Spotlight: CSEC’s STRYDE Program

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CSEC_STRYDE

Meet the STRYDE team: Keri, Hannah, Lex, and Olivia

This month’s spotlight is on one of our programs, STRYDE for CSEC. Here is a Q&A with Hannah
Geist, Program Coordinator.

 

Q: Can you explain what ‘CSEC’ and ‘STRYDE’ stand for?

Hannah: CSEC stands for: Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, though we like to refer to them as youth as opposed to children. STRYDE stands for Survivors Together Reaching Your Dreams Empowerment.

Q: SARC uses a lot of acronyms. Can you explain what “CSEC” and “STRYDE” stand for?

Hannah: Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, though we like to refer to them as youth as opposed to children. STRYDE stands for Survivors Together Reaching Your Dreams Empowerment.

Q: Can you share some of STRYDE history?
Hannah: SARC has been providing 24-hour crisis response and long-term supportive case management to commercially sexually exploited youth (CSEC) since 2008. Our STRYDE program began solely with volunteers, and as funding was established full time staff was hired to handle case management. Our team has grown as our services have expanded and we now have two full time Multnomah County case managers and one full time Clackamas County case manager.

Q: What is the goal of STRYDE as a program?
Hannah: Our 24-hour crisis line is available around the clock to offer emotional support to exploited youth and to respond in-person to hospitals, youth shelters, and police stations. Additionally, our Cabs to Safety program offers 24/7 transportation to safe locations. At the heart of our case management services is the establishment of safe and supportive relationships to empower and reduce barriers, connect youth to appropriate resources, provide consistency in complex systems, foster youth community building, and engage youth around their own self-identified goals.

SARC CSEC Programming spans a wide age range from 12-25. The STRYDE program serves youth ages 12-18. Fully Confidential case managers meet youth in the community and offer flexibility in engagement and services offered, including accompaniment and support through the legal process. The CSEC team works closely with community partners on meeting wide-ranging needs. Youth are invited to monthly All-Ages Night in the SARC Resource Center.

In summary, we are here to provide support and safety to youth, walk with them as they navigate their goals and let them know that their stories and their lives matter.

Q: How can youth or individuals get connected to the STRYDE program?
Hannah: Call our 24 hour crisis line (503-640-5311) and/or email me at hannah[at]sarcoregon.org.

 

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‘Hope in the Wind’ Trafficking Awareness & Prevention Project

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JANUARY PROCLAIMED AS NATIONAL SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH

The Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC) is honored to present our first annual Trafficking Awareness & Prevention Project. The goal of the project is to increase awareness about human trafficking in our community and around the world. This year’s theme is based on the tradition of the Tibetan Prayer flag and we need YOU to help us!

Here is how you can help:

1) Decorate a blank flag and send it back to us. We are inviting you to join us in creating prayer flags. All of the decorated flags will be strung together and displayed in Portland’s City Hall between January 7 – January 30th, 2015.

To participate in flag decoration, please email us your mailing address and the number of flags you want to decorate at SarcHTAM[at]Gmail.com. We will send you a blank muslin flag and a return envelope. We encourage you to be creative and embellish the flag any way you like. There is no cost to request and decorate flags, but please return your decorated flag in the enclosed by December 31st, 2014.

2) Buy a decorated flag on Facebook or in-person at the Closing Reception
As flags are returned to us, we will post them on our Facebook page for sale.
The Facebook event page

3) Make a donation:
Your helpful donations assist in the elimination of sexual exploitation of children.
To make a donation, please use PayPal via our website: sarcoregon.org

Closing Reception: January 30th, from 4-6pm at Portland’s City Hall
We invite you to attend the Closing Reception. Admission to the reception is free but we encourage those attending to purchase flags or donate generously to SARC.