Staff members or volunteers also accompany survivors to follow-up medical examination, legal interview, and court appearance, to explain procedures, provide support, and insure that the survivor's legal rights are respected. A paraprofessional counselor provides on-going counseling to survivors who desire it, and a licensed therapist is on staff to provide consultation and to handle more difficult cases. Because sexual assault affects not only the direct victim, but also those around her or him, crisis intervention and counseling also are offered to the survivor's family members and friends. In addition to the services provided to survivors of recent assault, the program also works with many clients who were raped in the past and never treated, and with adults who were sexually abused as children. Counseling to clients and family members is provided both individually and in professionally-facilitated counseling groups.
All services are free.
The victim need not report to police to receive assistance, and the direct victim need not contact the program for her family members or friends to receive services. Sexual Assault Services is staffed by five paid employees and nearly 100 trained community volunteers. Each year, the volunteers contribute over 13,000 hours of services to the program and to sexual assault survivors. The service area for the program is the Coachella Valley area of Southern California, but counseling and support services are provided to any survivor or family member, regardless of place of residence.