Help end sexual violence

COUNTY —  More than 500 new victims throughout Oxford County came forward in 2011 reporting they had been assaulted and needed support, according to REACH coordinator Stephanie LeBlond. 

According to LeBlond, REACH (Rape Education and Crisis Hotline) alone had 101 victims report they had been assaulted in 2011.

Safe Voices, another organization working to end domestic violence and other forms of assault, provided services to another 403 victims who had been assaulted, LeBlond said, down from the previous year. 

In 2010, Safe Voices provided services to 432 people living in Oxford County. 

Diane Gallagher, Oxford County community educator for Safe Voices, reported that in 2011, there were 437 complaints involving domestic violence – up from 429 in 2010. 

In addition, of 28 homicides in Maine, 13 of them were domestic violence-related. As of August 1, 2012, of nine homicides in Maine, four involved domestic violence. 

LeBlond said she did not have the figures for how many rapes occurred within the county, nor could she report on the number of assaults that happened in 2012, as they are still being compiled.

Nevertheless, educating the community on ending sexual violence is imperative, she said, especially since many cases go unreported. 

Awareness

To help raise awareness to end sexual violence, REACH is holding a "One Billion Rising" event on February 14 in the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School auditorium beginning at 7 p.m.

The event is organized for dancers and dance companies from different areas of Oxford County to come together as one and "move the Earth," as part of a worldwide movement to end sexual violence. 

According to LeBlond, around 1 billion females worldwide have been sexually assaulted. 

LeBlond encourages those interested in attending the February 14 event to visit www.onebillionrising.org and learn the choreography to "Break the Chain" so everyone can join in. 

Light refreshments will be provided. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under to raise money for further fundraising efforts. 

On March 27, a conference is being held for mental health providers and case managers to discuss mental health and sexual assault, she said. 

"A lot of times, victims of sexual assault may have a mental health diagnosis," LeBlond explained.

"We are trying to bring a local conference to the Oxford Hills area so our providers can come together and get the information they need, and then network with [other] people that are local," she said.

"We are always trying to raise awareness."