Social anxiety. Feelings of isolation. Withdrawal from activities that used to bring joy. These are among the symptoms that survivors of sexual assault may live with for years–or even decades–following their trauma.
At Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center (DARCC), our mission is to engage and educate communities to prevent sexual violence and to support survivors and their loved ones as they heal and thrive. We exist to help our community heal from sexual trauma and find joy once again.
Last year, thanks to DARCC’s supporters like you, we were able to help 1,200 survivors on their journey toward recovery. And, because of our partnership with Baylor University Medical Center’s newly developed SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program, which offers crucial forensic exams to victims of sexual assault, we are poised to serve even more individuals in 2023. As part of this program, DARCC advocates can accompany survivors every step of the way through the exam – and then connect them with additional services, like legal advocacy and group therapy.
The best way to understand the significant impact of DARCC’s work is to meet some of the clients we have helped since our founding in 2009. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, we are extremely careful about how we collect and share client stories–but these glimpses offer insight into how we serve individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence with respect and compassion.
Like Jenecia (not her real name). After her sexual assault, she came to DARCC feeling incredibly alone. Like many survivors, she pulled away from her friends and lost her passion for singing and acting–activities that had once been such sources of joy for her.
Fortunately, Jenecia found hope once again through DARCC’s group therapy sessions. During weekly meetings led by one of our fully licensed counselors, Jenecia learned how to process her feelings and identify that her withdrawal was a symptom of the sexual assault. We saw her make such strides through therapy and are happy to report that a few months after beginning, Jenecia found the courage to audition for her first musical since the assault occurred, and even felt comfortable starting a conversation with someone at the audition. It was a huge moment for her–and for us.
Jenecia’s experience is just one example of how DARCC helps those touched by sexual assault recover from their trauma. DARCC is the only organization of its kind that provides wraparound support services to Dallas-area survivors of rape and sexual violence. We serve all individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence with respect and compassion. This includes women, men, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, refugees, and all other survivors. Highly-trained advocates are prepared to support survivors on their journey toward healing, from the moment they reach out for help and every step of the way.
Over the course of a single month, we might accompany a survivor to the hospital and police department, facilitate their intake, and get them set up to attend trauma support groups–where they can begin to process and heal from the trauma. One of our recent clients, during her final group therapy session, thanked her counselor for “holding the light” for her, for believing her, and for helping her have confidence and love for herself. She reported feeling a greater sense of trust in her body and that she no longer felt the need to rely or depend on others for validation.
This critical work would not be possible without our financial supporters – caring, committed people just like you. At DARCC, we believe that survivors like Jenecia should never be prevented from seeking the help they need because they cannot afford it. Because of the generosity of donors, allies, and other supporters, when a survivor turns to DARCC for help, all of the services and resources available to survivors are free.
Jenecia and so many other survivors have found hope once again thanks to DARCC. Will you take action against sexual violence in our community and support DARCC this North Texas Giving Day? You can help us reach our $40,000 goal and multiply our impact even more as we finish out 2023.
DARCC’s mission is to engage and educate communities to prevent sexual violence and to support survivors and their loved ones as they heal and thrive.
Our vision is a world free from sexual violence.
At DARCC, we know that sexual violence does not discriminate. The survivors we serve with our wraparound services come from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances. But we also know that people of color are more vulnerable to inequitable treatment when they report crimes of sexual violence or seek support.
DARCC’s culturally competent staff, advocates, and volunteers are dedicated to making sure each and every survivor has access to the resources they need on their journey toward healing. We are intentional in how we meet the unique needs of our clients by connecting them with compassionate professionals who are sensitive to cultural differences, languages, and social norms. This requires a commitment to ensuring that our staff, board, and volunteers are diverse and representative of the community of survivors that seek help from DARCC.
As an example of our efforts to meet the unique socio-emotional needs of those we serve, we currently offer group therapy sessions for LGBTQI and Spanish-speaking survivors to help each person find support in a community that understands what they are going through as they heal from the trauma of sexual violence. We are also developing a group therapy session for Black female survivors of sexual assault to begin this fall.
DARCC compassionately serves survivors of all ages and cultural backgrounds, as well as every race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. This work is critical to advancing equity in North Texas.
Organization name
Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center
Causes
Mental/Behavioral Health
Operating Budget
$1,000,000 - $2,999,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
2801 Swiss Avneue