Underserved Survivors

Rape is not a women's issue, it's a human issue.

Reporting rape is not easy for anyone. Societal stigma makes it even more difficult for certain communities.

Who are underserved survivors?

Underserved survivors are people who face the most stigma, shame, and blame when reporting rape and abuse. They are less likely to be believed and to receive legal support due to rape culture, victim-blaming, and societal beliefs.

We believe that ALL survivors deserve love, compassion, and justice. That's why we created a safe space for them to recover. Scroll down to learn more about underserved communities.

Underserved Survivors We Support

LGBTQIA+ Survivors

Homophobia, fetishization, eroticization, and transphobia are just a few reasons LGBTQIA+ survivors don't come forward. There is a huge lack of understanding when it comes to rape and abuse in queer relationships. People in LGBTQIA+ relationships face higher rates of sexual violence than their heterosexual counterparts, yet, they are less likely to reach out to law enforcement for help.

Military Survivors

Rape is normalized for female military members and some say it's even expected. Many survivors fear retaliation for speaking up, especially when they are sexually assaulted by a high-ranking member of the military. Male military survivors have even more difficulty getting help. Rarely taken seriously, military sexual assault is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Many people who are raped in the military turn to suicide due to trauma, PTSD, and depression.

Men

Rape culture, stereotypes, and misconceptions about male sexual assault create a tremendous amount of stigma when it comes to getting help from sexual assault. Many people believe that it's not possible for a man to get raped or that it makes him weak, homosexual, or that it would even be exciting. Anyone can deny sex, no matter what their gender. Not even an erection is consent. We are dedicated to debunking myths about male sexual assault survivors and to educating the public about how to properly respond to men who have been sexually abused.

Disabled People

Over 80% of disabled women have been sexually abused. They are sometimes sexually abused by their caretakers and have limited options in getting the support, healing, and justice they deserve. Amour Center and Safe House is committed to inclusion and accessibility for disabled survivors. This community is underserved because of ablism and accessibility for disabled survivors.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Surivors

Nearly 50% of deaf people have suffered from sexual violence and due to language barriers, they can have difficulty in getting the support they need. We offer ASL translation for in-person events and captions for our online meetings.

Children

Children who are sexually abused are often groomed, threatened, and scared out of speaking up. They are the most vulnerable community when it comes to sexual assault.

Elders

Certain health conditions can prevent elders from reporting sexual assault. Even cultural or religious beliefs can create barriers for support when it comes to speaking up about rape and abuse.

Trafficking Survivors

Stigma and shame are the greatest barriers for trafficking survivors. Because trafficking and sex work are often conflated, getting support is extremely difficult. Trafficking survivors are often mistaken for consensual sex workers and are often jailed for reporting rape. Due to manipulation, threats, and grooming from pimps, they rarely get the help they need to escape their situation.

Adult Entertainers

Due to their profession, they are rarely supported when reporting violence, rape, or robbery. These cases often go unsolved and the fear and stigma is greater for industry workers compared to people working in different professions. Adult industry professionals have fewer legal rights and less protection from sexual assault. Full service sex workers are often arrested and jailed when reporting rape.

Indigenous Communities

Native American women are at the highest risk for sexual assault. 90% of the time it’s by a non-native perpetrator, according to the Department of Justice. Tribal courts do not have jurisdiction to prosecute non-tribal members for sexual assault, even if the incident occurred on tribal land.