Written by Andrew Creer
“Every year approximately 80 Utah children witness the murder or attempted murder of their mother.”
When I began working on a public relations campaign for Safe Harbor Crisis Center, I didn’t fully understand how important the work they do is or how big of a problem our communities are facing in regards to sexual assault and domestic violence. It is the harrowing facts, like the one listed above and soon one you will see below, that opened my eyes to just how necessary and needed Safe Harbor is.
“Approximately 1 in 3 women in Utah will experience some form of sexual violence in her lifetime.”
That statistic (again, eye-opening) probed an interesting mental exercise: who were the last three women I had talked to? Quickly I counted off the last three women I had interacted with and was deeply saddened to consider that, on average, at least one of them would experience or have
experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
Safe Harbor provides essential services that address these huge, crucial problems: 24/7 crisis support, residential services, outreach services, children’s services, support groups, therapy, protective order support, emergency help, and prevention education — all free and confidential.
Safe Harbor’s services are crucial and needed, but it also important to note that we ourselves should actively seek ways to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence in our local communities. We should also take action to become advocates of survivors, to give voices to those that need to be heard, and foster a community of understanding, empathy, education and
prevention.
There are also ways to personally work with Safe Harbor to help make a difference. Volunteer opportunities are available to those looking to get involved on the frontlines. Positions vary in responsibilities and tasks, but the main thing Safe Harbor is looking for is diverse skill sets and
the time you are willing to donate.
Speaking of donations, that is another way to directly help Safe Harbor continue its important, life-saving work. Whether you are able to donate money or in-kind donations (new goods and supplies), these donations ensure that Safe Harbor will continue to help sexual assault and
domestic violence survivors, as well as provide prevention education.
Don’t let the shock value of the shocking statistics listed above pass you by. It is time we take collective action to curb the increasing rate of sexual assault and domestic violence. Find a way, whichever works best for your current circumstance, to take a stand against sexual assault and domestic violence.
