Rape Assistance & Awareness Program : About RAAP : Introduction

Mission Statement

The mission of the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) is to work towards the elimination of sexual violence. The primary goals are to assist victims and educate the public about sexual violence and its prevention.

Vision Statement

“We have dreamed of a world without violence. We have seen, within our reach, a world where all communities live together peacefully and well; where all differences are respected and celebrated; where power is defined by inner strength and not conquest; and always in this dream we have known that a new kind of power would embrace the world, a power not maintained by fear or violence, but by a balance of people, of different sexes, races, ethnicities, cultures, sexual identities, physical and cognitive abilities, and ages working together.

This dream is our vision and our beginning: it will sustain us as we work toward transforming vision into reality’ which is our end. Our contribution to this goal is to dedicate ourselves to the eradication of sexual violence. We categorically affirm that it is within our power to do so: sexual violence is not isolated and we are not isolated. We have committed ourselves to uniting our collective power and energies to achieve our common objective: sexual violence can and must be stopped.

We believe that sexual violence is directly perpetrated by all forms of oppression, including but not limited to sexism, racism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and ageism which carry their mark on all our lives in different ways, and which deny all persons the right to explore, define, and celebrate themselves and each other. We therefore further dedicate ourselves to equalizing this power imbalance as a strong means of healing the wounds of sexual violence in our society; we renounce all forms of societal oppression and commit ourselves to work toward its end.

We choose to no longer be silent and isolated. We choose instead, to rejoice in who we are, to summon forth and release our power universally, as breath held too long.”

Adapted from
Meredith Branscombe

RAAP's Beliefs:

Victims of sexual assault are NEVER responsible for the crime.
Everyone has the responsibility to behave non-violently.
Every person has the right to defend her/himself from sexual assault.
Sexual assault is an abusive act of power and control.
Perpetrators of sexual violence are responsible for their behavior.
Those who abuse others generally have more real or perceived power then those who are abused, whether it is economic, physical, or status awarded on the basis of class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical ableness.
Male and female gender roles are socially constructed and these roles contribute to the problem of violence in our society.
Sexual assault contributes to everyone being less trustful, less honest, and less spontaneous with each other and the capacity for intimacy both emotional and sexual is diminished by the presence of sexual violence in our lives. The cost for both men and women is immense.
The majority of men do not rape nor do they support such behaviors.
Violence is an ingrained societal problem, the solution to which is a large-scale change in our social fabric.
Attitudes of entitlement to sex under certain circumstances contribute to an environment where sexually assaultive behavior occurs. Aspects of popular media, in particular, transform people into objects making sexually assaultive behaviors more acceptable.
We believe that all violence represents a cycle in our society that must be broken by education, intervention and support.
Sexual violence can be prevented through the education of potential perpetrators, bystanders and victims.

Summary of RAAP

Founded in 1983 in response to an absence of services for rape victims, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP--pronounced "rap") is metro-Denver's only rape crisis center. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of quality victim services, RAAP is a leader in educating the public about preventing sexual violence.

Program Overview

24-hour Rape Crisis Hotlines: English, Spanish, Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Victim Advocacy: English, Spanish, Secures medical treatment, legal support, job placement, housing and other services depending on client needs
Counseling for rape and incest survivors: Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, survivors sexually assaulted as adults, teens, men--three offices serve metro-Denver counseling clients(central, southeast, north)
Education--Abuse Prevention Training: Full range of curricula for metro-Denver school children, administrators, parents, and community members
Education--Personal Safety Skills for Women & Girls: Hands-on self-defense instruction for women and girls aged 9 and older
Community Canvass: Raises awareness and financial resources by going door-to-door in metro-Denver neighborhoods

Since 1983

RAAP has served over 423,000 individuals.

Statistics

Most victims know their rapists--75% of the time the rapist is a friend, relative, or acquaintance.
67% of rapists are repeat offenders.
1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be a victim of sexual abuse by the age of 18.
Children under the age of 12 are the largest population affected by sexual assault.
1 in 4 teen females is a victim of dating violence.
Less than 16% of rapes are reported.

