-Support groups for survivors of any sexual assault

An Idea That Came Out Of A Need

How Rape Crisis Assistance and Prevention Came Into Being

As remembered by former Executive Director, Jean Lamond

Rape Crisis Assistance and Prevention (RCA&P) began as an idea in 1982.  At the Every Women's Center, which had space in the old Boys/Girls Club, a speaker came and talked about the problem of rape in all of our lives.  A seed of an idea began at that meeting and was nurtured by a broad spectrum of community organizations.  Included in the groups were Mid-Maine Medical Center (now Maine General), Kennebec Valley Community Action Program, Colby College Women's Group, the Waterville Mayor and Police Department, the American Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women Club and a number of dedicated individuals not necessarily affiliated with any organization.

It took almost two years to become organized, which in retrospect, was a very good thing.  Organizational structure was very carefully developed.  An attorney volunteered her time and expertise to incorporate the organization and to apply for tax exempt status.

Once incorporated, the Portland Rape Crisis Center offered a view of their service plan and training for Volunteers.  Our center had to make many decisions about service area and early funding before any service could be offered.  With the strong support of Colby College, the Dean's Office offered space and expertise to help develop the training schedule.  Meanwhile, the first nine-member Board of Directors was established.  The job of the Board was to find Board Members from the community and to begin financial planning and policy decision making.  By 1983, a real working Board was in place and to this day, the Board has consistently been dynamic, evolving and committed.

The volunteers are the heart of RCA&P.  An original group was trained at Colby in January and February 1984.  We began our service on March 1^st of that year, two days after the first training ended.  All were nervous about what to do, how to use the pagers and who was on call.  Linda, a very part-time coordinator (5 hours per week), kept the Hotline operating smoothly during this early time.

            A statewide coalition of eight existing centers was started and requests for state funding were made.  In 1985, the Legislature gave $40,000 to be shared by all the centers.  Using some of these state funds, an educational component was added to our local service during this first year.  To meet the needs, the paid hours went from 5 to 15 and I became the coordinator.

            An active and dedicated group of fund raisers did many things to being in more money and to keep the fledgling organization afloat.  A room in the current office suite is dedicated as the "Jill Powell Room" in memory of Jill who chaired the Fund Raising Committee.

            Two four-to-six week volunteer trainings took place every year and were held on Colby Campus because the RCA&P office was a desk in the coordinator's home.  Meetings were held in private homes or at the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP) office.  There was no local photo copying business established, so we used the duplicating machine at KVCAP for a number of years.

            We had our first agency office space at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Waterville.  We thought it was heaven to have a space of our own, our own business phone and finally, a duplicating machine!  The Sunday School area of the church was our meeting space.  The "office" was a very small interior room with a counter, storage cupboard and a closet.

            As we grew, we moved to an office building on Main Street, next to the Boys/Girls Club.  This space had windows, two large rooms, a small kitchen area and a bathroom.  One room served as an office with two staff desks, duplicating machine and our first computer.  The other large room was used for volunteer trainings and meetings.  Somewhere there are pictures of volunteers painting both of those spaces.

            Now, a lovely space in the Professional Building on Main Street seems a dream to the founders.  That everything is in one place and not in corners of people's homes is a vast improvement.  Most of the founders and volunteers are still in the area and see one another occasionally.  They smile with a shared sense of having been in on something wonderful.

 This article appeared in the October 1999 RCA&P Newsletter

Female TREM (Trauma, Recovery & Empowerment) Support Group

Male Survivor (M-TREM) Support Group

Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Support Group

Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group

Teen (G-TREM) Love and Life Group

Survivors of Incest Support Group

Survivor Art Expression Group

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

President:  Katie Dunn

Vice President: Arleen King-Lovelace

Secretary: Geneva Sides

Treasurer:  Sandra Hammond

Board Members:  Astrid Redmond, Todd Burbank, Doreen Spaulding, Jan Franck

Advocate Representative:  TBA

Board of Directors:  RCA&P has a strong, committed Board of Directors.  We would like to continue to grow and evolve to better serve the needs of the communities we serve.  If any of the words above describe you, please contact Pamela Cairnie, Interim Executive Director at RCA&P to find out how to become part of our team!

RCA&P needs volunteers of all ages to assist with a variety of office duties including:  clipping relevant news articles to make a scrapbook, making posters and signs by hand and on the computer, and lots of fun and creative projects!  You can even volunteer at home!  

If you're interested in volunteering for RCA&P, please contact us at 872-0601 or e-mail info@rape-crisis.com for details.