ADV/SAS office

By Kristin Carpenter and Linda Pottier

A domestic violence and sexual assault program, providing a variety of services to students and area citizens, is available on campus.

A counselor is on duty from four to six hours a day in office C-212 to provide information, support and referrals to other agencies, all free of charge. The IVCC office, one of four in the area, opened during the fall semester.

Theresa Benham, director of counseling and prevention services for Against Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Services, said an office was established on campus to make their services more accessible and because "a lot of our clients currently are IVCC students."

"IVCC is becoming recognized as a place to go for information, services, help, different resources in the community," Benham said in further explanation of the IVCC office. "The college was really interested in providing those services to students, faculty and staff. They are very proactive."

The other area ADV/SAS offices are in Streator, which is the original and main office, Ottawa and Pontiac. The agency also has a shelter, to provide temporary housing for people in abusive situations, that is in a confidential location in LaSalle County.

Explaining the need for offices throughout the district, Benham said of the agency’s clients, "They are everywhere."

Over the last year, through the sexual assault program, the four offices counseled and assisted 160 victims and 43 significant others, Benham said. In the domestic violence program, they saw about 500 unduplicated victims, she said.

"Those numbers didn’t include minor children," Benham said about the domestic violence number, "so we were actually close to serving 700 to 800 people."

She added, "That’s quite a few."

Services the agency provides include:

1. Crisis counseling for women and men who have been victims of domestic violence or sexual assault,
2. A shelter to provide temporary housing,
3. Legal assistance to help victims obtain orders of protection, to assist victims in the prosecution of sexual assault cases, and to provide information and support with various aspects of the legal system.
4. Emotional support programs for families,
5. Education programs for civic, professional religious, social and corporate groups,
6. Training for persons who come in contact with victims, such as hospital staff and police officers.
7. Programs for schools, to educate participants on healthy relationships.

The agency is also helping to organize a Take Back the Night March April 20 in Streator and Princeton. Benham said the purpose of the march is to raise awareness of the levels of violence in communities.

"The march is about taking back the streets and creating a society where we are not living with violence," she said.

ADV/SAS is a United Way agency, but the bulk of the funding comes from federal and state sources, Benham said. The agency also receives some private grants.

The services are free, confidential and are available to people of all ages and genders, she said.

A counselor is available in the ADV/SAS office Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The telephone extension is 484.

A 24-hour crisis line is also available at 1-800-892-3375.

ADV/SAS counselors are trained volunteers, Benham said, adding that the agency is always looking for volunteers.

"We need people who can go to hospitals and police departments to provide support to victims," she said. "They could also staff the office at the college."

Benham said the volunteers receive 40 to 60 hours of training, in programs offered three times a year.

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March 15, 1999 the Apache