Rape Assistance & Awareness Program : About RAAP : History Of RAAP

There was a time when ignorance, prejudice, shame and fear kept all but a handful of sexual assaults from reaching the light of day. Victims were invisible and silence was the rule. There was a time when, as far as the criminal justice system was concerned, the only real victim of sexual assault was a woman of "good reputation" who was brutalized by a violent stranger in a dark alley and had the broken bones to prove it. Even then, she had better be willing to have her entire life history scrutinized in front of a jury. There was a time when forced sex between people who were married was legal. There was a time when women who dared disclose child sexual abuse, women who were depressed, or worse, angry, were called crazy and hysterical and further victimized by the systems that were supposed to help them. Victimization of men or boys was not even considered as a possibility. This time was hardly any time ago at all. And while we have a long, long way to go, much progress has been made.

Believing victims without blaming them, examining the underlying causes of sexual violence, changing laws, providing real help and sometimes even justice for survivors of sexual assault and abuse did not happen without a fight. The feminist movement of the 1970's and 80's is directly responsible for taking up the battle. It began in living rooms, hushed conversations among women, secrets, realities shared. We began to understand that it wasn't just us. We began to understand that there was a problem. We began to see it in print--studies confirming what was known, stories that were our own. We knew it was wrong and that something had to be done. If these early days of the anti-rape movement had a strident tone--no wonder, breaking silence is loud and messy business. We made mistakes; we were often ignorant of our own prejudices and fears, of our own privilege and shortsightedness.

It was from this womb that the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) was born. We owe our existence not only to the pioneers of the anti-rape movement but also to local predecessors. Ending Violence Effectively (EVE) was a local, for-profit agency providing counseling services to victims of sexual assault. EVE was also at the forefront of early education and reform efforts in Denver in the area of sexual assault. The Boulder Rape Crisis Team, likewise, preceded RAAP and offered us expertise and mentoring in the first years.

RAAP was established in 1983 when a close friend of RAAP's three founders was raped. In the process of trying to find help for their friend, the three women learned that there was no agency providing low-cost services or immediate crisis intervention services for victims of sexual assault in Denver. The three women, experienced in grassroots fundraising, organized a door-to-door canvass to raise money and started Denver's first rape crisis center, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program.

Timeline

1983
- February--First night of door-to-door canvassing.
- One month later--phone line put in office of basement of St. Barnabus Church to support hotline
- First hotline volunteer training
- Take Back the Night" March with Flo Kennedy and Andrea Doworkin as speakers
- Development of Board of Directors
- Applied for 501(C)3 status
1984
- Prevention program began being offered in schools which included the development of "These Things belong to Me" (Abuse Prevention Play inspired by the Illusion Theater program in Minnesota)
- Mayor Pena hosted a premiere showing of play at the Paramount Theater
- Sponsored the start up of the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA)
1986
- Began offering individual counseling services to those who had no resources and then moved into group counseling
- Hosted National Coalition Against Sexual Assault Conference in Denver
1987
- Received the equity of home for office space from the Albi family and a generous donation from an anonymous donor to secure the space
1988
- Worked with CCASA to present Marital Rape Bill legislation
1989
- Added Ayuda and TDD hotlines
1990
- Growing staff created the need for more office space so attic space was converted
- After facilitating focus groups to understand how better to serve women of color, began offering African American women and Latino groups
1991
- Began offering Self Defense Classes
1995
- After two years of effort, the Denver Sexual Assault Interagency Response Protocol was signed and initiated
1996
- Opened first satellite office in southeast suburbs to serve residents of the 18th Judicial District
1998
- Added case management/victim advocate component
- Began developing the 18th Judicial District Sexual Assault Interagency Council
- Began program offering services specifically to Temporary Aid to Needy Families recipients
- Elementary and Middle & High School Prevention Curriculums were re-written
- RAAP website was developed
1999
- Growing staff and programs created need for major renovations and addition to building
- Began offering counseling services to monolingual Spanish speaking clients
2000
- Administrator/Teacher Sexual Harassment Prevention Training was added
- Development of specific college prevention curriculum
2001
- Opened second satellite office in Northern suburbs to serve residents of 17th Judicial District
- Signed Sexual Assault Interagency Protocols in the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts
2003
- 20th Anniversary
- First male Executive Director in the history of RAAP
2003 Celebrated 20 Year History of RAAP
-In 2003, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) celebrated 20 years of service to the metro-Denver community. The clients, staff, Board of Directors and volunteers of RAAP took time over the course of 2003 to reflect on where we have been and where we are going.
-RAAP's special events for 2003 fell under the "20 Year History" umbrella, giving RAAP a unique opportunity to raise awareness for the organization. Several local television and print media outlets ran stories on the momentous occasion.
-RAAP looks forward to the next 20 years of service to the metro-Denver community. RAAP will continue to provide a comprehensive range of quality victim services as well as education programs on the prevention of sexual violence.

