This year is the 20th anniversary of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act Month.   This month is a time for all of us to reflect on and celebrate our success in addressing challenges that affect the safety of our campus community.

This year’s theme, Coming Together to Strengthen Campus Communities embodies our collaborative efforts with our local campus communities:  The University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College.   While we often think of campus communities as an enclosed and safe environment, we recognize that no campus is immune from the same crime problems that face the rest of the nation. 

·         Nationally, 1 in 4 college women will be sexually assaulted during her academic career

·         21% to 53% of college students have experienced at least once incident of dating violence

·         13% of college women had been stalked since the school year began (2000 National College

·         Along with health problems, academic issues, and arrests, 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes each year (RAINN.org)

In order to increase awareness about these campus safety challenges in hopes of reducing victimization and creating campus environments that do not tolerate any crimes but which do create a climate of support for those who have been victimized, National Campus Safety Awareness Month was established in 2005 by Security On Campus, Inc., a national nonprofit group dedicated to promoting campus safety. 

RCASA is committed to creating a safer and more supportive campus for all campus community members. We offer:  The Red Flag Campaign, Take Back the Night Events, The White Ribbon Campaign and other events.  We collaborate with Student Anti-Violence Educators (SAVE) at local colleges/universities.    

We honor National Campus Safety Awareness Month and commit to programs that will raise awareness of crucial safety topics, in addition to raising awareness about rights of crime victims on campus. We commit to partnering with area and national organizations to provide information and support to students surrounding safety issues.  We commit to support victims of crime and holding offenders accountable. We commit to creating an ongoing climate of support for those who have been victimized.

On June 15th, RCASA’s staff won an award from the Family and Children’s Trust Fund  (FACT) for innovative community collaboration to prevent family violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  This recognition is for our Latino’s Services program and community collaborations to create and implement the program.  Last year and the year before, FACT provided funding for RCASA to outreach the Latino community to provide services for sexual assault and sexual abuse victims.

Our Latino Services Program

Our Latino services program provides services to survivors of sexual assault, rape, dating violence, and sexual abuse to the Spanish speaking community.

Our intervention services include:  24-hotline support, medical and forensic accompaniment, legal advocacy and court accompaniment, and counseling (both group and individual).

Our education services include outreach to the community, participation in community events, brochures, flyers and other information in Spanish, and prevention curriculums.   Just email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you want us to attend or provide a training or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you need legal advocacy.

The Future of our Latino Program

FACT’s funding has helped us significantly get our Latino program off the ground and build our relationship with the Latino community.  As we move into this coming fiscal year, Kaiser Permanente steps in to provide $50,000 in funding to continue and enhance our program.  With Kaiser’s support, we will be able to serve more people from the Latino and Immigrant communities through direct services and outreach.  We will implement Patient Navigators to help Spanish speaking and immigrant survivors of sexual assault and abuse through crisis, medical and forensic services, legal advocacy and prosecution, and counseling services.   

Read a full article on this award and our program on our blog:  http://www.rcasa.wordpress.com