Kendra`s story: The night everything changed Community

Transcription

Kendra`s story: The night everything changed Community
The Newsletter of the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault
Kendra’s story: The night everything changed
Trigger warning for sexual assault
It’s somewhere around 2 a.m., and the hospital room is
a blur to Kendra. She’s about to go through a forensic
exam to collect evidence after being raped. A woman who
had always thought of herself as a protector, a defender of
fellow women, had been overpowered. She thinks back to
a time years earlier when she was in the navy, when she
woke a man up by holding a steak knife to his throat and
telling him what would happen if he ever gave another
woman a black eye again. She had always been tough. She
was strong. But on this night, her strength couldn’t match
the intense rage of a 6’10 man who had unexpectedly
turned violent.
Her relationship with her boyfriend of a year and a half
had started going downhill. They were arguing more than
ever, and decided they needed space. They were going
through a trial separation of sorts, and he was staying in
a hotel down the road from the apartment they shared.
She knew the relationship needed to end, but couldn’t
help but respond with care when he started telling her he
WHEN: Saturday, August 23, 6:30 - 10:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Uptown Theater
WHO: (Pictured from left to right:)
Honorary Chairs Greg and Deanna Graves,
Event Co-chairs Melanie Fenske and Kim
Harp.
Inside
3 donors
Thank you!
4staff profile
Keith Bradley
4 education
New state funding
focuses lead to new
education programs
The Assistance League of Kansas City® provides MOCSA with
Assault Survivor Kits to take to victims at area hspitals. The kits
include toiletries, a change of clothes, and many resources.
missed her and wanted to see her over the weekend. She
didn’t want him back in the apartment, so she agreed to
see him in his hotel room to talk for about an hour before
she went to meet some friends for dinner.
“I was very clear from the beginning that I was just there
Kendra’s Story continued on Page 2. . .
Community support through Young at Art
WHAT: Young at Art Cocktail Party & Auction
Summer 2014
Each year, MOCSA provides counseling to hundreds
of children, teens and adults who have experienced
one of life’s most difficult traumas. At this year’s 10th
annual Young at Art Cocktail Party and Auction on
August 23rd, attendees can help ensure that MOCSA’s
much-needed services continue to be offered to
community members free of charge.
Like previous years, guests of Young at Art can enjoy
cocktails, hors d’oevres, a competitive silent and live
auction of some incredible art and entertainment
packages, as well as live music from The Elders.
Since 2010, funds raised from Young at Art have more
than doubled. This event has become a critical step
in raising funds to keep MOCSA programming up
and running, specifically MOCSA’s Art and Play
Therapy for children who have been victims of sexual
abuse. Art and Play therapy is designed to help child
victims of sexual abuse heal through expressing their
feelings and telling their stories through art and play,
mediums that come naturally to them. As MOCSA
therapists often say, many puppets have told painful
Young at Art continued on Page 6. . .
5 fall forum
Dr. Alan Heisterkamp will be the keynote speaker for this
year’s Johnson County
Fall Forum
5 counseling
One teenage client
recovers with the
help of her family
6 volunteer profile
Cynthia Wendt
6 advocacy
MOCSA staff
advocate shares the
highs and lows of
supporting victims
of sexual violence
7 words matter
A letter from our
President & CEO
Julie Donelon
1
2014 Board Officers
Kendra’s Story continued from Page 1. . .
Matt Sharples
Chair
to talk for a little while since I had plans,” Kendra
said. “We were just going to talk, spend a little time
together. I told him straight away there would be no
funny business.”
Michele Kaweicki
Vice Chair
John E. Derry
Secretary
Ross Franken
Treasurer
Directors
Ann Abercrombie
Tom Andreesen
Jenny Atterbury
Melanie Fenske
Diane Canaday Hesse
Christy Gautreaux
Charlie J. Harris, Jr.
