Display brings awareness to rape, sexual abuse

The telephone rings constantly at Shoals Crisis Center as victims call looking for answers or just want someone to talk to about their sexual abuse or rape.

"Believe me, there are some heart-wrenching stories called in by victims who are scared to death," said Tuscumbia police Capt. Stuart Setliff, president of the Shoals Crisis Center Board of Directors. "They're distraught, they're scared, they're asking for answers, and sometimes they just need someone to talk with."

Setliff said all of the volunteers who answer the crisis lines are trained in how to help the callers.

"The first thing we want the victims to know is we're going to help them get through this," he said. "We're going to go see them if need be, or have them come to the center."

Crisis center Director Samatha Belville said last year the center, which serves a six-county region, answered 751 crisis calls. The ages of the victims range from three months to 78 years.

"Already this year, we have had more than 300 [calls]. We're averaging at least 30 or more every two weeks. Unfortunately, our numbers keep increasing each year," Belville said.

"The average person has no idea of the volume of calls and people we help at the crisis center," Setliff said. "They don't realize what we do, that we exist. That is, until they need us."

In an effort to bring about more awareness to the growing problem of sexual assault or rape, Shoals Crisis Center annually participates in Sexual Assault Awareness, which is in April.

A part of that is the annual "Jeans for Justice" fundraiser.

Jennifer Butler Keeton, a member of the Shoals Crisis Center board, said Jeans for Justice begin in 1999 when a judge in Italy overturned a 1998 rape conviction of a 45-year-old driving instructor who had been convicted of raping his 18-year-old student.

She said a lower court had sentenced the defendant to two years and eight months in prison, but the appeals court sent the case back for retrial. A higher court overturned the ruling on the basis of what the victim was wearing ? jeans.

"The court ruled that it is impossible to take off tight pants, such as jeans, without the cooperation of the person wearing them, and said it was impossible if the victim was struggling," Keeton said.

She said the court also doubted the testimony of the victim because she waited several hours to tell her parents she had been attacked.

According to historical information, after that ruling a group of female Italian lawmakers wore jeans to Parliament. This action prompted women all over Italy to join in a "skirt strike" and wear jeans.

"And it just grew from there," Keeton said.

This year, in an effort to get people to realize just how many people are victims of rape or sexual abuse in the region, volunteers and board members put up displays of jeans outside courthouses in Colbert and Lauderdale counties.

Belville said the crisis center has participated in the fundraiser for years, but this is the first year it decided to put up the displays.

"We're trying to draw attention to this problem that is growing and not going away," Keeton said. "People can no longer say, 'this is an issue that doesn't happen here,' or 'it's not going to happen to me.' It's happening more and more.

"People can't stick their heads in the sand anymore. The displays are an effort to show the public how much this happens, and to show them why they need to get involved," she said.

Setliff said the crisis center operates on grant funding, donations and fundraisers.

Belville said last year the Jeans for Justice fundraiser brought in $5,000 to $6,000. People pay to wear jeans on certain days at work, or even a all week.

"Plus, we have the Walk for Justice in April, where we hope to raise $8,000 to $10,000," she said. "Rape and sexual abuse affects the community; no one is immune. That's why we need the community to be involved.

"Our center helps the victims through one of the most traumatic times of their life," Belville said. "It's something the victim never gets over, but we are there to help them get to a point where that trauma doesn't define who they are for the rest of their lives."

Setliff said the number of victims in the region are real.

"Anyone can look at those jeans and see they represent a victim, a victim that is getting help through us. We need the community to help us to be able to continue to help the victims."