Rotarian of the Day, Bob Donaldson introduced Karla Doctor with the Oklahoma City YWCA as our program speaker for the Tuesday Oct 24th program.
The OKC YWCA will benefit from profits from this years Raffle and Skeet Shoot. The YWCA "is not a gym", says Karla, one of the misconceptions that has been hard to remove. What it is however, is the Only domestic violence, Sexual assault, and stalking shelter approved by the Attorney General in Oklahoma County. Victims can enter and meet with an advocate who offers safety planning, support and linkage to community resources to help healing and a life free from violence. Oklahoma ranks terribly high in the rate of rape and domestic murder and assault in the nation. Not something to be thrilled about, folks!
Besides being a shelter, the YWCA also provides:
- Education/Support groups and Trauma counseling
- Domestic Violence Victim Assistance Program (DVVAP) helping with filing VPOs, risk and danger assessment, and support during court proceedings, etc.
- Children's Counseling (TB-CBT) certified by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Professionals.
- Sexual Assault Support Services including 24/7 Sexual Assault Forensic Exam emotional support and advocacy.
- Provide a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for the Forensic exam specifically trained to attend to the emotional as well as the medical needs of the victim. SANEs are specifically trained to properly collect, preserve, and document evidence of sexual assault without re-traumatizing the victim.