Client Story
Building a Connected Tarrant County
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM), an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of sexual violence and show support for survivors. This year’s national SAAPM theme, “Building Connected Communities”, is exemplified by the collaborative approach The Women’s Center takes in creating a safer, more resilient trauma-informed community in partnership with local organizations. This approach spans decades and has changed the way survivors are treated at local hospitals in Tarrant County.
More than 35 years ago, when a rape survivor sought treatment at the hospital, they would often wait more than 10 hours in the county hospital emergency department with no access to a bathroom or food. The rape exam room was the size of a broom closet and, in addition to the victim, often filled with a doctor, nurse, victim advocate and law enforcement. Since rape was not considered a life-threatening trauma, forensic exams were often low priority, which partly accounted for the extended wait time.
In 1989, The Women’s Center partnered with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Fort Worth Police Department and John Peter Smith Hospital to create what would eventually become the Tarrant County Sexual Assault Response Team or SART. The group meets with the goal of creating a system that provides compassionate care to sexual violence survivors specific to forensic rape exams in a way that meets legal needs and provides evidence that supports conviction of perpetrators.
Working together, the group helped streamline the process of forensic rape exams. Survivors now experience a comprehensive process that lasts an average of two hours, including a forensic rape exam and law enforcement interviews. Survivors wait in a private SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) suite with a shower and are provided toiletries and clothing so they can leave the facility with dignity and privacy. Victim Advocates from The Women’s Center support survivors and act as a liaison for hospital staff and law enforcement.
Today, the SART meets quarterly at The Women’s Center to continue to discuss ways to improve care in the Tarrant County community, often sharing ideas and receiving training for innovations in how the community provides compassionate and responsive care to survivors.
While the community was creating systems to improve care for adult survivors of sexual violence, two local CPS supervisors were exploring ways to improve the approach to childhood sexual abuse. The Tarrant County Sexual Abuse Advisory Council or TCSAAC was born from this idea. The group recently hosted their annual conference, which has taken place for decades and is an opportunity for organizations that work with survivors to receive training and learn from colleagues who work with childhood sexual abuse victims.
The Women’s Center has worked for more than 40 years to keep survivor needs at the forefront of every decision made in our Rape Crisis and Victim Services Program. While we have played an important role in creating a trauma-informed community, the collective voice of our organization with community partners has been a powerful force in supporting change and advocacy. While we have accomplished so much, there is still work to do. It takes us all!
Each person in Tarrant County can play an important role in building a connected community. First, we can all start by believing survivors. Statistically, only 4% of sexual assault allegations are false reports*. So, if someone discloses abuse or violence to you, listen without preconceived notions or judgments. Be there as a source of support and partner with them to get the assistance they need. Then support them as they walk through the process.
Finally, educate yourself about sexual violence. Statistics tell us that every 2 minutes in America*, someone is sexually assaulted. And individuals from marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by sexual violence. The Women’s Center’s Violence Prevention Program helps provide training to professionals and adults around topics related to violence. And Play it Safe!® helps teach children how to recognize, respond to and report abuse to a trusted adult.
Together, we will continue to build a connected trauma-informed community that provides compassionate, trauma-informed care to survivors of violence.