CTE Gives Back! April 2024

IU HEALTH - CENTER OF HOPE

The calendar has turned to the month of April and for the 17th consecutive year in the United States, April has been highlighted year as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  The goal of this designation is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it.  It seems only fitting that Cable Tie Express with its CTE Gives Back! Program has chosen to direct its April charity dollars to an organization located not far from CTE headquarters that provides expert services to include a breadth of areas in this realm from sexual assault, domestic violence, physical assault, elder abuse, human trafficking, and child physical abuse.  That organization is the IU Health Methodist Hospital Center of Hope.

Founded in 1997, the Center of Hope now has eight forensic nurses supporting victims 24/7 and serves as the “middleman” between sexual and domestic violence, law enforcement and healthcare, even testifying in legal trials.  The numbers being served hit an all-time high in 2023 with 2,053 patients of violence, of which 250 were sexual assaults. Its programs are expanding in such ways as to enable the victims the opportunity to talk remotely with the healthcare providers, other IU Health associations as well as having in person visits to address their physical, mental, emotional, and legal needs.

So just what is sexual violence and how widespread is the problem in our country?  Following are just a few bullet points reflecting the scope of this ever-growing problem throughout the USA:

• Sexual violence includes rape, incest, child sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment, exposure, and voyeurism.
   
• Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape or attempted rape some time in their lives, and 1 in 67 men have experience such.
   
• Anyone can experience sexual violence, including children, teens, adults, and seniors.
   
• The most common sexual abusers are acquaintances, family, and trusted individuals.

Being in a watershed moment in our country regarding sexual abuse, it is key that organizations such as the IU Health Methodist Hospital Center of Hope aggressively provide services to combat the risk of sexual violence and help victims with programs designed to promote safety, respect, and equality.

For more information, please visit the IU Health Foundation or reach out directly to the IU Health Methodist Hospital Center of Hope at 317-840-1145.