Over the last 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of educating thousands of young people in schools across Maine. And without a doubt, one of the most challenging aspects of this has been hearing students say that nothing happened when they made reports to their school regarding sexual harassment or assault. My encouragement to “keep telling” until they got the help they needed felt inadequate because I knew few would. And who could blame them? They had lost their trust in those persons and places of power who should’ve defended them. In some cases, survivors weren’t believed or ignored and even ..read more

The free & confidential support groups that the SAC&SC offer are a wonderful way to start the healing process in the aftermath of experiencing sexual trauma.   There are many positive outcomes that can occur when participating in a group setting that will assist someone in reconnecting to the community around them in a safe and supportive way and provide a safe space for a survivor to grow, discover and heal their mind, body, soul & spirit. Why Groups? Groups promote reconnection with others. One impact of sexual assault is that it isolates us f ..read more

Content Warning: sexual assault in trans communities When it is listed that a marginalized community is more likely to endure violence than their more privileged counterparts, it is rare that we hear the reasons why. “X community is more likely to experience X” is used as a blanket statement for inherent brokenness without an explanation of different factors that could map out solutions of harm reduction. I have believed for a long time that I was broken because of the hyphenated identities that I hold as a nonbinary femme of color. On one end, there is a sense of comfort to know that I’m no ..read more

Being sexually assaulted is one of the most shame-inducing traumas that a person can experience. So it should be understandable that victims of sexual violence don't need or deserve to be further shamed for their decision about whether or not to report the crime. These decisions are very personal and often cause victims so much personal anguish on top of what they have already experienced. There are so many well-intentioned people who think that they know what’s best for the victim, but it is important to take a step back and remember that we want to empower victims to take back the power and ..read more

We are Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) advocates. Our roles are ever changing and always evolving. We are some of the first faces you will see at the hospital, police station, cours and provide wrap around support after your visit at the CAC. Our role is to believe, support and empower. Some of the decisions that have been made have been out of your control and we are here to give you back that power, We are survivore centered and will folllow your lead on your journey.   What can you expect when going to the hospital after you were sexually assaulted? You will find a For ..read more