ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The month of April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Commonly symbolized by teal ribbons, sexual assault is defined as any instance of a victim being touched in a way they do not wish to be without consent. Jen Peterson, a volunteer victim advocate for Tri-County Safe Harbor since 2013, says it happens more often than most people would assume.
“Sometimes people are expecting this huge attack where somebody’s found out in the street,” Peterson said. “It doesn’t have to be that way. It sometimes happens on a date where you voluntarily went out with somebody willingly. You were looking forward to it, then it was taken to a point where you didn’t want it to go.”
Sexual assault can be committed by anyone. Locally, however, Peterson says it is typically committed by someone the victim knows.
“It’s almost never a stranger, the ones that I respond to,” she said. “I think there’s been one time where it was someone she didn’t know. The rest of the time, it’s acquaintance assault.”
Some may think that an immediate response to sexual assault would be to report it. However, reporting a sexual assault comes with its own set of fears and concerns.
“They’re afraid of the person coming back after them,” Peterson explained. “Maybe the person threatened them. Sometimes people are afraid of their partner finding out that this happened. Like, ‘Are they going to think that I encouraged this?’ Sometimes they’re worried about being blamed. Maybe they had been drinking or flirting even, and then they think, ‘Well, I made a mistake. I made them think this or that.’ It doesn’t matter what you have done up to that point. If you say ‘no,’ they can’t move forward with you.”
While a desire not to report is understandable, victims are encouraged to do so.
“We can’t change what happened,” said Peterson. “We can help you move forward and heal and get the support that you need, regardless of whether or not you proceed with prosecution. There are so many services available to them.”
Victims have several options for seeking that support—calling 911, visiting the hospital for an evaluation and evidence collection, and contacting the Tri-County Safe Harbor. The Delta Regional Child Advocacy Center serves minors who have experienced an assault.
“We’ve got some great collaboration between responding departments so that there is a consistency in the services to make sure that the victims have a comprehensive support around them,” Peterson said. “The nurses at OSF [St. Francis Hospital], there are several who have been trained specifically to do sexual assault examinations. Law enforcement is well versed in how that proceeds.”
Peterson says it is helpful to remember that victims are the ones in control of how their situation moves forward.
“They get to make some decisions about what’s going to happen with the evidence that’s collected,” she said. “What recommend they make sure they have all the information so that they can make an informed decision about what happens if they don’t get the examination at all, if they get it but they ask the hospital to hold it until they make a decision, or if they get it and allow it to be turned over to law enforcement right away. We honor their wishes regardless of what they choose.”
It can be difficult to take that next step forward after an assault. Peterson wants victims of sexual assault to know that they are not alone, and help is available.
“There are people in the community who have been through things not exactly like what they’ve been through, but something similar,” she said. “We understand how scary it is and how overwhelming it can be, but we do have resources available to fully support a victim and help them get on the path to healing.”
To contact the Tri-County Safe Harbor, visit safe3c.com or call (906) 789-1166. The organization frequently shares additional information and resources on its Facebook page. Click here for information on the Delta Regional Child Advocacy Center.
