Sexual Assault Center
Programs
Description
SAC's Statewide Training Team provides free pieces of training to professionals across the state, including dual domestic violence and sexual assault programs, victim service providers, school-based professionals, college/university staff, and first responders. The goal is to expand the capacity of professionals to respond and support victim/survivors of sexual violence. Trainings are provided on a wide range of topics, including Child Sexual Abuse 101; Child Sexual Abuse 201; Sexual Assault 101; Sexual Assault 201; The Neurobiology of Trauma: Sexual Assault and the Brain; Vicarious Traumatization and Self-Care for Professionals; Wellness Retreats; and Peer Support Collaboratives. The Training Team offers trainings that increase skills and knowledge of professionals while also building up networks of care and support among professionals as a way to address vicarious traumatization and mitigate burnout. The team also plans and implements an annual Statewide Sexual Assault Training Confe
Program Areas Served
None
SAC's Statewide Training Team provides free pieces of training to professionals across the state, including dual domestic violence and sexual assault programs, victim service providers, school-based professionals, college/university staff, and first responders. The goal is to expand the capacity of professionals to respond and support victim/survivors of sexual violence. Trainings are provided on a wide range of topics, including Child Sexual Abuse 101; Child Sexual Abuse 201; Sexual Assault 101; Sexual Assault 201; The Neurobiology of Trauma: Sexual Assault and the Brain; Vicarious Traumatization and Self-Care for Professionals; Wellness Retreats; and Peer Support Collaboratives. The Training Team offers trainings that increase skills and knowledge of professionals while also building up networks of care and support among professionals as a way to address vicarious traumatization and mitigate burnout. The team also plans and implements an annual Statewide Sexual Assault Training Confe
Program Areas Served
None
Description
SAC's Outreach Teams engage communities to raise awareness about sexual assault, services provided at SAC and address the needs and culturally specific systemic barriers that improve access to information, services, and programs to further SAC's mission. SAC has 3 outreach teams Black/African America; Hispanic/Latinx; and Sex Positive. These teams will engage the population groups and enable sexual assault victim/survivors receive trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, sensitive and accessible services.
Program Areas Served
None
SAC's Outreach Teams engage communities to raise awareness about sexual assault, services provided at SAC and address the needs and culturally specific systemic barriers that improve access to information, services, and programs to further SAC's mission. SAC has 3 outreach teams Black/African America; Hispanic/Latinx; and Sex Positive. These teams will engage the population groups and enable sexual assault victim/survivors receive trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, sensitive and accessible services.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
SAC's crisis and support line is available 24 hours a day for anyone in need of support, referrals and information for themselves or someone they know including assistance immediately following a sexual assault. 1-866-811-RISE (7473)
Program Areas Served
None
SAC's crisis and support line is available 24 hours a day for anyone in need of support, referrals and information for themselves or someone they know including assistance immediately following a sexual assault. 1-866-811-RISE (7473)
Program Areas Served
None
Description
The SAFE Clinic, located on the campus of the Sexual Assault Center, is the only non-hospital clinic dedicated to providing rape exams services in the Nashville area. The clinic provides medical legal exams, also known as a rape kit, for anyone over the age of 16, in a compassionate, nurturing, trauma-informed environment, dedicated to the healing and wellbeing of the victim/survivor. The exam is done by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), specially trained in the collection of evidence and the care of survivors. The exam includes testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy.
Exams are provided at no cost and law enforcement does not have to be contacted before visiting the clinic. Sexual assault forensic exams must be done within 120 hours of the assault and can provide important evidence that can't be collected later if a decision to report to law enforcement and pursue prosecution of an offender is made.
Program Areas Served
None
The SAFE Clinic, located on the campus of the Sexual Assault Center, is the only non-hospital clinic dedicated to providing rape exams services in the Nashville area. The clinic provides medical legal exams, also known as a rape kit, for anyone over the age of 16, in a compassionate, nurturing, trauma-informed environment, dedicated to the healing and wellbeing of the victim/survivor. The exam is done by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), specially trained in the collection of evidence and the care of survivors. The exam includes testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy.
Exams are provided at no cost and law enforcement does not have to be contacted before visiting the clinic. Sexual assault forensic exams must be done within 120 hours of the assault and can provide important evidence that can't be collected later if a decision to report to law enforcement and pursue prosecution of an offender is made.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
SAC's therapists use a range of evidence-based and evidence-informed treatment methods geared to the age, language, and special needs of each individual. Each individual has a unique treatment plan that documents each client's progress towards their therapy goals. SAC understands that trauma impacts the whole person, and uses therapy approaches that provide holistic healing. SAC's therapy services include crisis intervention, individual therapy, and group therapy. Individual counseling is available for children (ages 3 - 12) and teenagers (13 - 18) who have been sexually abused as well as adults who were abused as children, non-offending caregivers, family members, and significant others of those who have been sexually abused. SAC is committed to providing services that are culturally relevant. SAC therapists are represented on the 3 outreach teams: Gender, Romantic, Sexual Minorities (GRSM) team, Hispanic Client Services, and Black Client Services.
