Why We Invest in Awareness and Prevention

Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center sexual assault prevention programs are designed to promote prevention and education efforts that challenge social norms to impact change within Northwest Indiana. Our vision is to create a caring, safe and nurturing community with zero tolerance for violence…to help slow down the clock and reverse the trend in future years.

2023 ended with approximately 481,020 rape or sexual assaults in the U.S.,  a decline from the 531810 victimizations in 2022. 2022 saw the highest number of reports over a 5-year period between 2019 and 2023. This decline in reports from persons aged 12 or older, went from 1.9 per 1,000 in 2022 to 1.7 per 1,000 in 2023. The percentage of reported rapes and sexual assaults to police, was 21.4% in 2022 and 46% in 2023. (Link to Source Document) Considering that the majority of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported these numbers paint a bleak picture. And while the numbers have decreased since 2022 these reports are statistically significant.

 

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If you live in the Lake, Porter, or LaPorte County, Northwest Indiana, are a victim of sexual assault or violence, and would like to speak with an advocate, call or text our 24-hour crisis hotline 219-218-2552.

 

Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center is a primary prevention education provider that to date has reached 173,359 students across Northwest Indiana Counties since 2017. The prevention team delivers structured, multi-session, evidence-based curricula in local schools, grades K-12, and to other youth-serving organizations. These age-appropriate programs address body safety, consent, healthy relationships, online exploitation, sex trafficking and bystander intervention.

 

Engaging in collaborative efforts with multi-disciplinary teams across the region (such as the Lake County Sexual Assault Response Team where our Executive Director is the co-chair and the Indiana Prevention Education Coalition where our Prevention & Education Leader holds a position on the steering committee) to learn, collaborate, and implement best practices. These strategies will be brought back to our participating schools and community-based youth serving partners to build sustainable, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate systems of response that ensure young people who disclose abuse are met with safety, care, and appropriate support.

 

For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact our office or email: info@asafeport.org

¹Data Source: Tapp, S. and Coen, E. (2024). Criminal Victimization, 2023 (NCJ 309335). U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Link to Source Document)

 

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What are People Saying?

A Principal

``Please continue doing a wonderful job!``

A Principal

``Words cannot express the impact that your agency has had in providing our students with this knowledge. Over the course of the last four years our staff has had five students advocate and share that they were in need of help. We look forward to continuing this priceless partnership with your staff. I sincerely appreciate your time and dedication to empowering our students to think first and stay safe.``

A Social Worker

``I love the team that comes to Peifer. Tami is always so friendly and kind with the students and adults here.``

A Social Worker

``The team was amazing with our students. They were professional and quite proactive in bringing any disclosures to my attention so we could follow up with the students. I would welcome back this team anytime to talk to our students.``

What do Professionals Say?

“There’s not a child in the world who can’t benefit from this program. There are so many instances where we see children who have been damaged and hurt. Things happened to them, and we think, if they’d only had this program, if they’d only had the benefit of this education, that might not have happened to them. If we can prevent that from happening to a single child, then it’s worth all the effort we have put forth.”
Edward Burr
MBF Founder/Chairman of the Board

Preventing victimization: Lake County students learn how to stop abuse, advocate for selves in abusive situations

Lake County Students are learning how to recognize abuse, set boundaries, speak up for themselves through Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center’s School-based prevention programs.

 

NWI Times article written by: Lizzie Kaboski
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Program Event Pictures

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