Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has opened a new office at 8334 Mentor Avenue in the City of Mentor, thanks to funding from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office that was announced in October. WomenSafe, an organization dedicated to providing emergency shelter and resources to survivors of domestic violence throughout Northeast Ohio, will also provide counseling and outreach services out of the new Mentor Office location.
The new Mentor Office will make comprehensive healing services for survivors of rape, sexual abuse and sex trafficking, as well as counseling for survivors of domestic violence, more accessible to residents who live or work in Lake County. Both Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and WomenSafe have provided counseling services inside the offices of Beacon Health in Mentor since 2014.
“This new standalone office allows both organizations to expand services to meet the growing demand we’ve seen in Lake County,” said Sondra Miller, president & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “Survivors of sexual and domestic violence deserve access to healing services, no matter where they live.”
In the new location, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center will provide individual and group counseling, victim advocacy services, support for victims of human trafficking, crisis intervention, community outreach, education and professional training. Specialized counseling and outreach services will be available to victims of domestic violence, courtesy of WomenSafe. Grants from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Lake County ADAMHS Board allow this help to be available at no cost to those who use it.
“We’re proud that Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and WomenSafe are providers in our Lake County ADAMHS network,” said Kim Fraser, Executive Director of Lake County ADAMHS Board. “We applaud this move because it will improve access to vital services for local survivors of rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence.”
“Our partnership with Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has flourished over the past five years,” added Andrea Gutka, chief executive officer of WomenSafe. “Our services are distinct, but complimentary. It makes sense that we can offer them side-by-side in one safe, nurturing and trauma-informed environment.”
Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives[i]. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, with nearly two-thirds of rapes never reported, and only 12 percent of child sexual abuse reported to authorities[ii].
The new office location is made possible by funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Crime Victim Services Division.
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. In 2018, the Center provided counseling, advocacy and crisis intervention services to 10,000 rape and sexual abuse survivors and reached 54,000 people through its prevention, education and training programs in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org/mentor or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour Crisis & Support Hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
About WomenSafe
WomenSafe’s mission is to provide emergency shelter and resources to survivors of domestic violence throughout Northeast Ohio. As part of that mission, WomenSafe has been able to expand outreach services to include counseling, outreach, and additional presence in the schools and courts in Lake County, notably through the support of the Lake County ADAMHS Board.
About Lake County ADAMHS Board
The Lake
County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board plans, funds, monitors, and evaluates services available for Lake County
residents who are dealing with mental illness and/or substance-use disorders.
[i] Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S .G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf
[ii] Hanson, R. F., Resnick, H. S., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Best, C. (1999). Factors related to the reporting of childhood rape. Child Abuse and Neglect, 23, 559–569. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00028-9
The following is a list of events taking place in Northeast Ohio during Sexual Assault Awareness Month which Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is either hosting, partnering to present, or participating in, to raise awareness about rape and sexual abuse in our community.
John Carroll University: Yoga, Quad/O’dea, 6:00 p.m.
John Carroll University: Hu(man) – Modern Masculinity, Rodman A, 5:00 p.m.
Trauma Informed First Responder Training, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Balancing Trauma and Eating Disorders in a Therapeutic Setting, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
John Carroll University: March & Speak Out, Atrium, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
A Girl Named C Screening and Forum at Cleveland International Film Festival, 4:00 p.m.
Cleveland Institute of Art: Sexual Violence is No Joke, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cleveland State University: Day of Action, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Terminal Tower Lights: The Terminal Tower will light up teal, the official color of SAAM, in support of survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
Wear Teal for SAAM: On the SAAM Day of Action, friends, volunteers, and community partners are encouraged to wear the color teal in support of survivors.
Kent State University Ashtabula: Film Screening and Discussion: The Bystander Moment: Transforming Rape Culture at its Roots
Baldwin Wallace University: BW Day of Action Consent Workshop
Roll, Red, Roll Screening and Forum at Cleveland International Film Festival, 7:15 p.m.