	About RAAP Introduction Mission Statement The mission of the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) is to work towards the elimination of sexual violence. The primary goals are to assist victims and educate the public about sexual violence and its prevention. Vision Statement “We have dreamed of a world without violence. We have seen, within our reach, a world where all communities live together peacefully and well; where all differences are respected and celebrated; where power is defined by inner strength and not conquest; and always in this dream we have known that a new kind of power would embrace the world, a power not maintained by fear or violence, but by a balance of people, of different sexes, races, ethnicities, cultures, sexual identities, physical and cognitive abilities, and ages working together. This dream is our vision and our beginning: it will sustain us as we work toward transforming vision into reality’ which is our end. Our contribution to this goal is to dedicate ourselves to the eradication of sexual violence. We categorically affirm that it is within our power to do so: sexual violence is not isolated and we are not isolated. We have committed ourselves to uniting our collective power and energies to achieve our common objective: sexual violence can and must be stopped. We believe that sexual violence is directly perpetrated by all forms of oppression, including but not limited to sexism, racism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and ageism which carry their mark on all our lives in different ways, and which deny all persons the right to explore, define, and celebrate themselves and each other. We therefore further dedicate ourselves to equalizing this power imbalance as a strong means of healing the wounds of sexual violence in our society; we renounce all forms of societal oppression and commit ourselves to work toward its end. We choose to no longer be silent and isolated. We choose instead, to rejoice in who we are, to summon forth and release our power universally, as breath held too long.” Adapted from Meredith Branscombe RAAP's Beliefs: Victims of sexual assault are NEVER responsible for the crime. Everyone has the responsibility to behave non-violently. Every person has the right to defend her/himself from sexual assault. Sexual assault is an abusive act of power and control. Perpetrators of sexual violence are responsible for their behavior. Those who abuse others generally have more real or perceived power then those who are abused, whether it is economic, physical, or status awarded on the basis of class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical ableness. Male and female gender roles are socially constructed and these roles contribute to the problem of violence in our society. Sexual assault contributes to everyone being less trustful, less honest, and less spontaneous with each other and the capacity for intimacy both emotional and sexual is diminished by the presence of sexual violence in our lives. The cost for both men and women is immense. The majority of men do not rape nor do they support such behaviors. Violence is an ingrained societal problem, the solution to which is a large-scale change in our social fabric. Attitudes of entitlement to sex under certain circumstances contribute to an environment where sexually assaultive behavior occurs. Aspects of popular media, in particular, transform people into objects making sexually assaultive behaviors more acceptable. We believe that all violence represents a cycle in our society that must be broken by education, intervention and support. Sexual violence can be prevented through the education of potential perpetrators, bystanders and victims. Summary of RAAP Founded in 1983 in response to an absence of services for rape victims, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP--pronounced "rap") is metro-Denver's only rape crisis center. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of quality victim services, RAAP is a leader in educating the public about preventing sexual violence. Program Overview 24-hour Rape Crisis Hotlines: English, Spanish, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Victim Advocacy: English, Spanish, Secures medical treatment, legal support, job placement, housing and other services depending on client needs Counseling for rape and incest survivors: Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, survivors sexually assaulted as adults, teens, men--three offices serve metro-Denver counseling clients(central, southeast, north) Education--Abuse Prevention Training: Full range of curricula for metro-Denver school children, administrators, parents, and community members Education--Personal Safety Skills for Women & Girls: Hands-on self-defense instruction for women and girls aged 9 and older Community Canvass: Raises awareness and financial resources by going door-to-door in metro-Denver neighborhoods Since 1983 RAAP has served over 423,000 individuals. Statistics Most victims know their rapists--75% of the time the rapist is a friend, relative, or acquaintance. 67% of rapists are repeat offenders. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be a victim of sexual abuse by the age of 18. Children under the age of 12 are the largest population affected by sexual assault. 1 in 4 teen females is a victim of dating violence. Less than 16% of rapes are reported.