About Sexual Assault Response Advocates (S.A.R.A.)

One evening in 1996, a nurse came into the examination room at Carson Tahoe Hospital and asked the volunteer who was sitting with a victim of domestic violence if she would meet with a victim of sexual assault in the next room. The young woman had been raped and was on her own and in need of support. At the time, there was not a sexual assault program in Carson City.  The Crisis Call Center in Reno was providing aid to victims in Carson City, but that often meant the victims were without support for several hours until a volunteer could travel to Carson City.

From that first request came many more, until AEDV partnered with the Crisis Call Center and developed the Sexual Assault Response Advocates (S.A.R.A.) program in 1997 to meet the need of Carson City residents. The S.A.R.A. program was developed in response to victims who needed support and advocacy as they worked their way through the medical and legal systems toward the justice they deserved.

What began as a part-time program within AEDV crisis intervention services has grown into a full-time program with separate staff, volunteers and its own identity and resources.

The S.A.R.A. team operates 24/7 providing intervention, advocacy, support and education. To learn more, check out their Facebook page.