Children's Advocacy Center of the SLV Fundraiser

As a committee member of the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) of the San Luis Valley, I am organizing a fundraiser to benefit the CAC of the SLV and I need your help! I need you to attend!!!!
The CAC of the SLV, which will operate under the Tu Casa, Inc. umbrella, will be a child-focused, facility-based program in which representatives from many disciplines - law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocates - work together, conducting joint forensic interviews and making team decisions about the investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases.
The primary goal of the CAC is to ensure that children are not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. The CAC of the SLV program would ensure that child abuse victims, especially victims of child sexual abuse, would be able to receive services in a child-friendly, safe space specifically designed to meet their needs.
Current conditions force child victims of sexual abuse to undergo a repetitive interviewing process at either the law enforcement agency or the Department of Social Services - both places that often times carry scary or negative connotations for children. The nearest CAC is in Pueblo, approximately 2 hours away from Alamosa and even farther for those located at the west end of the SLV (Del Norte, South Fork, Creede) and is often unreachable during winter months.
In 2010, Alamosa County Department of Human Services, alone, had over 40 reported cases of child sexual abuse (22 which were founded). The rate of child abuse in Alamosa County alone is 32.5 (per 1,000 children) - almost 4 times the state average of 8.8.
The CAC of the SLV will be housed in a specifically designed, child-friendly environment, where both the child and his/her non-offending caregivers will be comfortable, safe, and cared for, allowing for videoed forensic exams, pediatric Sexual Assault Nurses Exams (SANE) and after care services to all - provided in one location. All of the program's free, confidential, bilingual services will be available to children, families and partnering agencies throughout the 6-county region.

I would like you to be part of the fundraiser I'm organizing on Saturday, October 6th. The dinner/dance/silent auction will be held at The Hungry Logger in South Fork. There are two options available for those who would like to attend. Option 1: Dinner/Dance/Auction and Option 2: General Admission Dance/Auction. Below are the costs of each option and what each option consists of:

Dinner/Dance/Silent Auction - $30 per person (must be purchased no later than September 30th)
6:00 p.m. - Mexican Food Buffet Begins
6:30 p.m. - Welcome/Introduction of CAC Committee Members in Attendance/Overview of CAC
6:30 p.m. - Silent Auction Begins
7:00 p.m. - Presentation from Lori Krout, Ms. US Universal 2012, on her experience with childhood
                   sexual assault
8:00 p.m. - Mojones from Creede takes the stage for entertainment & dancing
9:00 p.m. - Silent Auction Ends
9:15 p.m. - Auction Winners Collect & Pay for Items
11:00 p.m. - Event Ends

General Admission/Dance/Silent Auction - $15 per person (pay at the door)
8:00 p.m. - General Admission Will Begin
9:00 p.m. - Silent Auction Ends
9:15 p.m. - Auction Winners Collect & Pay for Items
11:00 p.m. - Event Ends

***There will be a Cash Bar available all night and children are welcome to come at the prices listed above. However, if attending the dinner with children, please be sure you are comfortable with them hearing the content of the presentation at 7:00 p.m.***

For dinner tickets call 719-480-1525 or email meyerhd@hotmail.com.

Below is a list of auction items that have been donated to date. More auction items will be added regularly, so check the comment section under this blog to see them as they come in. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the auction, please call or email me at the contact info above.

