April is known for cherry blossoms, earth day and spring, but one thing many people do not think of is sexual assault. For nurses at Sarah’s Place, spreading the word about sexual assault awareness is a priority.
Sarah’s Place, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) center, is open 24/7 to care for patients who have experienced sexual assault. Sarah’s Place is unique in that they provide care in a healing environment that is separate from a trauma center. When not providing care to patients, Sarah’s Place nurses are raising awareness about sexual violence in our community.
“We believe that by raising awareness and acknowledging the issue we can help make positive changes in our community,” said Rebecca Moyes, nurse at Sarah’s Place.
Sarah’s Place nurses remind individuals that sexual assault doesn’t just mean rape, but includes all unwanted sexual contact.
“Dating violence, sexual harassment and stalking are threatening behaviors that are often overlooked and we encourage individuals to seek help with all of those issues,”said Moyes.
“There are many ways for people to use their voices for change like practicing consent, speaking out against stereotypes or having a supportive conversation with a survivor,” said Moyes. “At Sarah’s Place we do more than just respond to sexual violence by providing medical care, we fight to end sexual violence by using our voices and encouraging the voices of others. We work with our community partners in raising awareness and teaching prevention.”
Find out more about Sarah’s Place services available to those who have experienced sexual assault.