The document summarizes the services provided by the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center of Fargo-Moorhead, including 24-hour crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, emergency housing, legal advocacy, community education, and childcare. It also describes the author's experience volunteering at the center by working at the front desk, monitoring access and appointments, and assisting in the childcare area by playing with and supervising children. The author reflects on feeling that their role was important for providing relief and a safe, normal environment for victims and families.

1. Activism Project
Allison

2. Rape and Abuse Crisis Center
 Mission Statement:
– The mission of the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center
of Fargo-Moorhead is to provide crisis
intervention, advocacy, and counseling services
free of charge to all persons affected by domestic
violence or sexual abuse, and to provide
education and prevention programs to end
personal violence in society.

3. Services of the RACC
• Crisis Intervention – 24-hour crisis line and in-
person assistance.
• Advocacy – assistance with legal, medical, social
service, and other systems.
• Counseling – support counseling for female and
male victims of all ages and their families and
friends.
• Play Therapy – for young child victims.
• Support Groups – for female and male victims,
children through adults.

4. Services of the RACC
• Emergency Housing – temporary safe shelter.
• Legal Advocacy – assistance with Orders for Protection.
• Criminal Justice System Intervention and Monitoring –
assistance for victims involved in the criminal justice system
and a Court Watch Program for monitoring domestic violence
and sexual assault cases.
• Community Education and Professional Training – speakers
are available to provide education on domestic violence, sexual
assault, and child sexual abuse.

5. Services
 All the services of the Rape and Abuse Crisis
Center are provided free of charge.
 They rely largely on donations by the public.

6.  In 2008 services were provided to:
– 1173 victims of sexual assault
– 1727 victims of domestic violence
– Assisted with 104 Orders for Protection
– Observed 1903 court hearings related to domestic
violence and sexual assault
– And reviewed 1190 police incident reports
– Presented 795 educational programs to 16,377
people in our community.

7. What I did
 During my service learning experience I
spent time working where I was needed.
– Due to the very sensitive nature of what is dealt
with at the RACC they mostly needed help at the
front desk and working with children at the
childcare center.

8. What I did
– I spent my 10 hours working the front desk
checking people in for their counseling sessions.
 Because frequently the case is an abusive and/or
obsessive individual the front door was controlled
access and had to be constantly monitored.
– I also spent time in the Childcare area.
 This time was spent playing, helping and supervising
children either waiting for their counseling sessions, the
sessions of their siblings or parents.

9. Reflections
 I really enjoyed my time spent helping out, at first I
was disappointed I wasn’t doing something more
involved in helping but after talking with one mother
(of 5 children) who had just gotten out of an abusive
marriage and was getting counseling and advise, felt
better. She said it was such a relief to be able to take
her children with to the sessions so she knew they
were safe, they were close by and with someone
trusted (a volunteer at the RACC). She also
appreciated the play enviroment, so they could ‘just
get to be normal playing kids for a while.’

10. Reflections
 I also formed a friendship with a young girl
while playing candyland, she was there along
with her siblings who were all receiving
counseling.
 I think when my schedule settles down I will
volunteer on a more permanent basis. It felt
good helping out and not getting anything for
it.