Mark Hinderks
Roosevelt D. Lyons
Sherry Marshall
Laura McCarthy
Captain Todd Paulson
Jean Peters Baker
Annie Presley
Joshua Rowland
Susan Stanton
Scott Stengel
Judi Tauber
Kristin Tyson
Cecilia Ysaac-Belmares
Senior Staff
Julie Donelon, MSW
President & CEO
Gail Jones Kaufman MPA, JD
Vice President of Operations
June Anne Chalfant
Vice President of Development
Angie Blumel, MPA
Director of Advocacy
Rene McCreary, MS, LPC
Director of Counseling
Melanie Austin, MPH
Director of Education
Elizabeth Durkin, MPH
Director of Grants
Management
2
She yelled down to another man in the lot, and asked
him to help her stop the car, that a man had just raped
her. He said he didn’t want to get involved.
Then she remembered that her cell phone and keys
had been carefully hidden in her shoes under the bed.
He turned the TV on, and she remembers kicking
off her shoes. Instead of putting her phone and car
keys on a table, she put them in her shoes, and slid
them, belongings hidden inside, under the bed. This
moment, almost seven years later, still sticks out to
her.
“If I hadn’t hidden them like that, he would have
taken them,” Kendra said. “It was like something
in me was telling me this isn’t a good situation, but
I didn’t listen all the way. That’s one of the most
heartbreaking things of the whole night to think
about. I didn’t listen to myself.”
As she sat next to him, he started getting a little too
close. Then he got pushy. She told him, again, that
wasn’t why she was there. He began touching her
in places she didn’t want to be touched, and she got
angry. She started telling him everything she thought
might make him back off — that she was seeing
someone else, that it was over. Then, he snapped.
Amid the chaos of the rest of the night, Kendra
called her friends and her mom. She was interviewed
by police, and a detective sent her to Saint Luke’s
Hospital to get checked out and have a forensic exam
done to collect evidence. At 2 a.m., the reality of
the past few hours are overwhelming. It was in the
hospital that she met a MOCSA advocate.
“He turned into a person I’d never met before,”
Kendra said. “We’d argued before, but I’d never seen
that level of anger in him that I saw that night. This
guy that came out…” She trails off.
“I tell you what, when you’re going through all of
that and you have people who are going through the
motions and just doing their jobs, and then you have
someone who comes in the room and is so genuine
and there to help you, it’s a feeling like no other,”
Kendra said. “It’s like a ray of sunshine steps into the
room. You see this person who is separate from the
rest of the madness that’s going on.”
He choked her so hard that she passed out.
“I remember waking up, and he was walking back
and forth across the room sort of talking to himself,”
she said. “I thought, oh my gosh, this is like a weird
movie, what is going on?”
Her first instinct was to try to defend herself. She told
him he’d gone too far, that he was going to go to jail
for this. He choked her again.
This time when she woke up, he was on top of her on
the bed. For the next few hours, Kendra fought. She
screamed, scratched, clawed, as he sexually assaulted
her. She hit and threw things against the walls, trying
to make as much noise as possible. Surely, in a hotel,
someone would hear the commotion and come help
her. But no one did.
“At one point, he put a pillow over my face, and I
just remember I couldn’t move,” Kendra said. “I
remember thinking to myself, ‘I guess this is how I
die.’ I started praying. At the point where I was really
struggling to breathe, I started thinking about my
daughter.”
The thought of her daughter sparked the fight in
her again. She continued to do everything she could
think of to get away. But even after she crawled across
the floor to try to open the door, he dragged her back.
“After he decided he was done playing with me,
humiliating me – he packed up and left. He took all
my clothes and money and just left,” Kendra said.
“At that point, all I could do was try to find someone
to help.”
Kendra ran onto the balcony, naked and screaming,
in time to see her ex driving out of the parking lot.
In the following days, certain family members of hers
and of her attacker got to her in a vulnerable state.
They told her that she didn’t want to work with the
police. They told her that she would ruin her ex’s life
if she went forward. They told her that she must have
egged him on for him to get that mad. They told her
she must be partly at fault.
