While our counseling and support groups are geared towards anyone over the age of 10, we can engage in advocacy work with all of the clients and families we serve. The Rowan Center’s counselors/advocates work to address the needs of victims through advocacy. This advocacy can take many forms depending on clients’ needs locally, across Connecticut, and nationally.
Our advocacy department at the Rowan Center provides the following:
- Our 24/7 hotline in English and Spanish
- Sexual Assault Crisis Advocates for accompaniment to the hospitals, the police station, and the courthouse
- Our Justice Advocacy program, which collaborates and trains local law enforcement on sexual assault trauma and best practices
- Our Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Training Program and Volunteer Program
The Rowan Center provides victims and survivors with advocates who walk alongside survivors—including accompanying them to the hospital, police, and/or the courthouse. We offer all of our advocacy services free of charge to anyone who lives in our eight communities.
After a sexual assault, victims and their families must navigate complex systems and institutions, including police departments, hospitals, and courthouses. The Rowan Center trains and provides advocates who will help victims and their families navigate these systems and ensure that their needs are being met.
Our advocates are here to help child, teen, and adult victims and their families through difficult situations like forensic medical exams, making a police report, investigations, court proceedings, and victim’s compensation. Our advocates will provide information to victims about these systems and help to keep them as informed as possible.
Our advocates are there to empower a client – each step where an advocate is involved will be explained, and our client will make any decisions. The Rowan Center advocates provide comfort, resources and knowledge during a challenging and traumatic experience. We believe that our clients are empowered by having a compassionate advocate while knowing their rights and what services are available to them throughout the process.
