Keesler project benefits sexual assault victims

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
Imagine the unimaginable ... you've been raped. Now picture yourself being sent home from the emergency room in a hospital gown because your clothes are being kept as evidence of the crime. 

That's the plight of many sexual assault victims along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. How-ever, thanks to a Keesler project, the Gulf Coast Women's Center for Nonviolence is now able to provide basic clothing and essential items to people who need help. 

Collections of caring 

Second Lt. Stephanie Lutz, deputy sexual assault response coordinator for Keesler's sexual assault prevention and response office, spearheaded a drive to collect 100 backpacks and tote bags and fill them with a change of clothing, travel-size toiletries and other products that could be taken to area emergency rooms where rape victims receive initial treatment.
 
Lieutenant Lutz, who joined the staff in May, became one of Keesler's 29 trained victim advocates last October. She talked to Liz Waters, the base's sexual assault response coordinator, about doing a project for the center, which provides services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and their families.
 
Generosity abounds
 
Keesler's victim advocates adopted three families at the center for Christmas, but Lieu-tenant Lutz wanted to do something that could involve the entire base. After talking to volunteer coordinator Mary Buffington about the center's needs, the drive was born.
E-mails went out across the base asking for donations, flyers were distributed and cash and supplies began pouring in. 

The first donations came from Dawn Belcher, a victim advocate from the 335th Training Squadron who belongs to Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 5669 in Ocean Springs. When she told members about the project, the auxiliary donated $200 and the post itself contributed $120.
 
Other money came from the Keesler NCO Academy, $239; Airman Leadership School, $104; and Brig. Gen. Richard Moss, 403rd Wing commander, $200. Funds collected totaled $868, and the chapel donated $1,000 to purchase whatever else might be needed when the drive ended.
 
Supplies came from groups and individuals across the base and in the community. People contributed bags, toiletries, T-shirts and sweat pants in different sizes, flip flops, underwear, deodorant, notebooks, pens and other personal care items.
An anonymous donor prepared 20 filled bags on her own. Ms. Waters estimated the cost of each bag at $30. 

After hearing about the project at a recent conference, sexual assault response coordinators from throughout the Air Force donated the toiletries from their hotel rooms to the cause. 

"People identify with different causes for different reasons," Lieutenant Lutz pointed out. "Obviously this cause is close to many hearts." 

Program technician Barry Newman explained that since national statistics indicate one out of ten sexual assault victims is male, 10 of the bags were prepared for men.
"It's humbling how generous people have been," Mr. Newman commented. "Many lives are still turned upside down since Hurricane Katrina, but people still find a way to help others." 

"People have given not just money and supplies, but their time to assemble the bags," Ms. Waters 

"I was impressed that many individuals contributed on their own, without being part of an organization that suggested it to them," Lieutenant Lutz said. "It's heartwarming when there's no other motivation than to help with a sensitive issue like this. 

"People also wanted to donate gently-used clothing, cell phones and quilts," she added. "It sparked an opportunity for people to get creative about how to help the center."