Auction Items:
16x20 Jan Thompson Print "Dawn's Early Light" - $65 Value
2 - Weekend Demo Ski/Snowboard Packages from Alpine Bike & Ski - $81 Value Each
Fly Fishing Trip for 2 on the Rio Grande or at Santa Maria Trout Club w/Beau Meyer - Unknown $
Granite Cutting Board from Brooke-Stone - $60 Value
1/2 Day Guided Rafting Trip for 4 w/Mountain Man Rafting - $240 Value
3 Month Family Pass to Sand Dunes (Hooper) Pool - $175 Value
10 - One Time Individual Passes to Sand Dunes (Hooper) Pool - $12 Value Each
Vitamin Cottage Basket from Aspire Wellness Counseling - $50 Value
Chivas Regal Gift Basket from Wild West Spirits - $25 Value
One Year (52 Weeks) 1/2 Hour Guitar Lessons from Big River Music - $780 Value
42 Piece Drill/Bit Driver Set from Tompkins Hardware - $50 Value
2 Tickets to 2013 Performance from Creede Repretory Theater - $66 Value
Bottle of Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar from Creede Olive Oil Company - $34 Value
Tempered Glass Cutting Board from Holy Moses - $40 Value
Chiropractic Session from Creede Chiropractic - $75 Value
1 Hour Massage from Bella Vida Salon - $55 Value
4 Adult Passes to Monarch Ski Area - $240 Value
Pearl/Onyx Earring & Necklace Set from Off Broadway - $180 Value
$15 Gift Certificate from Rare Things - $15 Value
18x24 Elk Wall Mirror from Rio Grande Anglers - $75 Value
Set of Wooden Picture Frames from Elk Country - $50 Value
Camelback 75L from San Juan Sports - $16 Value
Framed Bear Print by Karen Bonnie - $100 Value
Avon Basket from Karen Miller - $125 Value
Woven Purse from Virgil & Pat Blevins - $45 Value
Woven Basket from Virgil & Pat Blevins - $50 Value
Steve Miller Signature Collection Statue from Cowboy Up - $257 Value
4 Adult Passes to Wolf Creek Ski Area - $56 Value (Each)
2 One Hour Massages from Sacred Space Massage - $50 Value (Each)

Other Items w/Values to be Determined:
Gift Certificate from Historic Spruce Lodge
Child Themed Custom Cake from You'nique Cakes
Painting by Cindy Harris

Door Prizes from Subway, Creede Trading Post and more.

Come out and help me support a great cause and help the children of the San Luis Valley! Be sure to invite your family and friend!!!!

Lori Krout, Ms. US Universal 2012 & I

Mojones

"Legitimate Rape"....Really, Rep Akin?

I'm sure many of you have heard about the controversial statement made by MO Rep. Todd Akin, in which Mr. Akin implied that if a rape was "legitimate", a woman could not become pregnant because her body would fight off the pregnancy.
I have to say that I am against abortion, EXCEPT for instances of rape, molestation, incest and in the instance that continuing the pregnancy would jeapordize the life of the mother. I found Mr. Akin's comments offensive and angering. Mr. Akin has no idea what it is like to be a woman, let alone be raped and become pregnant. Through his comment, I gathered that he was implying that if a woman who is raped becomes pregnant, she wanted the rape; otherwise her body would reject the pregnancy. First of all, did this man skip health class in high school, where you are taught that all it takes is one time to have sex to get pregnant? There are women out there who get pregnant while on birth control and with their partners using condoms (my oldest daughter was conceived while I was on birth control). Mr. Akin obviously knows nothing about pregnancy, being a woman, rape or anything else regarding a woman's body. Who is he to say that regardless of being "legitimate", "forcible" or whatever else he wants to call the type of rape, that a woman should have to have the baby? Mr. Akin has put Republicans in a very bad light and I am happy that many well known Republicans do not agree with Mr. Akin's view and comment and are even asking him to remove himself from the political race (which he should).
Just to clear things up, since Mr. Akin obviously knows nothing about rape or pregnancy, here are some statistics on the subject:

80% of Rape and/or Incest victims are under the age of 30
44% of Rape and/or Incest victims are under the age of 18
15% of Rape and/or Incest victims are under the age of 12
Over 200,000 men, women & children are victims of Rape and/or Incest in America every year
1 out of every 6 women have been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in America
1 out of every 33 men have been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in America

In a one year period (2004-2005), 64,080 women were raped. Of those women, 3,204 of those rapes resulted in pregnancy (disproving Mr. Akin's statement).

Victims of Sexual Assault are:
3 times more likely to suffer from depression
6 times more likely to suffer from PTSD
13 times more likely to abuse alcohol
26 times more likely to abuse drugs
4 times more likely to contemplate suicide

For more information and statistics on Rape, Incest, Molestation visit www.rainn.org (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).

