Sexual assault is sexual contact without consent. This can range from sexual touch to rape. And it is always the perpetrator’s fault.

When people experience sexual assault they may work with various service providers. Collective Impact for Emotional and Sexual Health (CIESH) is releasing a survey to examine these interactions to determine how we all can better serve survivors in our community, how services might be more empowering and trauma-responsive.

This survey was developed by Donniqua Rolle and Glaydys Bolawa, master’s Public Health students at East Tennessee State University, in cooperation with RISE: Healthy for Life, for the Survivor-centered Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Working Group. The survey, promoted on social media and via flyers in the community, allows survivors to proactively opt in. It is for all survivors of all genders and ages and from all places, though CIESH will be looking most closely at data relating to incidents taking place in Northeast Tennessee in recent years.

Please share this survey broadly to ensure we are able to get meaningful results that lead, in turn, to meaningful systems change.