Program Areas Served
None
SAC's therapists use a range of evidence-based and evidence-informed treatment methods geared to the age, language, and special needs of each individual. Each individual has a unique treatment plan that documents each client's progress towards their therapy goals. SAC understands that trauma impacts the whole person, and uses therapy approaches that provide holistic healing. SAC's therapy services include crisis intervention, individual therapy, and group therapy. Individual counseling is available for children (ages 3 - 12) and teenagers (13 - 18) who have been sexually abused as well as adults who were abused as children, non-offending caregivers, family members, and significant others of those who have been sexually abused. SAC is committed to providing services that are culturally relevant. SAC therapists are represented on the 3 outreach teams: Gender, Romantic, Sexual Minorities (GRSM) team, Hispanic Client Services, and Black Client Services.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Advocate Services professional staff members along with trained volunteers provide free special support, crisis intervention, accompaniment, information and assistance to victim/survivors. Advocacy Services can be provided in Spanish and English. Survivors receive immediate support and quickly come to know that they are believed, they are not alone, and they will receive as much or as little assistance as wanted, including:
Accompanying and advocating survivors through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical legal forensic exam and police and court proceedings.
Assistance in filing a police report or helping to stay anonymous.
Help in navigating the criminal justice system going forward or providing support if a survivor chooses to withdraw from the investigation at any point.
Helping access a safe shelter.
Connecting a survivor with counseling, support groups, and community resources to help survivors heal.
Program Areas Served
None
Advocate Services professional staff members along with trained volunteers provide free special support, crisis intervention, accompaniment, information and assistance to victim/survivors. Advocacy Services can be provided in Spanish and English. Survivors receive immediate support and quickly come to know that they are believed, they are not alone, and they will receive as much or as little assistance as wanted, including:
Accompanying and advocating survivors through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical legal forensic exam and police and court proceedings.
Assistance in filing a police report or helping to stay anonymous.
Help in navigating the criminal justice system going forward or providing support if a survivor chooses to withdraw from the investigation at any point.
Helping access a safe shelter.
Connecting a survivor with counseling, support groups, and community resources to help survivors heal.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Our vision is a world free of sexual violence. Our goal is to provide tools and support, empowering adults to keep children safe and prevent sexual abuse across the lifespan. In the last year, we have improved and updated our Prevention programs and web-based services to further our efforts of ending sexual violence and stopping the generational cycle of sexual abuse. SAC collaborates with Middle TN colleges/universities to develop campus sexual assault prevention strategies and interventions, grounded in research-based best practices, that help to end and or reduce the incidents of sexual violence. These presentations are tailored to the culture and needs of each campus. Another prevention initiative is the SAFE BAR project. Bystander Intervention is an effective strategy that bar and restaurant staff can use to decrease sexual assault. SAC provides these trainings to bar and restaurant staff and volunteer ambassadors to further disseminate these messages.
Program Areas Served
None
Our vision is a world free of sexual violence. Our goal is to provide tools and support, empowering adults to keep children safe and prevent sexual abuse across the lifespan. In the last year, we have improved and updated our Prevention programs and web-based services to further our efforts of ending sexual violence and stopping the generational cycle of sexual abuse. SAC collaborates with Middle TN colleges/universities to develop campus sexual assault prevention strategies and interventions, grounded in research-based best practices, that help to end and or reduce the incidents of sexual violence. These presentations are tailored to the culture and needs of each campus. Another prevention initiative is the SAFE BAR project. Bystander Intervention is an effective strategy that bar and restaurant staff can use to decrease sexual assault. SAC provides these trainings to bar and restaurant staff and volunteer ambassadors to further disseminate these messages.
Program Areas Served
None
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| SAC has operated primarily remotely since the beginning of the pandemic. Except for three weeks in late March, our SAFE Clinic has remained open and available to rape victims for medical legal rape exams 24-7. Our therapy and advocacy services are provided primarily remotely through telehealth. We remain impressed with the resiliency of both clients and staff as they transitioned into and maintained remote trauma work. As the months have gone on, we are providing more and more services in person. Through generous COVID-specific funding, we have been able to outfit our office space with more safety measures to serve clients safely in-person. We have a dedicated room with the technology resources available for clients to connect remotely in our office with their therapist; this is an option for clients who are not safe at home to do this work or who don't have the technology resources needed. We have created and improved several outdoor areas for individual client meetings, including covered spaces. We have added furniture so that clients and therapists can meet safely and comfortably outside as weather permits. We have also upgraded our HVAC system and added touchless hand sanitizer stations in all high-trafficked areas of the building. While most staff members continue to work remotely, SAC has prioritized client and staff safety throughout our building as we progressively increase in-person sessions and meetings. I believe that the true strength of the Sexual Assault Center can be found in the services that we provide and in the people who work here. This organization began with a vision of two Vanderbilt Divinity students. They saw the impact that sexual abuse was having on many people in our community and they knew that more could be done to help. They thought it critical to provide comprehensive services to survivors of sexual assault, and to work very hard to reduce the number of people being victimized. While we state it a little differently, their vision has become the mission of SAC. Our reason for being is to help survivors heal from sexual assault, and to prevent abuse from happening. As a therapist and supervisor at SAC for 16 years before becoming President, I know first-hand what our services and programs mean to survivors and their loved ones. Hope and healing happen here and lives are changed. I want to make sure that all children, adults and families have the knowledge they need to prevent sexual abuse from happening. The prevention programs at SAC provide children and adults with the skills and knowledge to end sexual violence. It is my greatest hope that one day our prevention programs can put us out of business, because our client services will no longer be needed. Until then, we will continue to show up every day to provide quality, effective care. I firmly believe that we are one of the top sexual assault programs in the country and the SAFE Clinic has been viewed as a national model of excellence. Our staff, board members and volunteers are exceptional, and I am so grateful that they choose to show up each and every day, despite the emotional toll of this work, to make sure that all sexual assault victims/survivors receive the most compassionate, loving care possible. |
