the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). (IF you plan to pursue prosecution, do not bathe, shower, douche, change clothes, eat, drink, smoke or urinate for the purposes of evidence preservation).

Myths and facts about Sexual Violence:

Myth: Most sexual assaults are committed by strangers:

In reality the majority of the time the offender is someone that the victim knows. Victims are someone that the victim knows. Victims are usually coerced, manipulated, tricked or threatened by someone they are acquainted with. One study found that 84% of women who were raped knew their attacker and for 57% of those women, the offender was a first date or romantic acquaintance.

Fact: Alcohol or drugs increase a person’s vulnerability to sexual assault.

Alcohol and drugs can increase anyone’s vulnerability. In one study, 75% of males and 55% of females were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the sexual assault occurred.

Myth: Men cannot be sexually assaulted.

Anyone can be victimized. 1 in 6 boys under the age of 18 are sexually assaulted. It has also been estimated that 10% of all men have been sexually assaulted. Because of social stigma however, male sexual victimization is vastly underreported.

Fact: The most common place for sexual violence to occur is in the survivor’s home.

The second most common place is the offender’s home, because the offender is usually someone the victim knows. Many people think that sexual assaults happen in dark, abandoned places but the greatest risk lies where we feel the safest.

Fact: Most of the time, sexual assault is planned.

Sexual assault is not an impulsive act. It is a single offender, it is planned 60% of the time; gang attacks are planned 90% of the time.

Myth: Perpetrators are deranged, psychopathic, under-educated men from poor backgrounds.

Sex offenders are found in all socioeconomic classes. Offenders can be anyone: doctors, lawyers, the homeless, blue-collar workers, classmates, co-workers, etc.

For more information contact our 24 hour hotline: (201) 487-2227

YWCA Bergen County’s Healing SPACE

Mission: To empower survivors of all forms of sexual violence through support, advocacy, counseling and resources necessary to lay the foundation for the healing process and to prevent sexual violence through education, training and awareness to create a safe community for all.

214 State Street, Suite 207

Hackensack, NJ  07601

Office: (201) 881-1700

Fax: (201) 487-5990

Email: healingSPACE@ywcabergencounty.org

http://www.ywcabergencounty.org

YWCA: The YWCA Bergen County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Disclaimer: This information was taken from the YWCA pamphlet and I give them full credit for the information. Please call the above numbers for more information.