Services Provided
Confidential 24-hour sexual assault crisis hotline
24-hour advocacy and support at police stations, hospital emergency rooms and the courts
Support groups for rape survivors, sexual abuse survivors, parents, and others affected by sexual violence
Professional training and consultation to police departments, hospitals, schools and others in the community
Sexual abuse and sexual assault prevention education in the schools for children, teens and parents
Sexual harassment workshops for teachers and children in schools
Sexual harassment prevention workshops for managers and employees in the workplace
Confidentiality
As a survivor of sexual assault you have the right to confidentiality, under New Hampshire law RSA-173C. Sexual Assault Support Services recognizes that the Internet is not a confidential medium. Please do not email the office with any personal sexual assault history. Please let us know how we may specifically reach you. May we leave a message on your answering machine? May we call you at work? May we email you? Is it better to reach you by mail? Although the Internet and email are very convenient ways to reach us, it is not confidential.
Education & Prevention Programs for Students
Personal Body Safety
Grades K-3: Adapted for each elementary grade, educators use what children already know about safety to introduce safety rules about touching, compare private and secret, and discuss the difference between fun and scary secrets. Puppets act out scenarios and ask students to help solve the delima. Children are urged to seek help from trusted adults if they are ever hurt or scared.
Grades 4&5: Educators review safety rules and tell a story that encourages students to brainstorm and problem solve. The 5th grade presentation focuses on Internet Safety. Trusting instincts and getting help from trusted adults are empasized.
Power & Relationships Series
Grades 6&7: Part 1 - Bullying and Sexual Harassment has students play a game using scenarios to clarify the definitions and behaviors of playing, flirting, bullying, and sexual harassment. Laws and school policy on harassment are discussed as well as what students can do to make a difference.
Part 2 - The Power Game has students examine positive and negative uses of power and how this influences their interactions with others. During The Power Game, students identify passive, aggressive and assertive responses and discuss their consequences. Emphasis is placed on the use of voice as power, standing up for oneself and others, the role of the bystander, and seeking help.
Media Series
Grades 7-12: Part 1 - What is Media? Teens discuss media and explore the science behind how media messages affect them. They also develop an awareness of how the media uses gender stereotypes and sexual and violent images to sell products.
Part 2 - Images in the Media: Students actively deconstruct media messages by looking at contemporary ads. The link between sexual violence, media messages of violence and objectification are explored.
Sexual Assault Awareness Series
Grades 8-12: Part 1 - Healthy Relationships: Teens discover the importance of clear communication in building and maintaining healthy relationships. The importance of voice in relationships is explored.
Part 2 - Sexual Assault Awareness: Students address the issue of victim blaming and focus on dispelling the myths surrounding sexual violence.
Part 3 - Consent: Students learn about consent and examine the state laws on sexual assault. They explore their rights in relationships including setting and respecting boundaries and how to respond to a friend who has been sexually assaulted.
Main Office
7 Junkins Ave
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 436-4107 (V/TTY)
24-Hour Toll-Free Crisis Hotline: 1-888-747-7070
Hours of Operation: M-F 9am-5pm
Outreach Office
18 North Main Street
Rochester, NH 03867
(603) 332-0775
24-Hour Toll-Free Crisis Hotline: 1-888-747-7070
Hours of Operation: M & W 9am-5pm
RAINN
If you are calling from another area and are in need of assistance, please call the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline at
1-800-656-HOPE
or visit their web site at
www.rainn.org
I'd like to meet:
MySpace Protocol
MySpace provides a unique opportunity to reach out and connect with other members dedicated to ending violence in our society. However, because of the very nature of the online community, Sexual Assault Support Services cannot be responisible for the content of pages other than it's own.
We have developed a protocol for monitoring friends and content to the best of our ability. You will find the protocol below and we ask that if you, as our friends, become aware of content that does not align with our mission statement, you will let us know that we may take steps to remedy the issue.
Questionable content of ones MySpace page that does not align with this mission is cause for denying or terminating a friendship, unless the user is willing to make the necessary changes.
Such questionable content includes:
1.If user identifies as a perpetrator of or otherwise glorifies, promotes or discusses in detail any crime.
2.Text, Pictures or videos that:
Support violence or inappropriate sexual content or
Clearly objectify people, including men, women and children.
3.Bulletins or blogs with inappropriate surveys or content.Procedure for denying or blocking friends
A staff member will check the page of each person requesting friendship and occasionally monitor the pages of existing friends to check for questionable content.
1. Staff will send an email message, letting the user know why we are denying their friend request. For example if they have self photos that are objectifying themselves, than we can educate the user about objectification and why their image does so.
2. Should the user remedy the issue we can allow a friend connection, however if they choose not to, than we must deny or block them as a friend in a polite manner. For example letting them know it is nothing personal, but that the content, pictures, or videos on their page do not align with our organizational mission statement.
3. Denial of/removal of friendship on MySpace does not in any way limit the use of our other services, including our HOTLINE and INFORMATION/REFFERAL Services. Non-Discrimination Policy
Sexual Assault Support Services does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation.
Client Bill of Rights
You have the right to know and understand all rules of the organization providing services by which they must abide.
You have the right to make decisions within the rules and policies of the organization.
You have the right to access your individual records.
You have the right to give suggestions and input concerning the program and services, to have that input heard, and to receive feed back on it.
You have the right to have your individual information/records kept confidential according to NH RSA 173-C. You can ask the Director of Client Services about your rights under NH RSA 173-C.
You have the right to have complaints concerning the program and services heard.
Grievance Procedure
Any person who believes that his or her rights as a client of this agency has been violated should contact the Director of Client Services. If this course of action doe snot prove to be satisfactory, please contact the Executive Director or the Board of Directors for further attention to your concerns.
Movies:
In the Event of a Sexual Assault...
First, get to a safe location. Call the police, a friend or your local Sexual Assault hotline. Call 1-800-656-HOPE (RAINN - Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) to be linked to the nearest crisis center.Do not change your clothes, bathe, douche or wash away any evidence.Go to the nearest hospital emergency room to be examined and have necessary medical/legal evidence collected. Being seen by medical personnel does not mean you have to prosecute the case.Bring a change of clothing with you. Any clothes worn at the time of the assault may be collected as evidence.A trained sexual assault volunteer advocate can accompany you to the hospital and/or police station if you wish. The advocate is there to offer you support and answer your questions. The information you share with this person is confidential. Services are available regardless of whether or not you decide to report the incident to the police.There is no one "right" response to sexual violence. Sexual assault is a life-threatening situation and whatever you did to get out of it was the right thing to do. Remember, submission to sexual violence is not the same thing as "consenting".Sexual assault can happen to anyone. Sexual violence is never the victim's fault. No one deserves to be assaulted.
Heroes:
SURVIVORS and the people who support them.
