You: A Caring, Compassionate Volunteer? (NAPSA)—Thoughtheeffects of sexual assault can last a lifetime, the workof a dedicated network of caring, compassionate volunteers goes a long way toward helpingvictims start the healing process. Assault Statistics Every two minutes, an Ameri- can is sexually assaulted. No matter what form it takes, the effects of this crime leave lasting scars. Victims of sexual violence are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 13 times morelikely to abuse alcohol and four times more likely to contemplate suicide. Critical support comes in the form of volunteers who work at local rape crisis centers as well as through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE), created and operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). These resources can provide support services moments after the assault or even years later, allowing any survivorto find the help he or she needsto recover. Rapecrisis centers specialize in victim advocacy and provide victims with support and information on recovery; here, volunteers play a vital role in serving members of their own community. No prior experience or training is nec- essary to become a volunteer— just the desire to join the fight against sexual assault. There are a variety of options and positions for volunteering, with flexible schedule optionsto fit almost anyone’s time constraints. Somechoose to work directly with victims. These positions include helping callers to the 24-hour cri- sis telephone hotline and even accompanying victims to the hospital. Others find positions volunteering in the main office, fund- raising or reaching outto the local media. Individual crisis centers America’s rape crisis centers are in need of volunteers to provide support and information to victims of sexual violence. greatly benefit from the hard work of volunteers. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is a partnership of over 1,100 rapecrisis centersall across the United States. The hotline is unique in that it routes callers to their nearest center, based on their phone number. Since it began in 1994, the 24/7 confidential hotline services have helped more than 1.2 million people nationwide. Manyrape crisis center volunteers find their work to be a very worthwhile experience. Kacey Fisher, a RAINN hotline volunteer, says, “Empowering survivors to realize their own definition of what they can or want to do on their road to healing is the most rewarding aspect of being a RAINN volunteer.” To find a volunteer opportunity in your area, visit rainn.org and click on “Get Involved.” The search function allows visitors to search for volunteer opportunities based on their ZIP code.
