Hope Shores honors National Sexual Awareness Month
ALPENA, Mich. — Hope Shores Alliance of Alpena honors the 20th anniversary of the National Sexual Assault Awareness month. During this month they want to make the community aware of what to recognize for sexual assault.
According to Hope Shores Services Director Jillian Ferguson, perpetrators look for people who are vulnerable, accessible and lack credibility. Prosecuting Attorney Cynthia Muszynski shares her experience with these case types and said until recently, many of the sexual assault cases she saw involved children.
Program Coordinator Paige Allia said Hope Shores offers a variety of services but sometimes survivors need something outside of their list. Allia said basic needs like helping a survivor with laundry helps get them back their power and control which for the perpetrator is what it is all about.
Ferguson adds that it is a community effort in helping survivors and one way of doing this is making yourself a safe person to be disclosed to about sexual assault.
Hope Shores Alliance offers remote or in–person service and are available 24/7. If you know someone who may be a victim of sexual assault and needs help, you can contact hopeshores.org or 800-396-9129.
