GAZELLE MAGAZINE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EDITION | Page 91

WELLNESS & WELL-BEING
#MeToo
Help When You Need It
S
haring personal experiences is not easy.
Hopefully, the sharing is cathartic; hopefully, it
offers some solace.
In some cases, it may serve as a trigger for
feelings that may have been long suppressed
or that may never have been addressed before. Some
people may choose not to share their story out loud,
and are still dealing with emotions internally.
For those who need to talk to someone, those who
are in a current abusive situation that they need to get out
of, those victims of sexual assault or harassment who need
assistance in any way, there is help out there. Here are just a few of the
available community resources.
The Angel Band Project , a nonprofit organization that helps victims
of sexual assault to break the silence and heal through music. 6267 Delmar
Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63130 [phone], angelbandproject.org
Annie Malone Children & Family Services ’ mission is to improve
the quality of life for children, families, the elderly and the community
by providing social services, educational programs, advocacy and
entrepreneurship. The organization provides crisis intervention,
juvenile respite, emergency placement and transitional housing. 2612
Annie Malone Drive, St. Louis, MO 63113 [phone], anniemalone.com
YWCA Metro St. Louis - Women’s Resource Center
assists more than 1,000 victims annually. Its sexual assault
response team works collaboratively with local police officers,
area hospitals  and prosecutors, as well as with other victim
service agencies. Services include crisis intervention, survivor
support services, education and advocacy. 3820 West Pine
Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108 [phone] or sexual assault 24-
hour crisis hotline: [phone], ywcastlouis.org
STATISTICS ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Here are a few disturbing facts and figures concerning
sexual violence in the U.S., according to the National
Sexual Violence Resource Center.
• 91 percent of the victims of rape and sexual assault are
female, and 9 percent are male
• In eight out of 10 cases of rape , the victim knew the
person who sexually assaulted them
• 8 percent of rapes occur while the victim is at work
• 81 percent of women and 35 percent of men who are
sexually assaulted report significant short-term or long-
term impacts, such as post-traumatic stress disorder
The Covering House provides refuge and restoration, using the least
restrictive environment, for sexually exploited and trafficked children
and teens, providing safety, dignity, and freedom utilizing top-level
staffing and oversight. 8702 Manchester Road, St. Louis, MO 63144 (314)
962-3450, thecoveringhouse.org
Provident helps individuals and families discover a brighter future
through counseling, suicide prevention and intervention, and
community support programs. 2650 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63103 (314)
647-4357 or [phone], providentstl.org
Safe Connections reduces the impact and incidence of relationship
violence and sexual assault through education, crisis intervention,
counseling and support. 2165 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63139 (314)
646-7500 or 24-hour crisis helpline [phone], safeconnections.org
Child sexual abuse
• One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually
abused before they turn 18 years old
• 34 percent of people who sexually abuse a child are
family members
• 12.3 percent of women were age 10 or younger at the
time of their first rape or victimization, and 30 percent of
women were between the ages of 11 and 17
• 27.8 percent of men were age 10 or younger at the time of
their first rape or victimization
• 325,000 children are at risk of becoming victims of
commercial child sexual exploitation each year
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
89