Join us for a no-host lunch at the Missoula Country Club.   It's a wonderful time to enjoy getting to know your fellow Rotarians.  Please remember to register so we can give the Country Club a number of places to set.  

 

Cat Otway, has been a Registered Nurse for 34 years and a Forensic Nurse for 16 years.  She provides training and consultation, health care, for police, lawyers, criminal justice.  Cat has been married for 34 years, came from Las Vegas.  She has two daughters that live in Chico, CA.  her daughter is a Rotarian and encouraged her to speak to our local clubs. 
 
Providence medical plaza is where she works for First Step Resource Center.    Statistics say that   1 in 4 girls will be victim of sexual abuse.  1 in 10 boys will be victims of sexual abuse.  She combines law and medicine as she takes care of survivors and has to be very specific to testify in court.  1 in 10 will be sexually abused before 18 years of age.   Most children don’t disclose abuse.  Instead they carry it into lifetime due to shame, fear, told not to, etc.  90% of sexual abused know their abuser.  Not the stranger we worry about but the person who has ongoing access.   1 in 6 women will be raped.  College towns have problems with sexual abuse.  They are at higher risk.  Red Zone – 6-7 week period until winter break.  60% happen during the fall.  Mostly freshman girls are targeted as well.   
 
Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC)  Children through adults (physical and sexual violence), domestic violence can be both visual and personal.   Forensic interview children and sit down and child friendly conversation with child and get details as much as they can.  In another room there are people in that watches them and takes notes.  Law enforcement takes it from there.  Interview is helpful to the kids.  She is the first person that interacts with these children.  CAC is a national model in Missoula.  
 
In the clinic they provide medical care and testing.  Non mandatory reporting state in Montana.   Some people don’t want law enforcement unless victim asks for that to happen they don’t call 911.  Use advocates from curry center, YMCA and medical personnel.   
 
One quarter of the victims will experience strangulation.  She did a story with Jill Valley on strangulation.  Pandemic is causing more people to experience sexual assault.  Funding comes law enforcement, private, state and fed grants, child protective services, people who are victims don’t pay a dime.   Free service that helps people.  They are a loss for the hospital.  Feeling okay once they come in.  Not traumatic to come see them. Funding supports services and points them towards mental health.  Get toys, books, clothing, etc.   Rotary can help with providing toys, books and clothing for victims.  However, they are not a thrift shop.  

 

 

 

If you need more information they are happy to offer a tour and discuss with folks privately.   The CAC model been around for 25 years.  Interview was done by a variety of people and now is done in one spot.  Health of the victim and prosecution has helped having one place to go.  They have seen a downtick of cases coming into first step.  Child been at home with offender because schools are closed.  Seeing an uptick when schools are open up because revealed with teachers, kids, etc.   Legislation in 2017 said that strangulation is now a felony.  Before it was 3 times before anything happen so changing laws can help these victims.   
 
Cat shared that this job hurts her heart but she has an amazing dad, husband and brother so there are amazing people out there.   

We are now starting to recruit Sophomores going into their Junior year for RYLA camp this summer.  The camp will be July 12-16 at Lubbock Park in Livingston, Montana.  We typically ask students to apply for one of two spots available.   If you know of students interested, please contact Martha Ripley.  Deadline to reserve our spots is March 30th.