Confused and angry, Kendra wanted nothing more
than the move on with her life. She went back to work
that Monday. She didn’t miss a beat with school,
either. She only made time to cry on lunch breaks
or in her car. She never wanted to think about that
night again, but she knew she would have to if she
continued to work with police and prosecutors on her
case. So, Kendra went to the prosecutor assigned to
her case and recanted her story.
Despite Kendra recanting her story, the prosecutor
did have evidence to charge her attacker. He ended
up getting three years of probation; not what it
should have been, Kendra said. She still struggles
with feelings of regret for not pressing charges and
for acting like her experience had never happened.
She accepts the fact that she may never stop feeling
regretful. Years later, though, she says with lots of
therapy, lots of prayer, and lots of MOCSA, she’s
doing well. She recently got married, and is feeling
back to her old “rambunctious” self.
“I believe that every person that goes through
something traumatic, they want to get better,” she
said. “They really do. It’s a journey and it’s hard work,
but we get there.”
DONATIONS
Gifts Received March 18 - July 22, 2014
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Crestwood Midstream Partners, L.P.
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Eclectics Gallery
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Ernst & Young, LLP
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FB Midwest Development, LLC
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Garmin International
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Shawnee Mission Medical Center
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Silpada Foundation
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Social Work p.r.n., Inc.
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Specchem
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Sprint
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Sullivan Higdon & Sink
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Ten Ten Foundation
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Ms. Nicole Thomas
Ms. Sarah B. Thomas
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Treat America Food Services
TriCom Technical Services
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Mr. and Mrs. Paul Uhlmann III
UMB Bank, N.A.
UMKC - Institute for Human
Development
Union Pacific Foundation
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County, Inc.
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Visitation Church
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Ms. Sherri Wattenbarger and
Mr. Brian Beins
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Donations continued
on page 7...
Ms. Patricia Woods
3
Ms. Jennifer Worthington
Staff Profile:
Keith Bradley
Keith Bradley joined the
MOCSA staff in 2009
as an Education and
Outreach Specialist, and
has provided prevention
education programming
to thousands of metro
area students. In the fall
of 2013, Bradley was
promoted to Prevention
Services
Coordinator
of MOCSA. In addition to educating students, he is
responsible for coordinating all aspects of Strength Club
programs for young men, from scheduling at schools,
recruiting participants and managing volunteers.
Before coming to MOCSA, Bradley worked for two years
at a homeless shelter, where he worked with families and
children doing after school programs for homeless youth.
“I knew I was interested in continuing to work with urban
young people, and the opportunity to teach and interact
with students in a new way, showing them information
they didn’t know they needed until they got it, made a job
at MOCSA really appealing,” Bradley said.
Through his years of working with youth, Bradley said
talking candidly with youth about difficult topics is an
easier thing to do than most people realize.
“Sexual violence links to a lot of other underlying social
issues, including poverty, homelessness and education
inequality,” Bradley said. “It’s a hard message, but the kids
are always thankful for it.”
Strength Clubs began in 2010 as a program for young
men that work with youth on understanding healthy
masculinity and how young men could help prevent
sexual violence. Since its inception, clubs have increased
in both popularity and numbers, and Strength Clubs for
young women were also developed last year. These clubs
promote healthy body image and a better understanding
of sexual violence and how young women can support
each other.
“The longevity and continued interest in Strength Clubs
has been so encouraging,” Bradley said.
When he’s not working with area youth, Bradley enjoys
spending time with his wife Kate and two sons, Ben and
Calvin. His 4 and 1-year-old sons are currently enjoying
all the family walks, trips to the pool, and ice cream
outings that come with summer.
4
Funding changes in KS, MO
bring new education initiatives
Throughout MOCSA’s 39-year history, programs have continuously evolved and
focuses have changed in order to best meet the needs of the Kansas City metropolitan
community. This year, changes in funding streams on both sides of the state line
have meant that MOCSA’s robust education programs are further evolving to take
on new challenges.
Each year, educators provide important prevention education to nearly 50,000 area
residents. From Project Aware for children ages 4-11, to community education and
training for professionals, MOCSA’s education programs cover a wide array of issues.
