Intervention and Advocacy
Remember: Sexual Assault is NOT your fault.
This is not your fault. It is always the fault of the offender.
IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE HELP What to do if you or someone you know has been raped..FOLLOW THIS LINK.
24/7 every day of the year our rape crisis line is staffed by trained, compassionate, certified State of California Sexual Assault Victim Counselors for emergency assistance, confidential counseling, information and referrals. Counselors are ready to respond-to listen, answer questions, and help find options. Crisis intervention is provided to anyone affected by sexual assault – survivors and their family and friends.
If you are in need of immediate attention, call us at (707) 545-7273
Counselors are ready to:
- Talk with survivors about their feelings, regardless of when the assault occurred, moments or years before.
- Help survivors determine their safety and medical needs.
- Provide survivors with information about law enforcement and medical issues involved in reporting a sexual assault/battery.
- Assist survivors in exploring options, and to support their decisions.
- Accompany survivors and advocate for them when dealing with courts, medical care, or law enforcement.
- Offer information and referrals.
Although we encourage reporting assaults to law enforcement, the decision is yours. Whatever you decide, we will support you.
If you are interested in becoming one of our trained Sexual Assault Victim Counselors (Crisis Line Counselor or CLC), please contact intervention@uasasonoma.org.
Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Speech-Disabled, 711 or MCI California Relay Service
United Against Sexual Assault provides confidential services to deaf survivors and family members who have been affected by sexual assault. Now, persons with hearing or speech impairments have access to a confidential rape crisis line and can tap into local support services focusing on rape and sexual assault issues.
UASA takes 711 (California Relay Service) calls from deaf, hard of hearing and speech-disabled callers. The California Relay Service (CRS) provides specially-trained operators to relay telephone conversations back and forth between people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled and all those they wish to communicate with by telephone.
If it is an emergency, you may call our 24/7 Rape Crisis Hotline through the relay operator to be connected to the Crisis Counselor on call.
Accompaniment and Advocacy
SART
UASA is a member of the Sexual Assault Response Team of Sonoma County (SART), which also includes law enforcement and medical providers. All three agencies respond to sexual assault crimes that are reported to police. UASA advocates provide emotional support and information throughout the medical examination and legal proceedings.
Victim Hospital Advocacy
UASA advocates have helped survivors as young as six months old and as old as 89 years. The majority of survivors are women, and an alarming number of victims are 17 years old or younger. Crisis intervention advocates respond immediately to a victim’s call for help through notification from law enforcement. Their role is to provide care, comfort, and information to survivors and their loved ones immediately following a sexual assault, and during the forensic examination.
Victim Legal Accompaniment
Advocates are available to accompany survivors to law enforcement agencies for interviews and to file police reports, and to provide support during court proceedings. They advocate for the victim, insuring that her/his rights are being protected. If you need an Advocate for legal accompaniment, call our 24/7 Rape Crisis Hotline at 707-545-7273. You may also contact our Intervention Manager weekdays between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at 707-545-7270, extension 19, or email to: intervention@uasasonoma.org.
UASA Maintains 100% Confidentiality
UASA’s 24/7-sexual assault crisis line is 100% confidential. Our Crisis Line Counselors are not mandated reporters. All of UASA’s Crisis Line Counselors take an oath of confidentiality during their extensive 55-hour training. Even in a court of law we cannot disclose any conversation between the survivor and the Crisis Line Counselor, it’s the law! (evidence code 1035.4)
Who is a Mandated Reporter? Mandated Reporters are teachers, doctors, nurses, counselors, and other people who act in supervisory positions over children under the age of 18. When a sexual assault is disclosed to the people above, it’s the law that they report the incident(s) to Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services.
Please remember that any conversation between you and UASA’s Crisis Line Counselors is 100% confidential; we know it’s hard to break the silence and we’d like you to know that we’re here to listen to you twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.