Roll, Red, Roll Screening and Forum at Cleveland International Film Festival, 2:30 PM
Cleveland Institute of Art: Campus-Wide Bystander Intervention Workshop, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cleveland Institute of Art: Clothesline Project, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The City Club of Cleveland Forum: Sondra Miller “Start By Believing: Why Preventing Sexual Violence Starts With Listening to Survivors” 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Purchase tickets today!
OAESV Advocacy Day: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is glad to support the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence’s Annual Advocacy Day to End Sexual Violence at the Ohio Statehouse.
Ashtabula County District Library: The Rape of Recy Taylor Film Screening and Panel with NAACP and Ashtabula County District Library
Cleveland State University: Healthy Relationships Workshop; 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Baldwin Wallace University: Rally Before the Reign; 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Cleveland State University: Healthy Relationships Workshop – Queer Relationships; 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The Faces of Change Luncheon raises awareness about rape and sexual abuse as well as financial support for Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Purchase tickets today!
Tri-C CCW: “Better than That” 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tri-C East: “Better than That” 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tri-C Metro: “Better than That” 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tri-C West: “Better than That” 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
CANCELED: We regret to share that Girls In Motion 2019 has been canceled.
Mandel Jewish Community Center: Roll Red Roll screening, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ashtabula County District Library: “Panel Discussion On The Topics of Child Sexual Abuse, Trauma, Recovery, Prevention and Resources”
Ursuline College: Global Perspectives – Social Justice, #MeToo
CLEVELAND — Authorities began looking at back-logged rape kits in Cuyahoga County. Some of the police reports connected to those cases have raised red flags, so now, more than 6,000 victim statements are receiving another look.
The language officers use to describe their interactions could unknowingly influence an investigation’s outcome.
“Sometimes they’re just using language that’s very common to describe sexual assault as if it’s a consensual act,” Rachel Lovell of Case Western Reserve University said.
Words matter. And the ones police officers choose when interviewing victims of sexual assault may have consequences.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are set to analyze more than 6,300 Cleveland Police reports.
“Here are the words, do these words mean something? Do these combination of words mean something,” Lovell said.
They’re looking for signaling language, or hints, that could cast doubt on the victim’s claims. Lovell said if an officer thinks someone is lying they will document it, but a lack of training plays a bigger role.
“A lot of it though is not really knowing about the neurobiology of trauma and how victims respond to a traumatic event. They’re confused by the victim’s behavior because in one sense she’s laughing and in one sense she seems in pain so they’re noting this because they don’t know what to do with these sorts of divergent ideas of what’s happening,” Lovell said.
That lack of knowledge could keep justice from being served. “If it’s peppered with all this distrust, our hypothesis is that it would obviously impact what kind of effort is put into that case and whether the case would proceed forward,” Lovell said.
Teresa Stafford, Chief Advocacy Officer at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center calls the project at Case a game changer for victims and individuals in the criminal justice system.
“We see that across police departments where language in police reports may impact the case moving forward,” Stafford said.
Stafford believes this research will bring the issue to the forefront and be a catalyst to better train officers to remove potential bias.
“At the end of the day we want offenders to be held accountable and for communities to be safer and that process starts with that initial contact from that first responder,” Stafford said.
Lovell told News 5 better understanding the role language plays in how cases are investigated and prosecuted benefits the entire criminal justice system.
“There’s almost no training on how to write a good police report, yet they spend most of their time writing these reports. If we can make this process a little bit better then I think there’s a lot of good that can come from that,” Lovell said.
This summer, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center plans to open a new office at Shaker Square on the east side of Cleveland, thanks to funding from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office that was announced last fall. The new location is intended to make comprehensive healing services for survivors or rape, sexual abuse and sex trafficking more accessible to residents who live or work on the east side of Cleveland.
The Center signed a lease agreement with the Coral Group for 13209 Shaker Square in Cleveland, the space between Dewey’s Coffee Shop and CVS in the northeast quadrant of the square. The 4,890 square-foot office will provide space for counseling, support groups, victim assistance, and crisis intervention services. A grant from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office allows this help to be available at no cost to those who use it.
“Survivors of sexual violence deserve access to healing services, no matter where they live,” said Sondra Miller, president & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “We chose Shaker Square for our next location because of its accessibility from several east-side neighborhoods. With free parking and several options for public transportation, this new office will help even more survivors access our specialized support.”