Traditionally, grant funding from the state of Kansas and the state of Missouri have
focused on affecting change on the individual level to prevent sexual violence. Now,
priorities have shifted toward affecting change on a wider societal level. MOCSA is
working on two new initiatives to enact societal level change on both sides of the
state line to prevent sexual violence.
“This shift in priorities at the state level will
focus on preventing violence on a much bigger
level,” said MOCSA’s Director of Education,
Melanie Austin. “While MOCSA will continue
to do important work at the individual level,
more work will be done at the community
and societal levels to create changes in cultural
norms and beliefs that will ultimately prevent
violence on a larger scale.”
In Kansas, MOCSA has formed a community
coalition that is delving into the issues that cause
sexual violence in Wyandotte County. MOCSA and more than 30 area partner
agencies make up the Wyandotte County Sexual Assault Prevention Coalition, or
WyCo-SAP. The mission of WyCo-SAP is to mobilize the community toward the
prevention of sexual violence by changing the norms, beliefs and policies that allow
sexual violence to happen.
In Missouri, MOCSA educators will introduce the Middle School Program, designed
by Green Dot. The purpose of the Middle School Program is to focus attention on
changing the culture of a school-based community through bystander engagement.
MOCSA will implement the program in one middle school and work to affect
change through continuous education with not just students, but parents, teachers
and other school staff. This program aims to create a school-wide environment where
sexual harassment, violence, and abuse are not tolerated.
“Prevention is best done by working on multiple levels over many years,” said Austin.
“We’ll continue to provide presentations and education to youth, kindergarten
through 12th grade, as well as do community education and professional training.
But we need to work on every single level of society to really affect change. So in
addition to bringing awareness and change on an individual level, MOCSA will
work more on these broader impact initiatives.”
Mark Your Calendars for the Upcoming
TriCom Golf Tournament to Benefit MOCSA
Friday, September 5, 2014
Falcon Ridge Golf Course
20200 Prairie Star Parkway
Lenexa, KS 66220
visit mocsa.org for tickets
Fall Forum focuses on bystander intervention
On October 10th, MOCSA will host the 11th annual
Johnson County Fall Forum to educate and raise
awareness of MOCSA’s services in Johnson County. The
Fall Forum began as an awareness event, and has since
become one of MOCSA’s most important fundraisers to
ensure services to people living Johnson County.
“Johnson County is generally a very nice, safe area,”
said Lucy McShane, who is serving as Event Cochair alongside Maureen Brady. “Sometimes it’s easy
to think sexual violence doesn’t happen there, not in
my back yard. But sexual violence has no boundaries,
and MOCSA services benefit people of all different
backgrounds and locations across the metro area.”
WHAT: Johnson County Fall Forum
WHEN: Friday, October 10, 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Overland Park Marriott
WHO: Honorary Chairs: Judy & Chuck Wells
(pictured below).
Event Co-chairs: Maureen Brady and Lucy
McShane.
This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Alan Heisterkamp,
is the Director of the Center for Educational
Transformation and Co-director of the Mentors in
Violence Prevention Leadership Institute at the Center
for Violence Prevention at the University of Northern
Iowa. Dr. Heisterkamp frequently speaks to school and
community leaders and organizations about bystander
intervention strategies as a way to prevent violence.
“The concept of bystander intervention is so important,”
said Event Co-chair Maureen Brady. “Only when people
understand that they can play a part in preventing sexual
violence will we change a society that accepts it.”
Sexual abuse fraught with stigma, shame
Family support critical for kids overcoming sexual abuse
Devon* was just 9 years old when his step father began
sexually abusing him. His mother worked nights,
which meant Devon was often found alone in their
home with his stepfather. His relentless advances
made Devon feel embarrassed and guilty. He was so
humiliated by the abuse, that he didn’t tell anyone
until he was 14 years old.
One of the ways his step father would abuse Devon
would be to bribe or threaten him if he did not comply
and do what he wanted him to do. One evening while
his mother was at work, Devon’s step father refused to
let him eat dinner unless he first removed his clothes.