SLV Break the Cycle Scholarship Essay

The following is the essay submitted by 2012 SLV Break the Cycle Scholarship recipient, Dillon Quintana.

"Dating & Domestic Violence" by Dillon J. Quintana

You hear about it every day, on the evening news, in the paper, on the streets, and in casual conversation. It's domestic and dating violence, it's almost common place for people to discuss it and act as if it's okay for it to be happening. I am not sure if in today's world, that people are just so used to domestic abuse happening or if we are all so shocked and hurt by it occurring so often, that we just turn a blind eye to the problem and pretend that it doesn't happen. It is happening, everyday, in every neighborhood. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, white or black, domestic violence does not discriminate, it can happen to anyone. I never realized that it was such a huge problem, but after doing some research on the subject, I read that domestic violence is the biggest cause of injury for women. It affects the entire family not just the victim. One out of every four women in the United States will be a victim of some form of domestic violence and one out of every three women murdered is done so at the hands of a loved one. This information completely blew me away, I had no idea that domestic violence was such a problem and so widespread.

I guess one of the reasons that I was never really aware of this enormous problem is because I come from a very loving and caring family, where it is odd to even hear my parents argue about things, no less actually fight over them. I could never imagine my dad ever hitting my mom or making her feel unsafe and in fear. I consider myself very blessed to have been raised in this environment and to not have to go through the trauma and turmoil that these families have to endure. I am sure that by even being a witness to these kinds of events, it must have a lifelong effect on them. The feelings of helplessness, anger, sadness, it all must be pretty overwhelming to these individuals.

I personally witnessed one of my classmates being physically abused by her boyfriend when we were in junior high. The image of her being drug to her boyfriend's truck, in the school parking lot, by her hair and the principal running after them trying to help her, will forever stick in my head. My classmate was in 7th or 8th grade and had a boyfriend that was 21. She had been going out with him for a while and she had just found out she was pregnant. The morning bell had just rang and we were all at our lockers getting ready to go to class when her boyfriend came into the building and started hitting her. People were yelling and trying to get him to stop and a few teachers came to try to help her. Someone ran to the front office to get help, but by that time he was already dragging her out of the building. He got her into the pickup and left, but not before her face was bloody and bruised and already swelling from him hitting her. I can remember her reaching out to us for help and a look on her face like there was no one in the would that could possibly help her. The cops were called and we all had to be questioned about what we saw. We were really freaked out and worried about her and wondered how someone could just come into our school, beat up our friend, and basically kidnap her. Basically, that was the end of it. After a few days she came back to school and everybody acted like nothing had ever happened, her boyfriend never went to jail and no one ever spoke about it. Shortly after that incident, she quit school, had her baby and end up living with that same guy that had taken her from the school. None of us ever really had a lot of contact with her because her boyfriend wouldn't allow it, but rumor had it that he beat her up often and she stayed with him because she loved him. Several years later, actually our Junior year in high school, she left that guy and came back to school so she would be able to graduate with our class. Her baby is now in Kindergarten and she swears she will never let another guy hurt her the way he did. No one from our class ever really talks about it to this day, but when it is brought up, everyone just jokes about it and laughs like it is a big joke. I often wonder how she could have stayed with him after what he did to her, why he never got into trouble for any of the crimes he committed that day - assault, kidnapping, sex with a minor - and how helpless she must have felt when no one was able to stop him from dragging her to that pickup and how scared and alone he must have made her feel. I can't ever imagine doing that do another person, no one should have that kind of control and power over someone else, ever.

One positive thing that came from that day is, I swore I would never hit a woman no matter what the circumstance was. I would never make another person feel helpless and afraid and I would do everything in my power to stop someone else from being hurt. Domestic and dating violence is a real problem in the world today, I think that people need to be made more aware of the problem and make it known that it will not be tolerated and that it is not acceptable to hurt or terrorize someone. Maybe if more people were aware that there is a problem, it would make it easier for those that are being abused to come forward and get the help that they need. We all need to work together to prevent domestic and dating violence.

Dillon Quintana, 2012 SLV Break the Cycle Scholarship Recipient