Cleveland Rape Crisis Center

August 16: Due to ongoing construction, Cleveland R**e Crisis Center’s Human Trafficking Drop-In Center is closed today. We appreciate your patience.

Support is always available. Call/text 216-619-6192 or chat at clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

“I thought I could figure it out on my own, but that’s sometimes not the case. And that’s not something you should feel guilty or ashamed of.” - Simone Biles, U.S. Olympic Gold Gymnast

Last week, Cleveland R**e Crisis Center advocates had the opportunity to attend the 2024 Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus. We were grateful to spend time connecting with colleagues and building a strong network of support for survivors of human trafficking in Ohio.

Seeing and hearing stories about s*xual violence on the news and social media can be overwhelming. It’s okay to step back to focus on your healing.

You are not alone. For 24/7 support, text/call (216) 619-6192 or chat online at clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

If you or someone you know has experienced r**e or s*xual abuse and decides to go to the emergency room, the following Cuyahoga County hospitals have 24-hour Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Units staffed by nurses specially trained in the care of survivors of r**e or s*xual abuse.

Fairview Hospital
18101 Lorain Road
Cleveland, OH 44111
(216) 476-7080

Hillcrest Hospital
6780 Mayfield Road, North Campus
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
(440) 312-7890

MetroHealth
2500 MetroHealth Drive
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 778-7800

University Hospitals
11100 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 844-3722

Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
11100 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 844-3911

Southwest General
18697 Bagley Road
Middleburg Heights, OH 44130
(440) 816-8888

You are not alone. Cleveland R**e Crisis Center Advocates are available 24/7 to support survivors and their loved ones during a visit to the emergency room for a medical exam and evidence collection process. Text or call (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or chat online at clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat for support.

Last week, Cleveland R**e Crisis Center advocates Yarimar, Deidra, and Jasmine travelled to Washington DC to attend the 50th Annual National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) Training Event. Thank you to NOVA for bringing the victim assistance community together to enhance support and advocacy for survivors across the country.

Creating a trauma-informed classroom can help vulnerable students feel safe and supported. Here are three trauma-informed things you can do this school year:

Establish a routine.
Create a predictable daily routine like having a classroom schedule, keeping classroom materials in designated locations, and informing students when there’s a change to the routine.

Create positive connections.
Use empowering phrases when acknowledging students’ behavior like “Thank you for cleaning up after yourself. That’s really helpful!” and “I see how hard you’re working.”

Be proactive.
Teach students to identify and label their emotions and feelings and talk about positive things they can do when they feel sad, upset, or angry.

For more ideas, check out this article from Maine Children's Home:
https://www.mainechildrenshome.org/blog/10-ideas-for-creating-a-trauma-informed-classroom

Want to learn more about how teachers and schools can support survivors and prevent s*xual violence? Contact [email protected] today.

August 8: Power has been restored to our Ashtabula office and the Human Trafficking Drop-In Center. All of our offices are open for regular business hours today. Thank you for all of your patience.

Support is always available on our 24/7 Hotline. Call or text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

August 7: Cleveland R**e Crisis Center’s Human Trafficking Drop-In Center is also closed due to a power outage. Our Shaker Square and Clark-Fulton offices remain open. We will share updates about our Ashtabula office and the Drop-In Center when we have more information.
You are not alone. For 24/7 support, call or text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

Due to a power outage, Cleveland R**e Crisis Center's Ashtabula office is closed today, August 7. Our Clark-Fulton and Shaker Square offices are open.
Support is always available to survivors and their families on our 24/7 Hotline. Call or text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

Trans youth deserve to exist in spaces where they are respected, supported, and cared for.

Cleveland R**e Crisis Center advocates attended the 53rd Annual Puerto Rican Parade and Cultural Festival on Sunday. Despite the heat, we were grateful to join in on celebrating the history, arts, and culture of Puerto Rico with fellow community members.

"You can be strong and choose rest. You can be a champion whose health is more valuable than prestige. You can be courageous and vulnerable. You can be a hard worker and a rest ambassador. "

Simone Biles: You Can Be Strong and Choose Rest Simone Biles is a champion for liberation through her public acknowledgement of her need for rest, which is a radical act of resistance, writes Ivory Bennett.

For young people, college is an exciting time to meet new people, experience new places, and flex their independence. As parents and caregivers, it’s crucial that we encourage our children to be mindful of their surroundings and exercise caution when a person or situation doesn’t feel right.

Check out our app for some tips to share with your student as they prepare for college: https://app.clevelandr**ecrisis.org/articles/college-campus-safety-tips

Cleveland R**e Crisis Center is proud to announce our partnership with the The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is offering free civil legal services* to youth survivors of human trafficking under 17 years old and their families. Services may include referrals, counsel and advice, brief services, or extended services including representation.

*Legal Aid Society of Cleveland includes services in the following areas: Family Law, Housing, and Economic Justice (such as tax issues or driver’s license suspensions), as well as Medical and Education legal concerns.

You are not alone. To learn more about services and to apply, visit https://lasclev.org/apply-for-free-legal-aid

https://youtube.com/shorts/Swg6LhtE7XM?feature=share

Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Partners with CRCC Cleveland R**e Crisis Center is proud to announce our partnership with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is offering fre...