Devon felt sick by the idea of one more instance of
abuse, so he ran out of the house. He called one of his
aunts and asked to be picked up. It was that night that
he was finally able to tell some of his family what was
going on, and soon the police were involved.
“Most of all, he was so embarrassed and held onto so
much shame about what happened,” said his therapist,
Jaree Basgall. “It took him a while to disclose everything
that happened because of his shame, but also because
he didn’t receive immediate support from everyone he
needed.”
Unfortunately for Devon, the caring response the rest
of his family showed him wasn’t shared by his mother.
She refused to believe that her husband would do
something like that. Because of that, Devon is now
living with extended family in a nearby city. The
change meant he was safe and receiving support, but
he also had to switch schools.
“It took a lot of hard work and support from his
extended family, but he’s now able to realize that he
shouldn’t feel embarrassed about what happened,”
Basgall said. “He’s now able to confidently say that
nothing that happened was his fault, and that his step
father is the only person responsible.”
After being in a new environment and feeling safe
and supported, Devon shared with his therapist that
he told one of his friends for the first time why he
moved. He said that was the first time he was able to
tell someone without feeling embarrassed.
*Name and some details changed to protect identity
5
Volunteer Profile:
Cynthia Wendt
Cynthia
Wendt
became a MOCSA
volunteer in 1987,
after
working
with MOCSA in
her job with the
Jackson
County
Prosecutor’s Office.
Since that time, she
has served as Board
member, Volunteer
Advisory Council member, Johnson County
Advisory Council member, and has twice
co-chaired the Johnson County Fall Forum.
In 2009, she began a new volunteer role as a
hospital advocate.
As a hospital advocate, Cynthia provides
support, information and referrals to victims
of sexual violence who report to area hospital
emergency rooms for a forensic exam.
“Being a hospital advocate is most rewarding
when I can help young women who blame
themselves for what happened,” Cynthia said.
“I try to convey MOCSA’s message — I am
sorry this happened to you. I believe you. This
is not your fault.”
Earlier this year, Cynthia won the Outstanding
Community Based Advocate Award from the
state of Kansas for her commitment to crime
victims within the state of Kansas. As one of
MOCSA’s longest volunteers, Cynthia credits
MOCSA staff for volunteer longevity and for
keeping her involved in a variety of volunteer
roles.
“Before I became a hospital advocate, Palle
Rilinger (MOCSA’s former president and
CEO) told me I could be on call just on the
Kansas side, just for two shifts a month. That
seemed very doable to me, and I think it has
kept me from getting burned out,” Cynthia
said. “That’s what I tell potential volunteers;
it’s doable.”
6
Young at Art continued from Page 1. . .
stories of child sexual abuse because projecting stories onto toys and through art is so
much easier for children.
Event leadership — Honorary Co-chairs Deanna and Greg Graves and Event Co-chairs
Melanie Fenske and Kim Harp — are excited to continue the growth of this event.
“When you see 500 people show up to this event to support a cause that so many people
don’t like to think about, it’s empowering,” said Event Co-chair Melanie Fenske, who
also serves on MOCSA’s Board of Directors. “It shows that the people who need MOCSA
aren’t alone, and that they have the support of their community.”
In 2013, nearly 400 children and their families benefitted from the program. Funds
raised at the Young at Art will help purchase art materials, supplies, games, puppets,
books, videos and dolls, in addition to helping fund therapists’ salaries and supporting
other valuable MOCSA programming.
Use the QR code to the right to
view our online invitation to
Young at Art and to get your
tickets today!
An advocate’s unique perspective
The trials & tribulations of supporting victims
This article originally appeared as a blog post at blog.mocsa.org and was written by a staff member.
Sometimes hospital runs take all night. Sometimes orders of protection don’t get served.
Sometimes there isn’t sufficient evidence. Sometimes a case gets unsubstantiated.