Later this summer, when the new office opens, the Center will operate in 20 locations throughout Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties and on several college campuses.
“While we have expanded services regionally in recent years, our commitment to the residents of the City of Cleveland has never been greater,” added Miller. “More than 80% of residents near Shaker Square are African-American and we know that African-American women and girls experience higher rates of sexual violence. It makes sense for us to expand where the need is greatest.”
“Shaker Square is so pleased to partner with Cleveland Rape Crisis Center in opening its new service location on the East side of the city,” said Peter Rubin, President, The Coral Company. “Cleveland Rape Crisis Center continues the long Shaker Square tradition of serving the community.”
Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, with nearly two-thirds of rapes never reported, and only 12 percent of child sexual abuse reported to authorities.
The new office location is made possible by funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Crime Victim Services Division.
# # #
About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. In 2018, the Center provided counseling, advocacy and crisis intervention services to 10,000 rape and sexual abuse survivors and reached 54,000 people through its prevention, education and training programs in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour Crisis & Support Hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
About The Coral Company
Coral, proud owner and community steward of Shaker Square, is celebrating 31 years in business and continues to be guided by the corporate mission under which the Company was founded – to be the premier provider of real estate services in every market Coral serves. Coral’s management portfolio includes more than 5 million square feet including community association, residential, commercial, multi-family, mixed-use, and civic assets.
Coral’s corporate creed is to “Only promise what you can deliver, and always deliver what you promise.” Coral’s team members must possess the 3 C’s which are; Commitment, Creativity, and Capacity. The Coral team of 90 experience professionals is proud of the management portfolio that Coral represents and is dedicated to continuing Coral’s growth.
This month marks 45 years since the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s hotline answered its first call. We discuss what’s changed over the last 4.5 decades — and the ongoing fight to change our culture to prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place.
Ohio’s college graduates carry some of the heaviest student loan burdens in the country. Now, one Cleveland suburb hopes to attract new homeowners by offering to help pay off student debt.
Plus, in the genre of science fiction, taking a little artistic license and bending the facts is part of the drama. But a new film series allows you to watch sci-fi movies through the lens of someone who really knows the facts — a scientist at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
To learn more about this video 45 Years of Supporting Survivors
Video By: Ideastream
From the rise of the #MeToo movement to allegations against high-profile celebrities, public officials, priests and powerful business executives, sexual violence has never been more prominent in our national headlines. In the midst of these news stories, an unprecedented volume of local survivors of rape and sexual abuse have been speaking out, sharing their experiences and asking for help.
Sondra Miller, President & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, will share strategies to prevent sexual violence and outline why listening more deeply to survivors is our first step to get there.
Date: Friday, April 5, 2019, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $22 for The City Club of Cleveland members, $37 for nonmembers
Location: The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Tickets and tables are available at The City Club of Cleveland website.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s Crisis & Support Hotline received its first call forty-five years ago today, on February 4, 1974. The hotline was founded in response to Cleveland’s long-standing need for services to assist survivors of sexual assault.
A 1976 grant allowed Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to begin expanding services and hire four full-time staff members, the “Founding Mothers”: Lynn Hammond, Carrie Zander, Lorraine Schalamon and Jeanne Van Atta.
To mark the 45th anniversary of our first hotline call, we invite you to view our gallery of archival photos, newspaper clippings, and publications from the early history of the Center.
In the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, survivors bravely came forward to share their experiences with the world. Survivors of rape and sexual abuse are speaking out about being preyed upon, groomed, victimized and even blamed for their victimization, even when others knew what was taking place. All too often, survivors of color, specifically Black women, are overlooked, discounted, or simply not believed. Join us for a much-needed conversation regarding sexual violence in our community and how we can change the narrative.
Moderator:
Teresa Stafford, Chief Advocacy Officer, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Panelists:
Shelley Hunt, Director of Victim Services, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Joshua Hill, Prevention Specialist, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Aqueelah Jordan, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office
Imani Capri, Empowerment Speaker and Social Justice Advocate,Courage to Change: Total Life Empowerment
