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Programs

RDAC offers the following programs and services. Please contact us for more information on any program or to schedule a presentation on sexual assault, or domestic violence, or stalking issues.

Survivor Empowerment Program
Serves survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence

Rape & Domestic Abuse Center is committed to assisting survivors of violence through the healing process. The Survivor Empowerment Program serves both male and female victims of violence, as well as children.
Services Include:

In 2006, Rape & Domestic Abuse Center served 453 survivors and their families.

Teen Relationships Group

Teen Relationships Group, part of the Survivor Empowerment Program, is not only therapeutic, but also educational and preventative in nature. The group is open to females, ages 13-17.  One goal of the group is to prevent teens from engaging in abusive relationships.  Topics include: high risk relationships, self-esteem, coping with current or past abuse, and boundary issues.  This is a closed group, which means all members begin group at the same time and no new members are added once the group has begun.  The group lasts 12 weeks and there is no fee.  New groups begin periodically.  Referrals come from parents, therapists and court service officers.

For Fiscal Year 2006, 13 teens were served in four groups.  About half of the participants chose individual counseling sessions to augment the group sessions.  RDAC also provided support to parents of the teens, in the form of counseling sessions or information about the curriculum of the group.  One of the groups was made up specifically of sexual assault survivors.  This group ran concurrent with the other Teen Relationships Groups, and consisted of more group sessions.

Sexual Assault Survivors Group

The Sexual Assault Survivors' Group is designed for adult females. The number of sessions for this group varies according to clients' needs.  Initially the group consists of eight sessions.  During the group, clients determine at several intervals whether they would like to continue the group or if their needs have been met. 

Educational goals of the group include: 

Therapeutic goals of the group include:

For Fiscal Year 2006, 8 adults were served in each of two groups.  Clients are also able to participate in individual counseling sessions in addition to the group sessions.


Family Violence Project
Serves those who have used abuse toward others

The Family Violence Project is a comprehensive community-based program for intervention in domestic violence cases.  Rape & Domestic Abuse Center works closely with the court system, community agencies, and practitioners in an attempt to maximize victim safety and offender accountability.  The Program is 25 weeks in length for individuals who have used violence against a partner or family member.  Participants attend weekly groups, which are educational as well as therapeutic.  Facilitators assist participants in recognizing their use of power and control; they also help individuals explore nonviolence and relationship equality.  The program is designed to assist participants to identify their abusive thoughts, beliefs, and actions and to learn respectful, nonviolent alternatives.

The program curriculum consists of the following eight themes:

Each theme represents an aspect of nonviolence and respectful relationships and is explored in depth for a three week period.  By accomplishing these tasks, Rape & Domestic Abuse Center strives to decrease the number of families suffering from the effects of domestic violence, thereby decreasing the number of children witnessing and learning domestic violence as the norm.  Additionally, the program aims to increase safety of the family by informing the victims of resources, educational materials, and offering therapy through the Survivor Empowerment Program.  Over the long term our hope is that women, men, children, families, and communities will benefit tremendously from the Family Violence Project.
 

In Fiscal Year 2006, Rape & Domestic Abuse Center served 189 participants and their family.

Teen Violence Program
Serves teens that have used abuse toward others

The Teen Violence Project (TVP) promotes adolescent anti-violence through educational classes that teach how to build equality and respect in relationships.  Adolescents are referred to TVP after they have been convicted of using violence against family, friends, intimate partners and/or peers.  Teen Violence Project is a 16 week group where adolescents ages 13-17 learn non-violent ways to cope with the ups and downs of dating, friendships and family relationships.  Adolescents that are involved in Teen Violence Project are less likely to repeat their violent acts against friends and family and are better equipped to develop lasting, healthy relationships.  Friends, classmates, parents and siblings are safer after violence has been eliminated from the relationship through the education provided in TVP.

In addition to the adolescent attending group there is also a 5-week parent group where the parents learn what the adolescent is learning in order to reinforce the material at home. 

The goals of TVP are for the adolescent to identify and apply methods to reduce violent behaviors and decrease repeat offenses:

The cycle of violence is likely to end with these adolescents because they have learned appropriate ways of respectful communication, trust, personal safety, negotiation, and how to argue with respect.

In Fiscal Year 2006, Teen Violence Project served 41 teens and their families.

Education & Prevention Program
Serves those interested in learning about violence

Rape & Domestic Abuse Center strives to decrease the incidence and prevalence of domestic violence, sexual assault and related issues in our region through community outreach.  Services include educational presentations as well as training to area professionals on how to respond to individuals who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual assault. 

Services include:

In Fiscal Year 2006, 1680 community members were served by Education & Prevention Programs.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS


Rape Crisis Program
Serves survivors of sexual assault in crisis

The Rape Crisis Program serves survivors of sexual assault in crisis.  Trained volunteers provide emotional support, advocacy, and referrals for survivors of violence and their friends or family, both in the emergency room and on the 24-hour crisis hotline. Free follow-up services are also offered to the survivor, family or friends by Master's level counselors and social workers.
 

 
Court Watchers Program
Serves victims of violence within the legal system

Through volunteer outreach, the Court Watchers Program serves victims of violence who are involved with the court system.  Trained volunteers provide:

In 2006 Fiscal Year, our volunteers logged over 13,000 hours.