Sometimes therapists have a waiting list. Sometimes Crime Victims’ Compensation is
denied. Sometimes victims feel alone, and lose hope. And sometimes, so do I.
This work is not easy. But the difficulty doesn’t come primarily from the amount of
trauma you’re exposed to or because the hours can be crazy or because you’re usually doing
a million other things on top of your own job. It’s hard because of the faces. It’s hard
because of the tears you catch on your hand in the hospital room. It’s hard because of the
trembling you see in the court room. It’s hard because of the phone calls safety planning
over and over and still not knowing what the night will look like for him/her. It’s hard
because that’s a real person, a person whose face you know, whose voice you’ve heard and
whose life you’ve been allowed in to.
So, sometimes I get off the phone and have to take a walk. Sometimes I leave the court
room and throw my fists against the steering wheel of my car. Sometimes I want to scream
at everyone involved. Sometimes I look into my client’s eyes and just tell him/her how sorry
I am, because I have no other words
Sometimes I cry. And sometimes, I’m afraid all the options available still weren’t enough.
But then I schedule a follow up call, we set up a meeting with a detective, or we try a
different organization for the needed funds. I remind her/him that I’m here, that as long
as he/she wants to continue to pursue other options, I’m right here beside her/him. And as
fearful as I am for her, I put my advocate face on. I smile and validate and support. Because
he/she needs to know that someone’s on their side, someone in their corner who will help
wipe away the blood and tears after each blow from an unjust world.
The idea that this work is hard because it’s hard on me becomes irrelevant. I’ll have time
later to process, to decompress, to do what I need to do. This is what is real now. Suddenly
all of my own worries get thrown into perspective. My advocate face is on and the survivor
is all I see.
Donations continued from Page 3. . .
Wyandotte County District
Attorney
Ms. Yolanda Young
In Honor of Susan Miller and
Anne Gall
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sloan
In Honor of Parquita Donelon’s
Birthday
Ms. Mary Burmiester
Ms. Irene Donelon
Ms. Jaclyn Donelon
Mr. and Mrs. Scott White
In Honor of Stephanie
Krehbiel’s Half Marathon
Ms. Lora Enfield
Ms. Barbra Graber
Mr. James Hiebner
Mr. Dwight Krehbiel
Ms. Lisa Pierce
In Honor of Adele Falk’s
Graduation
Ms. Elizabeth Durkin and Mr.
Kris Hutchcraft
Ms. Adele Falk
Mr. Brett Keenan
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel McGarry
Ms. Perry Swinton-Ginsberg
Ms. Elizabeth Wheeler
In Honor of Roosevelt Lyons
Support Kansas City, Inc.
In Honor of Karen Miyawaki
Mr. and Mrs. Brian MacDonald
In Honor of Sarah Reape and
Corey Vitt’s Marriage
Mrs. Cori Adler
Mr. Joshua Allen
Mr. and Mrs. John Burghoff
Mr. and Ms. James Edwards
Ms. Kimberlee Harrison
Mr. and Mrs. John Holmes
Ms. Ashley Huff
Mr. Robert Ingraham
Mr. Paul Kelloway
Ms. Caroline Lucas
Mr. Matt McCaffrey
Ms. Beverly Mullen
Ms. Cindy Ostrander
Mr. and Mrs. William Reape, Jr.
Ms. Heather Reynolds
Ms. Lauren Sansone
Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Stone
Ms. Diana Vitt
Ms. Deborah Walker
Mr. and Ms. Brad Wayman
Ms. Elizabeth Wheeler
In Honor of Judi Tauber
Ms. Lynne Bock
Mr. and Mrs. Bradford M. Epsten
In Honor of Kendra Traylor
Ms. Janice Brooke
Gifts-In-Kind
Ms. Rho Albrecht
Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Beer Kitchen
Bijin Salon & Spa
Chez Elle Creperie &
Coffeehouse
Mr. Don Dane
Ms. Pat Deeter
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Defenbaugh
Folly Theater
The Friends of Chamber Music
Good Earth Floral Design Studio
Harriman-Jewell Series
Hoopla
Houlihan’s-Fairway
Julian
Kansas City Steak Company
Mr. Rick Lally
Le Fou Frog
Ms. Kathy Lyerla and
Ms. Logan Dean
Mr. and Mrs. Brad Nowlin
Quik Trip
Redemption Plus
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Rilinger
Shop Beautiful
Southmoreland on the Plaza
Southwest Airlines Co.
