NEW DIRECTOR TELLS PLANS TO HELP VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE

The Network Against Sexual Violence has accomplished many things as an all-volunteer agency, but its new paid executive director thinks it can accomplish even more with someone overseeing the organization full time.

Tammy Gwaltney, who has served on the board of directors since the network was created in 1997, will become the agency's executive director July 1.

"The agency has grown to a point where it's too much to handle with all volunteers," said Gwaltney, who will leave her post in the intensive English program at Southeast Missouri State University.

The anti-sexual violence network provides services to children who are alleged victims of sexual assault. At the group's center at 63 Doctors Park, specially trained nurses can perform forensic examinations and law officers can interview children in a private, comfortable setting, Gwaltney said.

Without the service, she said, sexual assault victims go to hospital emergency rooms for examination and the closest trained nurses for examining children are in St. Louis or Columbia, Mo. Then the victim must go to several places for interviews with law enforcement, often having to tell their story over and over.

Gwaltney hopes that as full-time director she can work with other agencies on follow-up and case management with victimized children, do more outreach to let more people in Southeast Missouri know about the service and expand to provide services for adult victims of sexual assault by next fall.

"There are many things we want to do that we just couldn't accomplish with all volunteers," she said.

Gwaltney estimates the anti-sexual violence group will serve about 120 children this year. With those numbers, the board felt it was time to seek funding to make it possible to hire an executive director.

Funding is coming from local foundations, fee-for-service contracts from the Missouri Department of Health, Department of Economic Development tax credits and private donors, Gwaltney said. The group also has been approved for funding from the 2000 United Way campaign.

Gwaltney estimates it will take a minimum of $50,000 a year to run the agency, which includes her salary, office equipment and supplies and utilities. The space for the center is donated, and those who conduct examinations are volunteers.

The most immediate change once Gwaltney comes on board full time is that there will be someone in the group's office.

"Right now when people call to report abuse or the police call, they have to leave a message and then we get back with them as soon as we can," Gwaltney said, but because it has been volunteers returning the calls, the response hasn't been as prompt as the board would like.

After Gwaltney assumes the director's job, she says should be able to answer those calls in a more timely manner.

Another important job for the director is outreach, getting out the word about the service to counties from the Bootheel north through Perry County.

She said that's important because the sooner the victim can be examined, the better.

"If you can examine the victim within 72 hours of when the abuse happened, the physical evidence will still persist," Gwaltney said, but if a child from Dexter is being sent to St. Louis for an exam, and there are problems with scheduling and transportation, it could take four or five days to get the child to the exam.

"If that much time has elapsed, you can kiss the case goodbye," she said.

As for expanding services to include adults, Gwaltney said she hopes to have in place enough trained volunteer nurses to make that a reality by early fall.

"It's a service we needed yesterday," Gwaltney said, "but it's also something that needs to be handled properly so training is important."

Gwaltney said the group will offer to adults the same things it offers to children -- one comfortable place where they can be examined and interviewed in a private manner.

"The local emergency rooms have done a good job of handling sexual abuse victims," said Angel Woodruff, assistant prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County, "but it is a sterile, impersonal environment. It will benefit victims to have a place geared for their needs that is smaller and more comfortable."

Gwaltney said, "There's a whole set of issues sexual assault victims must deal with." Her plans for the group include having people specifically trained to deal with those issues.

Gwaltney also plans to work with other agencies to get sexual assault victims, children and adults, help with the psychological problems they may face after the ordeal.

When she worked as a social worker, Gwaltney said, she had 40-, 50- and 60-year-old clients who were abused as children who had problems their whole lives, including the inability to hold jobs and handle relationships and alcohol and drug abuse problems, because of that abuse.

"Why wait until someone is 50 to finally be able to turn their life around?" Gwaltney asked. "If we intervene when they are 7, right after the abuse takes place, they can lead a normal life from age 7."

Adult victims of sexual assault also need help, she said. She hopes to coordinate services so these victims don't have to suffer in silence.

Gwaltney said the need for an organization like the Network Against Sexual Violence become clear when you look at the estimated number of people who will be victims of sexual assault.

Based on the national statistic from the FBI that one in four children will be molested by the time they reach age 18, some 55,000 children in the nine counties served by the organization have been sexually abused, Gwaltney said. That figure includes children who may be fondled only once to those who are repeatedly molested.

"It's a staggering figure," Gwaltney said.

Coming forward to report sexual abuse or assault can be difficult and embarrassing, and Gwaltney hopes the services offered at the organization now, and in the future, can make things as easy on the victim as possible.

"We hope we can help these victims move on in a healthy manner," Gwaltney said.