A gentle caution to my readers. This edition centers on a painfully charged topic: sexual assault in our communty.
Sexual assault covers a range continuum of criminal acts.
Its effect, therefore, is varied and can include shock, acute stress disorder, hypervigilance, PTSD fear triggers, avoidance, social withdrawal, numbness, loss of joy, sleep disruption, major depression, substance abuse, intimacy issues, lowered self-esteem and suicidal ideation.
Per RAINN—the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network—citing the Centers for Disease Control: Nearly 1 in 4 men and 1 in 2 women have experienced unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime.
Here, I remind myself to breathe.
The repercussions of sexual assault are here everywhere. Whether we know it or not, we confront them every day. They are in our every encounter.
I write with the delicate intention to make text of this ever-present subtext—and to bring community attention to Verity, Sonoma County’s sole rape crisis, trauma and healing center.
Established in 1974, Verity offers free confidential services to survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking. Their work spans intervention, healing and prevention. In this time, it is led by the able Rebecca Fein.
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Rebecca, what would you like to highlight?
Rebecca Fein: People don’t know how prevalent sexual assault and human trafficking are in our community, particularly human trafficking.
Your 2024 impact report shows intervention for 122 trafficking survivors. What factors give rise to trafficking in the North Bay?
Proximity to the City. The 101 corridor. High tourism associated with alcohol, cannabis and gambling. Labor trafficking associated with agriculture. Wealth. People are trafficked from outside the region, but also from within. We’re currently developing a marketing campaign addressing signs of exploitation among children—grooming via social media—educating both young people and the adults around them.
I understand Verity also does preventative work in schools with age-appropriate education at elementary, middle and high school levels. Tell me about your healing programs.
We partner with On the Margins to offer free of cost, one-to-one therapy and support groups. It is bicultural and bilingual.
Each person’s situations and needs are unique to them. We respond to them. All our services are survivor centered and survivor led. We provide the information and will support them along whatever path they choose to take. Sexual assault is inherently an experience that removes one’s autonomy.
Tell me about your funding.
Funding is a rollercoaster. We are 70–80% reliant on state grants, themselves funded by federal grants. Every year, we prepare for cuts. We are critically challenged right now. Get involved—support survivors through donations of your time or funds. Volunteers are a huge piece of what we do.
The question that really brought me to you is hard to calculate. I invite you to speculate: What effect has the election of a president with 28 public accusations of sexual assault—actively suppressing the Epstein files—had on the culture of rape in America?
Survivors are silenced. And we have noticed an emboldening of perpetrators, and less shame. I think of serially-accused former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli announcing another run for office.
Could you give some general advice about how to support survivors we know?
We released a blog post very recently regarding the case surrounding Soft Medicine Sanctuary in Sebastopol that addresses how to support survivors.
First and foremost, believe them. Allow them to speak—to the degree they are ready and able. It’s different for different people, but the experience of retelling the story can be itself traumatic.
Learn more at ourverity.org. Verity’s 24/7 support and crisis line: 707.545.7273. The incident need not be recent.
