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Health & Fitness

Reflections from HOPE Center on Shattuck-St. Mary's, Sandusky and More

When will enough be enough?

The first three stories on last night's news were about criminal sexual misconduct. Each one included an individual in a position of authority, perpetrating on children they were responsible for-three teachers at Shattuck, a priest in the metro and Coach Sandusky. They're also all in question of being covered up or ignored by different levels of administration. From these five perpetrators there are already close to 20 victims identified. TWENTY children. When will enough be enough?

This was my friend’s Facebook status just the other day.  And that question has been ringing in my head since I read it.  “When will enough be enough?”

I think the tide is starting to shift.  With people coming forward, sharing more about their experience and the impact on their lives, their relationships, their past and their future, people are beginning to break the silence.

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Meyers says the man considered coming forward when the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke at Penn State, but it wasn't until the Seibel case broke that he decided to tell police about the problem at Shattuck-St. Mary's may be bigger than originally thought.

Maury Glover- Fox 9 News

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We know that Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence thrive in silence.  They thrive when people believe they are alone, that they are the only ones that have experienced the violation, when they wonder if they will be believed.

Although victim advocates around the country are as appalled as anyone else by the recent stores, scandals, allegations and reports- we are not surprised.  We have seen victims countless times be silenced by fear, often by the same systems that aim to protect them.  We know that if people really understood the epidemic rate that our children, our mothers, our daughters, our sons and our brothers experience Domestic and Sexual Assault there would be no more silence around this issue.

In Rice County alone we average over 900 calls to our 24 hour Safeline every year. 

In 2011:

  • Our Domestic Violence program we served 440 adults (primarily women) and 54 children.
  • Our Sexual Assault Program we served 48 primary victims and 48 secondary victims (friends and family members who sought support).
  • 581 individual victims were given information and 355 victims were provided legal advocacy.
  • Through our Safehome program we provided 72 days of shelter.
  • Last year we provided 49 presentations to the community.
  • We had over 82 volunteers donate 9,179 hours to further our mission to end violence.  

This is why HOPE Center exists.  To offer Healing Outreach Prevention and Education.  No matter whether it happened 10 minutes ago or 10 years ago we want to provide services to help heal, to repair the harm and to prevent anyone else from having to experience the trauma of violence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  We know that domestic and sexual abuse are happening in our community.  We know that when people were asked after the Penn State case “Would you know where to turn if you knew of a child that was being sexually abused?” Only 36% of those polled knew the local resource. 

Please help us spread the message of HOPE, help us educate our community by letting people know that our services our free and confidential. 

  • For Information, Options and Hope for men abused as boys visit 1 in 6.  A National Organization to help educate and begin the healing process. http://1in6.org/
  • Visit our website for more information: www.hopecentermn.org
  • Call HOPE Center to talk to one of our trained advocates: 1-800-607-2330
  • Friend us on Facebook- Help us to reach 500 likes by the end of October.

Together we will fulfill HOPE Center's Mission of Ending Violence in Rice County.

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