County provides hope for victims

One of the most difficult crimes to convict and recover from is sexual assault and rape. Victims of these crimes are usually left feeling powerless, devastated and violated for a long time after crimes are committed. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) Web site, “sexual assault is a broader category that the Justice Department uses to classify rape, attempted rape, and other violent felonies that fall short of rape. Rape is defined as forced vaginal, oral, or anal penetration.”According to the RAINN Web site, one out of every six American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. 17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape and nine out of every 10 rape victims were female in 2003. Women are not the only people who can be raped either. According to RAINN, About 3 percent of American men-or 1 in 33-have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. In Hunt County, victims of sexual assault and rape can go to the Crisis Center of North East Texas. Students and faculty at A&M-Commerce also have the option of utilizing the Counseling Center on campus. The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of the Halladay Student Services Building in Suite 204. “Primarily we offer victims individual counseling to help them move through the trauma. If we think something else is needed, for example if they need some legal assistance or victims assistance, I would personally probably refer them to the Crisis Center of North East Texas,” Marty Marsh Jacobs, a counselor at the Counseling Center said. Victims of these crimes are urged to come forward, report the crime and get help. “My personal opinion, and I’ve worked with rape victims since the mid 1970s, is that the more you can do to gain control over your life, to take your own power back because most rape is about power of some sort, the better off you are and the faster the healing can happen. I do recommend reporting. Reporting to the police does not necessarily mean you have to follow through. Many victims have difficulty following through, facing the person in court, doing all those kinds of things,” Jacobs said.Even with that, there are other options for those fallen victim of sexual assault or rape. “I also highly recommend, even before they report it to the police, if they can get there is to go to a hospital and be checked. Because there can be injury, there can be the transmission of disease and there can be the loss of valuable evidence if the person doesn’t get checked immediately,” Jacobs said. If a victim is going to the hospital make sure that they follow the number one rule: Don’t take a shower. “You can be washing away evidence. And that’s the first thing a woman wants to do is get clean and get that off of them. It’s even better if you don’t change clothes, but bring a change of clothes with you if you go to a hospital. But if you do decide you have to change clothes first then spread out some newspaper or something, drop everything on the newspaper, wrap it up and put it in a paper bag so you don’t loose any evidence,” Jacobs said. The Counseling Center hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and some appointments until 6 p.m. Anyone can reach the Counseling Center by calling 903-886-5145 or by just walking in. “If you walk in and you’re in crisis we will get a counselor available to you ASAP,” Jacobs said. The Crisis Center of North East Texas can be found on the web at www.ccnetx.org. According to their Web site, their services are provided to victims of child abuse, incest, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, marital rape and sexual harassment. Services are available regardless of how long ago the victimization occurred. According to the Web site, the Crisis Center of North East Texas provides, “confidential crisis intervention for victims, their families and their friends,” by giving out information concerning sexual assault, referrals for counseling, and “accompaniment and advocacy, advocates can accompany victims and their families to hospitals, court, and law enforcement facilities upon request.The Crisis Center of North East Texas can be reached online or by phone at 903-454-9999 or at their 24/7 hotline 1-800-656-HOPE.