Sexual Assault: DEAF ACCESS Washington contracts with the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (CTED/OCVA) to provide community organizing, responding and therapy to deaf and deafblind consumers who may be or are, victims of sexual assault within Eastern Washington.

Community Organizing: Presentations to the adult deaf / deafblind community and High and Jr. High School students regarding the history of sexual assault, statistical information, prevention, victims advocacy and counseling. Coordination and training to regional sexual assault / domestic violence programs to increase access and response to culturally appropriate services for deaf and deafblind victims of sexual assault.

Community Responding: Response and advocacy services to deaf / deafblind victims of sexual assault which include: Crisis-line reporting through your local sexual assault agency, medical advocacy including: medical treatment, evidence gathering and pregnancy prophylaxis, legal advocacy including: reporting the incident to the appropriate legal authority, the arraignment, pre-trial case hearings, trial and sentencing. Explaining the importance of a Victim's Impact Statement, how reporting may effect their immigration status and providing to the victim and their family emotional support and confidentiality.

Therapy: The role of the therapy is to create a safe therapeutic relationship and environment to help the victim and their family regain a positive outlook, reduce problem symptoms and utilize their strengths so they learn to tolerate the pain, store the pain as a memory and redirect their energy to positive tasks. Victims of sexual assault can experience feelings of shame, embarrassment or guilt, be disoriented, overwhelmed, unable to make decisions, and have cognitive distortions such as self-blame, trust, self-esteem, intimacy, control and the ability to be safe. Additional symptoms may include; conditioned fear and generalized fear responses, eating disorders, feelings of anger and revenge, depression, grief and betrayal if the victim knew the rapist.

Interested persons may contact the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy, OCVA , you're local domestic violence or sexual assault program by our downloading our brochure (pdf): http://www.dawash.org/Brochure.pdf or e-mail DEAF ACCESS Washington by using the form on our CONTACT US page.
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