(828) 252-0562
United Way Building
50 S. French Broad Ave.
Asheville, NC 28801
We are here for you!
OUR Mission
In the pursuit of a
community that is free
of sexual violence,
we serve all individuals
in Buncombe County
affected by sexual
assault and abuse,
through counseling,
advocacy and
education.
OUR Focus
• Victims of Sexual
Violence
• Friends of the victim
• Families of the Victim
• Communities
OUR Philosophy
• All reports are taken seriously and believed.
• Our Voice offers information and support to clients.
• We do not make decisions for them.
• We inform clients of their options and alternatives.
• All information received from clients is strictly
CONFIDENTIAL! (except in cases of child abuse, or
when clients are a danger to self or others)
• All services are free of charge. Our Voice
believes that victims of sexual violence should
not have to pay for the services they need as a
result of being victimized.
• We are dedicated to providing a safe, accessible
environment for healing.
OUR Services
• Community education
• 24 hour crisis line
programs focusing on awareness
and prevention for all age groups
• Case management
• Information and referrals
• Accompaniment to medical
• In-service training for
services, law enforcement
interviews and court
proceedings
professionals
• Conference speakers
• Consultant services
• Individual and group
counseling
7 Paid Staff
OUR Staff
Over 30 volunteers
Victim advocate
Qualifications of a Victim Advocate:
Understanding of sexual violence
Ability and willingness to listen and communicate with victims of
sexual violence
Evidence of good judgment in every day relations with others
Ability to show concern and empathy for victims
Reliability and responsibility
Ability to manage emotions and reactions to victims' stories
Patience with others and in difficult situations
Ability to work with diverse populations
Education
• Middle School Programs
• High School Programs
• Self-Protection Programs
• Programs for Professionals
• Training of Trainers
• Socialization and Male
Violence Against Women
•Male Victims of Sexual Assault
• Children’s & Seniors Classes
Why Our Voice is important
in our community
• Less than 1 of 3 rapes
are reported to law
enforcement.
• One rape happens every
3 hours, 52 minutes in
North Carolina.
• 1/3 of all rape victims
will develop RapeRelated PostTraumatic Stress
Disorder
•Each year, an estimated
500,000 women are the
victims of some type of
sexual assault.
• 1 out of 4 rapes occur
in the victim’s home.
• 75% of date rapes
involved alcohol or drug
use
• 86% of victims know their
assailant
• More than 90% of people
with developmental
disabilities will experience
sexual abuse within their
lives.
Why we need the United Way’s Help!
• We are meeting basic needs
• We are nurturing children & families
• We are promoting health and quality of life
• We are a vital part of this community
• We have helped over 12, 000 victims this year alone
• We have had over 20,000 calls to our 24-hr. hotline
• We need your assistance with funding our program,
so we may remain available for all of the victims of
sexual violence.
OUR Works Cited
Fairstein, Linda. "Rape danger time: from the files of Linda Fairstein.
There's a time of night that sexual predators favor, but it's not just the
hours on the clock. It's also a set of circumstances that converge to
make you vulnerable to attack. Former Manhattan sex-crimes
prosecutor Linda Fairstein explains." Cosmopolitan 240.5 (May
2006): 220(4). General Reference Center Gold. Gale. NC WiseOwl
Thomson Gale PowerSearch. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS>.
Fairstein, Linda. "The surprising thing that can lead to rape: when
you're out partying, it's easy to cop a totally carefree attitude. Linda
Fairstein, former head of New York City's Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit,
explains why you need to be on guard." Cosmopolitan 239.2 (August
2005): 136(4). General Reference Center Gold. Gale. NC WiseOwl
Thomson Gale PowerSearch. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS>.
"Our VOICE." Our VOICE. 28 Aug. 2008. 29 Oct. 2008,
<http://www.ourvoicenc.org/>.