UMKC Theatre
Unicorn Theatre
VanBrock
Waldo Pizza
Mr. Jay Senter and
Ms. Julia Westhoff
White Cloud Farm
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas J.
Willhoite
A Word from Our President and CEO
Dear Friend of MOCSA,
I write this message to you today after returning from a staff appreciation outing hosted
by a longtime supporter of MOCSA. Twice a year, Vicki and her husband and their
friends host an event to celebrate MOCSA staff and the hard work that they do day-in
and day-out to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual abuse and assault and end
sexual violence in our community.
We have a big mission to fulfill and each staff person takes their responsibility very
seriously. Recently, a MOCSA staff member wrote a blog about the impact of working
in the field of sexual violence (published on page 6). The work not only affects staff,
but also their families and friends; late evenings at work on the crisis line providing
support to a parent who just learned of their child’s abuse; sessions with children who
have been abused and now blame themselves; the phone call at 3 a.m. to respond to a
hospital to provide advocacy for a victim of sexual assault. These are things our staff
does every day.
It was a touching piece, not just about the impact, but also about why she continues in this work, often
times when it seems like it’s an unwinnable fight. We do this because there are people who are struggling
more than we can imagine. No child should have to lie awake at night worried that their perpetrator will
walk into their bedroom and steal their innocence. No adult should feel ashamed, alone and silenced after
being assaulted by another. No survivor of child sexual abuse should struggle with feelings of rejection
because as a child no one believed them when they told, and no one did anything to prevent it from
happening again. We do this work because we believe that everyone should be safe from sexual violence.
So, I return to my desk after an afternoon with my coworkers with a happy heart — knowing that staff are
being taken care of, that they know their work is valued, and especially, that they know that they are not
in this movement alone.
MOCSA has thousands of supporters. Each year, more than 1,000 people come to our Community
Luncheon to show their support of our mission. Hundreds attend our Young at Art Cocktail Party and
Auction, our golf tournament and Johnson County Fall Forum. There are people like you, reading this
newsletter to learn about the positive impact we are having on our community, and learning how you
can help. People are giving their time and their money to keep our doors open, to provide a safe place for
survivors, and to prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place. You give us the inspiration we
need to keep going so that we can be there for those who have suffered far more than us. You are helping
us create a community where sexual violence no longer exists.
Thank you for your role in supporting not only our work, but survivors of sexual violence.
With gratitude,
Julie Donelon
7
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault
3100 Broadway, Suite 400
Kansas City, MO 64111-2591
Calendar of Events
AUGUST
Young at Art Cocktail Party and Auction
Saturday, August 23, 2014
6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Uptown Theater
For more information, call (816) 285-1345
SEPTEMBER
TriCom Technical Services Golf Tournament to benefit MOCSA
Friday, September 5, 2014
8:30 a.m. Shotgun Start
Falcon Ridge Golf Course
For more information, call (816) 285-1341
OCTOBER
Johnson CountyFall Forum
Friday, October 10, 2014
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Overland Park Marriott
For more information, call (816) 285-1341
8
Finds us at MOCSAkc:
Kansas City, MO
Permit No. 1769
In 2013, MOCSA:
• Reached 51,377 people with
our services and programming.
• Responded to 630 calls for
hospital advocacy.
• Provided therapy for 388
victims of child sexual abuse,
and their parents or caregivers.
• Provided therapy for 225 adult
survivors of child sexual abuse
and their significant others.
• Educated 47,912 people
through education and
outreach services
MOCSA’s 24-hour
Crisis Lines:
Missouri: 816.531.0233
Kansas: 913.642.0233