Victim Advocate-funded by Victims of Crime Recovery Act
Rape Response is pleased to announce that our agency is a recipient of federal “Victims of Crime Recovery Act” funds, also known as stimulus money! After submittal of an application, funds were awarded to bring all current staff to full-time status and to add a part-time Victim Advocate position. In August of 2009 Cathy Drerup was selected as our agency’s first Victim Advocate. A special emphasis for the Victim Advocate at Rape Response is to focus on our regional service system. Cathy’s active presence in Dawson, Habersham, Lumpkin and White counties will enhance relationships and collaboration among allied professionals. Advocacy includes public awareness initiatives and active participation in interagency networks, such as Family Connection, Domestic Violence Task Forces and United Ways. The Victim Advocate will partner with the agency’s Executive Director and Director of Victim Services to promote use of the established protocols for multi-agency response to sexual assault and will provide leadership for organizing SART* meetings and training events in those counties. The opportunity for Rape Response to further develop regional Information and Referral Systems to help victims can be realized with the addition of this position. The number of total victims served by Rape Response has exceeded 400 for three consecutive years. The Victim Advocate position will strengthen our agency’s ability to provide simultaneous, multi-county victim services with an additional staff member for crisis intervention on the hot-line, hospital intervention or on-call duties, as well as criminal justice accompaniment and support. Cathy brings 30 years of experience as a nonprofit professional to our agency and has passionately embraced the mission of Rape Response to educate, support and advocate for survivors of sexual assault.
*Sexual Assault Response Team
