MISSISSIPPI COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT INC

ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE: FOSTER GREATER AWARENESS OF TRAUMA OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE; TRAIN PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE; SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTERS. A)SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER TRAININGS - A SERIES OF 40-HOUR CLASSROOM AND CLINICAL TRAININGS IN MEDICAL CARE, FORENSIC EVIDENCE COLLECTION, AND TESTIFYING IN COURT. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE TRAINED, EMPATHETIC NURSES WHO CAN COLLECT EVIDENCE WHILE PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE AND STREAMLINING THE PROCESS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EFFECTIVE AND TIMELY CARE PROVIDED AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF VICTIM CARE HAS RESULTED IN A GREATER NUMBER OF VICTIMS PURSUING THEIR CASES THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, TRAINING THE NURSES TO PROVIDE CONFIDENT TESTIMONY IN A COURT OF LAW HAS INCREASED RATES OF PROSECUTION. TO DATE, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NURSES HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING AND ACTIVE SANE PROGRAMS EXIST IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT MISSISSIPPI. B)STATEWIDE/REGIONAL TRAININGS - MCASA ORGANIZES CONFERENCES IN THE STATE TO TARGET SERVICE PROVIDERS DEALING WITH ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, HOMICIDE AND OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE TRAINING, MOTIVATION, AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES OFFERED BY REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SPEAKERS. C)EDUCATION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM - PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM TARGETING STUDENTS. THE GOAL IS TO BUILD SELF-ESTEEM IN THE STUDENT WHILE INCEASING AWARENESS OF WHAT CONSTITUTES VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND APPROPRIATE WAYS TO RESPOND. PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN OFFERED AT VARIOUS SITES AND EVALUATIONS HAVE INDICATED A MARKED INCREASE IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES SURROUNDING VIOLENCE.