VALDOSTA — April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 

Members of The Haven believe awareness is essential to minimize the number of sexual assault victims while also increasing visibility for the nonprofit agency.

Sexual assault is defined as any unwanted sexual contact, said Taylor Strickland, community awareness and education coordinator.

“Sexual harassment, which can be verbal … leads into sexual assault – the unwanted contact,” she said. “Sexual assault then goes into rape even further where it’s unwanted penetration.”

The Haven reports “one out of four women and one out of 10 men will be the victim of sexual assault during their lifetime.”

Haven staff assisted 84 people last year offering services such as in-house medical examinations and recorded interviews to provide to law enforcement and other agencies.

Strickland said the majority of people The Haven serves are Lowndes County residents.

Other services include providing clothing, funding and medications to help prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

They also include sheltering for up to six weeks, legal services and assisting with doctor visits. Strickland said if the person is actively seeking a home or a job, he or she may stay longer.

Heather Grizzle, sexual assault nurse examiner and coordinator, said the nonprofit has support groups.

“We try to encourage them and educate them while they’re there so that they are better able to take care of themselves and not be dependent on their abuser financially,” she said.

Eliminating re-victimization is a mission of The Haven, which believes people should never ask the question “why.” One example is “Why did you wear that dress?”

“We want to decrease the amount that victims are blamed, so by talking about sexual assault and by bringing about awareness, we hopefully are decreasing the amount of times that victims are blamed,” Grizzle said.

Grizzle said domestic violence can be connected to sexual assault calling it “intimate partner violence.”

She also said people who are married and are being forced to have sex may not classify the forced sex as rape because they are married.

“Bringing awareness to things like that and talking to those victims is pretty important to us,” Grizzle said.

Staff members at The Haven recommend friends of anyone who has been sexually assaulted begin by listening and believing.

People who have been sexually assaulted are encouraged to do what’s mentally best for them, according to The Haven staff.

“If they’re willing to say the things out loud that have happened to them, that takes a tremendous amount of courage,” Grizzle said, “and I think recognizing that courage that it takes to tell that story is pretty powerful.”

To further efforts to raise awareness, The Haven will host a Bunco Night, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at Cotton Corner, 101 N. Ashley St.

All proceeds will benefit people who have been sexually assaulted. The cost is $35 per person and includes food and a T-shirt.

During Bunco Night, teams of four will play a dice game which consists of them rolling until they get all sixes. Whenever a person gets a six, he or she will win a point.

Whoever wins the most points will win the table, and whoever wins the most tables wins Bunco.

There will be raffles for a bunny wreath giveaway, a hair gift basket worth $275, a Michael Kors purse and a date night basket.

The date night basket has wine glasses, gift cards, a bottle of wine and a two-night stay at Holiday Inn.

Call Pam Chapman at (229) 630-3040 for more information on Bunco Night.

The Haven hosts the “What Was She Wearing” campaign 8:30 a.m.-noon, April 15-19, on the Valdosta State University Pedestrian Mall. Its purpose is to provide sexual assault education, according to organizers. 

The Haven’s local crisis line is (229) 244-1765. Advocates and sexually assaulted nurse examiners are available 24/7. 

Amanda M. Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.