	About RAAP History Of RAAP There was a time when ignorance, prejudice, shame and fear kept all but a handful of sexual assaults from reaching the light of day. Victims were invisible and silence was the rule. There was a time when, as far as the criminal justice system was concerned, the only real victim of sexual assault was a woman of "good reputation" who was brutalized by a violent stranger in a dark alley and had the broken bones to prove it. Even then, she had better be willing to have her entire life history scrutinized in front of a jury. There was a time when forced sex between people who were married was legal. There was a time when women who dared disclose child sexual abuse, women who were depressed, or worse, angry, were called crazy and hysterical and further victimized by the systems that were supposed to help them. Victimization of men or boys was not even considered as a possibility. This time was hardly any time ago at all. And while we have a long, long way to go, much progress has been made. Believing victims without blaming them, examining the underlying causes of sexual violence, changing laws, providing real help and sometimes even justice for survivors of sexual assault and abuse did not happen without a fight. The feminist movement of the 1970's and 80's is directly responsible for taking up the battle. It began in living rooms, hushed conversations among women, secrets, realities shared. We began to understand that it wasn't just us. We began to understand that there was a problem. We began to see it in print--studies confirming what was known, stories that were our own. We knew it was wrong and that something had to be done. If these early days of the anti-rape movement had a strident tone--no wonder, breaking silence is loud and messy business. We made mistakes; we were often ignorant of our own prejudices and fears, of our own privilege and shortsightedness. It was from this womb that the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) was born. We owe our existence not only to the pioneers of the anti-rape movement but also to local predecessors. Ending Violence Effectively (EVE) was a local, for-profit agency providing counseling services to victims of sexual assault. EVE was also at the forefront of early education and reform efforts in Denver in the area of sexual assault. The Boulder Rape Crisis Team, likewise, preceded RAAP and offered us expertise and mentoring in the first years. RAAP was established in 1983 when a close friend of RAAP's three founders was raped. In the process of trying to find help for their friend, the three women learned that there was no agency providing low-cost services or immediate crisis intervention services for victims of sexual assault in Denver. The three women, experienced in grassroots fundraising, organized a door-to-door canvass to raise money and started Denver's first rape crisis center, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program. Timeline 1983 - February--First night of door-to-door canvassing. - One month later--phone line put in office of basement of St. Barnabus Church to support hotline - First hotline volunteer training - Take Back the Night" March with Flo Kennedy and Andrea Doworkin as speakers - Development of Board of Directors - Applied for 501(C)3 status 1984 - Prevention program began being offered in schools which included the development of "These Things belong to Me" (Abuse Prevention Play inspired by the Illusion Theater program in Minnesota) - Mayor Pena hosted a premiere showing of play at the Paramount Theater - Sponsored the start up of the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) 1986 - Began offering individual counseling services to those who had no resources and then moved into group counseling - Hosted National Coalition Against Sexual Assault Conference in Denver 1987 - Received the equity of home for office space from the Albi family and a generous donation from an anonymous donor to secure the space 1988 - Worked with CCASA to present Marital Rape Bill legislation 1989 - Added Ayuda and TDD hotlines 1990 - Growing staff created the need for more office space so attic space was converted - After facilitating focus groups to understand how better to serve women of color, began offering African American women and Latino groups 1991 - Began offering Self Defense Classes 1995 - After two years of effort, the Denver Sexual Assault Interagency Response Protocol was signed and initiated 1996 - Opened first satellite office in southeast suburbs to serve residents of the 18th Judicial District 1998 - Added case management/victim advocate component - Began developing the 18th Judicial District Sexual Assault Interagency Council - Began program offering services specifically to Temporary Aid to Needy Families recipients - Elementary and Middle & High School Prevention Curriculums were re-written - RAAP website was developed 1999 - Growing staff and programs created need for major renovations and addition to building - Began offering counseling services to monolingual Spanish speaking clients 2000 - Administrator/Teacher Sexual Harassment Prevention Training was added - Development of specific college prevention curriculum 2001 - Opened second satellite office in Northern suburbs to serve residents of 17th Judicial District - Signed Sexual Assault Interagency Protocols in the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts 2003 - 20th Anniversary - First male Executive Director in the history of RAAP 2003 Celebrated 20 Year History of RAAP -In 2003, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) celebrated 20 years of service to the metro-Denver community. The clients, staff, Board of Directors and volunteers of RAAP took time over the course of 2003 to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. -RAAP's special events for 2003 fell under the "20 Year History" umbrella, giving RAAP a unique opportunity to raise awareness for the organization. Several local television and print media outlets ran stories on the momentous occasion. -RAAP looks forward to the next 20 years of service to the metro-Denver community. RAAP will continue to provide a comprehensive range of quality victim services as well as education programs on the prevention of sexual violence.