News Release: April
4, 2008
‘There’s no excuse to rape’ focus for sexual assault
awareness activities in April
The Abused Adult Resource Center (AARC) has several activities planned
in the community as part of national sexual assault awareness month in
April. The activities will focus on this message: “There's no excuse
to rape.”
“We want the community to be aware of rapes in our community and
help us to prevent them,” said Diane Zainhofsky, AARC Executive
Director. “We also want to make the community aware of the services
we offer for victims and their families.”
In 2007, the AARC served 126 new victims of sexual assault. Through its
sexual assault program, AARC provides crisis intervention, support, and
shelter to victims of sexual assault. AARC also provides education and
prevention services throughout the year.
AARC staff members have organized and will participate in the following
activities designed to promote awareness about sexual assault:
- A 12-foot by 25-foot billboard carrying the special message about
rape will be put up on the west side of State Street (Highway 83) in
north Bismarck. Drivers going north on State Street will be able to
view the billboard throughout the next month.
- Information advertisements will be carried by AARC staff at lunchtime
and after work at some locations in Bismarck. Information boards also
will be set up at the University of Mary, United Tribes Technical College
and Bismarck State College.
- The 16th annual Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Conference will
be held April 10-11 at the Seven Seas Convention Center in Mandan. Speakers
include Anne Munch, who served as the lead prosecutor in the 2004 Kobe
Bryant rape case, and Dr. Wayne Duehn, a recognized authority in the
intervention and treatment of sexually abusive families.
- Survivors are being encouraged this month to break their silence by
telling someone, calling the AARC and/or participating online in the
Report IT Now campaign by completing a form at www.reportitnow.org.
For more information about the AARC, call 701-222-8370. For a crisis,
call AARC’s toll-free line at 1-866-341-7009. The AARC is a Bismarck,
N.D.-based nonprofit that serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual
assault and their families in a seven-county area.
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