Things you don’t need to apologize for:

• Your feelings
• Changing your mind
• Saying “no”
• Wanting time alone
• Not immediately answering calls or texts
• Not to hanging out with certain people or in certain places

Need to talk? We’re here to listen. Call or text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

Please join us in congratulating Jessica King, M.Ed., LPCC-S, Clinical Manager and Trauma Therapist, who was honored as a 2024 Hometown Hero in Behavioral Health by Lake Adamhs!

Thank you, Jessica, for your commitment to supporting survivors of s*xual violence in our community.

Alt text: Jessica King (second from left in the first photo, middle in the second photo) smiles for a picture to celebrate with representatives from the Lake County ADAMHS Board and Cleveland R**e Crisis Center.

"The survivors...fundamentally want to change the culture of money and medals being the only thing that matters, because that way, they can protect other women, girls, boys and men from this happening to them."

Tracing USA Gymnastics' journey from rock bottom back to Olympic dominance Six years ago, USA Gymnastics was on the brink of collapse amid a s*x abuse scandal that had cost it sponsorships and piled up lawsuits. Now, the organization hopes it has turned the page.

"Self-care isn’t just for adults — it’s a lifelong skill that our children and youth need to learn and practice. Here's how you can help your children understand and embrace self-care."

Teaching Children Self-Care: A Guide for Parents | MCH As parents or guardians, we hope for our children to be kind and care for others. But teaching our children the value of self-care is just as crucial. Self-care isn’t just for adults — it’s a lifelong skill that our children and youth need to learn and practice. Here's how you can help your ch...

July 30 is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Communities are encouraged to raise awareness for victims and survivors of human trafficking and to advocate for the protection and rights of survivors.

Cleveland R**e Crisis Center supports survivors of human trafficking and anyone looking for help or information about trafficking. Call 855-431-7827 any time, day or night.

A child’s boundaries matter.

Sometimes children may not want to hug family members or friends, and that’s okay. Giving children options in how they interact with others, like giving a high five or a fist bump instead, helps kids understand that their boundaries matter and that it’s not okay for people to ignore them when they say “no” to something.

Alicia Sacramone Quinn "told NPR that nowadays, communication between USA Gymnastics and athletes is a lot more open than when she was a gymnast in the program."

USA Gymnastics made a miraculous comeback — but is it actually safer for Olympians? : Consider This from NPR In 2017, the Larry Nassar scandal rocked the Olympic community. Hundreds of allegations of s*xual abuse against the former USA Gymnastics doctor underscored how vulnerable athletes are — particularly when they're minors. That year, Congress and the U.S. Olympic Committee had a solution.The U.S. Ce...

“For Black parents and caregivers, and folks parenting Black children, tragedies that involve racial violence can be particularly difficult for the mental and emotional well-being of our children (as well as our own).”

Our Kids Are Watching: Racial Violence in the News & Viral Trauma How to protect and prepare your child when tragic events and images are shared online. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

“It’s time to give victims their day in court and the tools they need to fight back,”

AOC's Deepfake AI P**n Bill Unanimously Passes the Senate “It’s time to give victims their day in court and the tools they need to fight back,” says Sen. Dick Durbin as the DEFIANCE Act heads to the House.

Cleveland R**e Crisis Center was proud to be part of the Do It For James Walk/Run of Fun. Thank you to Tim and Tamia Woods, founders of the Do It For James Foundation, for all that you do you educate youth and adults about s*xtortion and how to prevent it.

“Every time we view, or hear, or read about a trauma that’s been carried out to someone that is similar to us, or cares about us, it creates a level of trauma on ourselves.”

Exposure to videos of police brutality can be harmful to Black people's mental health: 8 tips for taking care of yourself Viewing footage of physical harm done to Black and brown people can weigh heavily on you, especially if you're a POC. Here's how to check in with yourself.

You are worthy of healing, support, and respect.

When the time is right, Cleveland R**e Crisis Center is here for you. Support is available at any of our locations in Ashtabula, Chardon, Clark-Fulton, Mentor, and Shaker Square. Request an appointment at: https://clevelandr**ecrisis.org/contact/request-an-appointment/

If you or someone you know has experienced image-based s*xual abuse, you are not alone. Cleveland R**e Crisis Center is here for you. Call/text text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat any time, day or night.

https://19thnews.org/2024/07/revenge-p**n-abuse-crime-outdated-terminology/

They’re crimes — so why do we keep calling them ‘p**n’? When we use outdated terms like 'revenge p**n,' we blur the line between consensual entertainment and abuse.

Research suggests that over 90% of people with developmental disabilities will experience s*xual abuse in their lifetime. However, their abuse often goes unreported due to harmful stereotypes believed about the disability community and a lack of organizations equipped to support survivors with a variety of disabilities.

All survivors, no matter their ability, deserve to be believed and supported. If you or someone you know has a disability and has experienced s*xual violence, know that what happened to you was not your fault. Cleveland R**e Crisis Center is here for you. Call or text (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or visit clevelandr**ecrisis.org/chat.

Source: Valenti-Hein & Schwartz, 1995