By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

Although 95 percent of Mainers included in a 2007 Muskie School of Public Service study said they feel safe in their home communities, more than 25 percent of female respondents said they had been victims of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. 

According to a 2002 Uniform Crime Report by the Maine Department of Public Safety, local police in Maine file one report of sexual abuse every 22 hours. 

“When you think about it, it’s a big number,” Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine’s (SARSSM) Manager of Education Julia Chaffets said. “People come to Maine and think it’s safe, but as far as sexual assault goes, it’s pretty typical.”

SARSSM and Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) are joining forces this April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, to help keep more Maine women safe from sexual assault by hosting a variety of events in Portland and South Portland including rallies, marches, bonfires and public forums both on and off college campuses. 

“I’m not sure we did anything last year,” SMCC Dean of Communications Carol Hammond said. “This year we’ve had really positive student reactions.” 

Earlier this month, SMCC students, faculty and staff participated in “The Clothesline Project” by decorating T-shirts for people who had been sexually assaulted. The finished shirts were hung on clotheslines in the campus center as part of what College Relations Assistant Amy Adams called an effort to raise awareness. 

The first “Clothesline Project” took place in Cape Cod 18 years ago as a visual protest of violence against women. It has since spawned similar events throughout the Northeast. The SMCC project was immensely popular, Adams said. 

Angela Shelton, a nationally known advocate against sexual assault and author of the recently published book, “Finding Angela Shelton,” visited SMCC on Tuesday. As part of her own struggle with physical and emotional abuse, Shelton traveled the country searching for others with the same name. Once she discovered that more than 70 percent of the women she met were victims of sexual assault she turned her experience into a national campaign to raise awareness of the many different types of abuse.

“It’s an issue everywhere,” she said. “It’s the ultimate family secret.”

Shelton said she views her book as a call to action for people facing the difficult task of ending an abusive relationship. Sexual assault awareness month is just one of many ways people can begin to address the issue on a larger basis, she said. 

“Why just one month?” she asked. “How about just plain sex awareness year? Every day we can raise people’s awareness.”

Chaffets said Shelton is just one of several key speakers participating in this month’s events. On April 24, Attorney General Steven Rowe will attend a “Take Back the Night” event at SMCC, part of an international movement begins at 4:30 p.m. and includes marches, rallies, bonfires, speaking forums and an encore presentation of “The Clothesline Project.”

“We’ve come a long way in the fight against sexual assault but still have far to go,” Rowe said. “Taking a public stand against it is just the first step.”

South Portland Police Officer Linda Barker is also scheduled to speak at “Take Back the Night.” She said she plans on addressing the many personal safety tips college students and other adults can incorporate into their lives to reduce their risk of becoming victims.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” she said. “Follow your own gut instincts and don’t hesitate to use your resources; call a public safety officer to walk you to your car or across campus.”

Barker said police officers deal with a wide variety of sexual assault cases.

“Sexual assault can be child abuse, date rape or two high school students,” she said. “It’s not always a male and a female either, it can be two men or two women.” 

Chaffets said “Take Back the Night” began in Germany nearly 30 years ago to help create a safe environment for sexual assault victims to speak to others about their experiences and raise awareness for others.

“It can be a pretty emotional event,” she said. “It’s very powerful.”

While April is a busy month for SARSSM, the organization also operates a year-round hotline for victims. Chaffets said she encourages victims to call whether they need immediate medical attention or simply to be connected with local support groups. 

“People call for a variety of reasons,” Chaffets said. “We can accompany them to the hospital if they want to have a rape kit done or we can help coordinate support group meeting times, even visits to schools.”

Chaffets said SARSSM offers educational programs ranging from high school seminars on sexual awareness and safety to kindergarten puppet lessons on appropriate behavior. 

The programs focus on developing healthy decision making skills, which Chaffets said is key in preventing sexual assault. Learning about respectful relationships and personal wellbeing can help students avoid making decisions that can have devastating consequences, Chaffets said.

“Ultimately the choice lies with the person who does the assault, so that’s what we try to focus on,” she said. “For victims, it’s important to know you’re not alone, it’s not your fault and there are some great anonymous, free resources out there.”

For more information on SARSSM call their hotline 1-800-313-9900 or visit their Web site www.sarsonline.org.