Annual Report 2015-2016

ur mission is to reduce the trauma and risk of sexual assault and child abuse. Project Sister Family Services (PSFS) pursues a two-pronged approach addressing sexual assault and child abuse: providing services to those in crisis with follow-up treatment and delivering sexual assault prevention education programs. By alleviating the devastating effects of rape and molestation, PSFS assists end the cycle of family violence that occurs through generations by helping survivors to heal. PSFS prevention 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. We lost a major portion of our prevention education funds this year, but we are attempting to continue to provide these services as our resources allow. 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 PSFS served a total of 15,975 individuals residing in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County and the western portion of San Bernardino County. An additional 20,014 individuals visited our website for a total of 34,283 visits.

Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Programs

• 24-hour HOT-LINE, offering crisis assistance.  PSFS responded to 572 hotline calls, including 78 calls regarding kids under age 18.
• Accompaniment/Advocacy, trained volunteers provide support to survivors at the hospital, police station, and during court appearances. PSFS provided 183 hospital, court, and/or police station accompaniments to survivors, 52 of whom were under the age of 18.
• Professional Counseling Services, available to female and male survivors and their non-offending family members. Counseling services help survivors overcome the trauma of sexual violence and child abuse. PSFS counselors served 320 individual clients (292 female and 28 male) with 4,337 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 are also included in the therapeutic process, enabling them to support their children more effectively while managing their own anxieties. Of all individual counseling clients, 21% were under the age of 18.
• Support Groups, for survivors of sexual assault and molestation. PSFS provided 22 support group clients, all adult women this year, with 125 hours of support group sessions.

Sexual Assault Prevention Education Programs

• Community Education Programs, provided for organizations at their request. PSFS reached 1,752 individuals through 37 community education presentations and health fairs.
• Senior Safety Programs, 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 191 individuals through 8 senior safety education programs..
• Adult Prevention Education, in rape awareness and personal safety, provided to residents of our service area. PSFS reached 814 individuals through 33 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 647 unduplicated individuals through 31 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 7,971 teenagers through 210 this year.
• Young Child Prevention Education, 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 2,424 children participated in 24 presentations.
• Self-Defense Education, in which instructors teach self-defense and other personal safety skills. This year, 729 individuals learned self-protection skills in 34 self-defense classes.
• Denim Day, is a campaign to raise awareness and educate the public about sexual assault. This movement arose from the outrage that followed an Italian Supreme Court decision in 1998 to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. Approximately 350 people attended our 2016 Denim Day celebration held on April 20 at Pomona City Hall.

Please visit our website, www.projectsister.org, or our Facebook page to keep up-to-date on current happenings.