Annual Report 2010-2011

ur mission is to reduce the trauma and risk of sexual violence and child abuse. Project Sister Family Services (PSFS) continues to pursue an aggressive, two-pronged approach to the problem of sexual assault and child abuse: providing services to those in crisis with extensive follow-up treatment, and specific sexual assault outreach and prevention education programs. By alleviating the devastating effects of sexual violence and child abuse, PSFS helps to end the cycle of family violence that occurs through generations by helping survivors to heal. PSFS prevention education programs empower people of all ages to avoid dangerous situations in the hope that they will never experience the trauma of sexual assault or child abuse. All services are provided in both English and Spanish. PSFS is the only, state-designated provider of sexual assault crisis and prevention services in our service area. This year PFS served a total of 34,486 residents of our 27-city service area located in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County and the western portion of San Bernardino County. We are pleased that an additional 14,860 individuals visited our website, www.projectsister.org, for  a total of 21,478 visits.

Sexual assault crisis intervention programs include:

• 24-hour HOT-LINE, offering immediate crisis assistance. PSFS responded to 886 crisis hotline calls, 317 from kids under 18.
• Accompaniment/Advocacy, in which trained volunteers provide support and advice to survivors of sexual violence and child abuse at the hospital, police station, and during court appearances. PSFS provided 199 hospital, court, and/or police station accompaniments to survivors, 101 of whom were under the age of 18.
• Professional Counseling Services, available to female and male survivors, significant others, and non-offending family members. Our counseling services help survivors to overcome the traumatic effects of sexual violence and child abuse. PSFS counselors served 249 individual clients (232 female and 17 male) with 3,102 hours of individual counseling.
• Counseling for Children who are survivors of sexual and other physical  and/or emotional  abuse. Our youngest clients attend counseling sessions that help them to heal, recover their childhoods and regain the confidence to pursue happy and productive futures. Non-offending family members of sexually abused children are also treated, enabling them to support their children more effectively while managing their own anxieties. Parents of physically abused children are also provided with treatment, frequently giving PSFS counselors the opportunity to heal parents who have experienced abuse in their own lives. In this way, we make a significant contribution toward ending a cycle of family violence that can persist for generations. Of all individual counseling clients, 34% were under the age of 18.
• Support Groups, for adult and teen survivors of sexual assault and molestation.  PSFS provided  27 support group clients, including 8 teenagers, with 513 hours of group therapy sessions.

Sexual assault outreach and prevention programs include:

• Community Education Programs, provided for organizations at their request. PSFS reached 4,689 individuals through 44 community education presentations and healthfairs.
• Senior Safety  Program, in rape awareness, personal and home safety, provided to local senior centers and residential group settings. Seniors are taught safety measures that decrease their vulnerability to sexual assault, robbery, burglary, and financial exploitation. PSFS reached 759 individuals through 46 senior safety education programs.
• Adult Prevention Education, in rape awareness and personal safety, provided to residents of our service area. PSFS reached 901 individuals through 47 adult education presentations.
• Young Adult Prevention Education, involving rape prevention programs for college students. Topics include date and acquaintance rape, personal safety, and sexual harassment. PSFS reached 131 unduplicated individuals through 20 presentations.
• Teen Prevention Education, involving rape prevention programs for middle school and high school aged teens. Topics include date and acquaintance rape, personal safety, sexual harassment, child abuse awareness, and internet safety. PSFS reached 25,017 teenage individuals through 603 presentations.
• Young Child Education (Presentations), programs in which children aged 5 to 12 receive instruction focused on the difference between “good and bad” touching, as well anti-bullying and harassment curriculum. This year, 1,014 children participated in 12 presentations.
• Young Child Prevention Education Groups, include regularly meeting groups to discuss violence prevention curricula and healthy behaviors. This year, 19 girls continuously attended 30 violence prevention workshops at Kingsley Elementary School; 9 continuous children attended 19 violence prevention groups at Barfield Elementary School; and 22 continuous children attended 24 violence prevention groups at Lopez Elementary School.
• Self-Defense Education, in which instructors teach self-defense and other personal safety skills. This year, 595 individuals learned self-protection skills through 45 self-defense presentations.