Resource centers
give victims choices
By Lori Robison
Staff Writer
There’s no question that for most
survivors of rape or traumatic assault,
their once brightly-lit world can become
one of darkness and shadows filled with
people who cannot be trusted.
But it is possible to heal, to put the
nightmares in perspective and begin to
live again.
And that’s precisely why organiza
tions like the Women’s Center, the Vic
tim/Witness Unit, and the Rape/Spouse
Abuse Crisis Center (RSACC) —
among others — exist.
First formed in 1981 as part of the
national Victims Bill of Rights passed
by Congress, the Victim/Witness Unit
operates as a division of the Lincoln/
Lancaster Police Department.
The goal of the organization is to
provide free assistance to victims of
traumatic assault through counseling. It
supplies information regarding the trial
or the release of offenders from jail, and
helps clients to obtain protection orders
if needed.
Occasionally, the Victim/Witness
Unit also lends cellular phones to those
who may not feel safe going outdoors
otherwise. *
JoAnna S voboda, an employee with
the unit, explained that employees re
view police reports daily. They then
initiate contact with each victim to offer
assistance, referrals, or simply moral
support.
“We don’t wait for the police to refer
someone to us,” she said. “Our job is
crisis intervention. Many times, they
(victims) don’t even feel safe in their
own home.”
However, even with the best of in
tentions and the most complete of ser
vices, there are instances where even the
best planning and most thorough safety
procedures do little to prevent a crime.
‘There is no ideal victim,” Svoboda
said. Even self-defense classes can back
fire sometimes. “Some people freeze,
others run, or kick. There’s really no
way of telling how someone will react in
a situation like that.”
But being the victim of a crime does
not mean one must also have a lack of
empowerment. There are things that can
be done to help ensure the mental and
physical health of a survivor of any
traumatic assault.
According to Svoboda, one of the
first actions a person should take after a
rape should be to tell someone, prefer
ably the police and/or a friend.
“The sooner law enforcement is no
tified, the better chance they have of
catching (the perpetrator),” she said.
Secondly, don’t shower or wash any
clothes worn at the time of the rape.
Important evidence may be recovered
from clothing and during a rape exam.
Linda Gray, an advocate for RSACC,
also warned that even though every rape
survivor should undergo a thorough
medical exam at a local emergency room
to check for any injuries, actual evi
dence-gathering can only be done
through a voluntary rape exam.
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Beforeyou turn the page...
Joshua Gillm
Let me tell you a story.
It is a frightening story. It is a sicken
ing story. It is a story that should enrage
you, fill you with sorrow, make you
want to ball your fists and ask the world
how such a thing could happen.
At least, that’s how I see it.
Four months ago, I met a wonderful
young woman, someone who would be
come a good friend. She was kind and
compassionate, ambitious and resource
ful, strong-willed and self-reliant.
But something was wrong.
I learned of her horrible experience
the second night I spoke to her. She felt
she could trust me, she had said, and
needed to tell someone. ,
She took a risk telling me what she
did. She opened herself to all the judg
ments and prejudices she feared would
bombard her if her secret was known.
But I listened. For four months I
listened. I still listen. I suggested the
story after a few weeks and she agreed,
believing it would be the best thing for
her. I think she was right, but I leave that
for you to decide.
In the pages ahead there is a story so
tragic, so disheartening, I cannot do it
justice. Words cannot express the hurt
and fear and anger she felt, and still feels.
All I can do, as the silent second person,
is try to show you what has happened to
this exceptional person, and try to make
you admire her for being able to cope
with it.
But I need you to try.
It is a long story. It is abstractly written
—there is no real sense of linear time; no
names, save for Jones’; no concrete defini
tions of events or places or people.
It is the truth. It is what happened.
It is an inspiring story. The fact that
she has not completely fallen apart, has
not withdrawn from society to hide in her
closet, refusing to eat or drink or speak to
anyone, amazes me. I was given the strength
to write the story because of that.
But that’s not saying writing it was
easy.
Committing four months of your life
to anything is not easy, but especially in
this instance. I would take on the emo
tions she was feeling. I would cry. I
would laugh. I would be indifferent.
I would become furious.
Such emotional involvement in a story
is dangerous for a reporter. It clouds the
mind, keeps the writer from being objec
tive. I think I have cleared that hurdle,
but there is still one thing that gnaws at
a comer of my mind — revenge.
I have seen this man. This monster.
This earthly demon who almost de
stroyed the life of a beautiful young
person. I have said hello to him.
He seemed friendly enough. He
seemed normal enough. He seemed like
any other man, and that’s what scares
me the most.
I have vindictive feelings I don’t rel
ish, because it is pointless in the end. It
makes things difficult, raises questions
and does not answer them. It does not
change things.
So this story is the extent of my
revenge. If only Ubel laws and the forgiv
ing heart of the victim didn’t keep me
from printing his name, I would do it in
a heartbeat.
I want him to pay for what he’s done.
But more than that, I want the world
to learn from this young woman, and
that’s where you come in.
I have learned from her story, and I
think you will, too. Some of the things I
do not like. I wonder about all the times
I have been close to a woman and she
asked me to stop. About all the times any
woman anywhere asked any man to stop.
I wonder if we stop soon enough.
When you read her story, I would like
you to do something for me.
Women, imagine it is your name ev
ery time “Jones” is written. Imagine if
you could deal with such a thing.
Men, replace “Jones” with the name
of your girlfriend. Or sister. Or mother.
Or daughter. Imagine if you could deal
with such a thing.
When you are done, remember her
pain.
When you are done, remember her
strength.
When you are done, remember her
story.
And above all, when you are done,
remember the story never ends.
Gillin is a junior news-editorial and
English major and the DN Summer
Edition features editor.
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