10 UCW NOVEMBER 3-9, 2021
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
No means no. Rape is a serious
crime and one-in-six women in
the United States have experienced
completed or attempted rape in their
lifetime.
"We have been talking about re-
naming our agency for 13 years and
the legal name is Rape Crisis Volun-
teers of Cumberland County," said
Deanne Gerdes, executive director,
Phoenix Center.
"A couple of years ago we dropped
the word volunteers because it just did
not sound professional according to
a General on Fort Bragg." She added,
"Rape and crisis really does identify
victims so that anytime a victim had to
say they were going to the Rape Crisis
Center to a boss, family member or
friend, it automatically outs them and
not all victims are in a crisis."
e background story behind the
name change involves Gerdes being
at a human trafficking trial where she
had a conversation with the mother of
one of the victims.
Most sex traffickers brand their
victims with some kind of tattoo using
a symbol, initial, name, etc. is traf-
ficker had tattooed his name in Ro-
man numerals on this victim's back.
So, when the victim went through the
program, one of the things they im-
mediately do is to remove the tattoo.
e victim had a phoenix to put in the
place of the old tattoo to cover it up.
e mom of the victim explained that
the phoenix is a mythical bird that
rises from the ashes.
"So when she was telling me the
story I knew we needed to be
renamed the Phoenix Center," said
Gerdes. "We had a board meeting
two days later and they were for the
name change so we have renamed the
building, not the agency, the Phoenix
Center."
e Phoenix Center also provides
services to victims of other crimes,
not just sexual violence. ey offer
services for domestic violence, human
trafficking and help family members
of homicide victims.
"We have expanded our services
and we just don't say no to anyone
who comes in our doors, needs help
and we certainly know the resources
in town and can help them get them,"
Gerdes said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic,
sexual assault statistics went down.
"It could be that people are not out
as much as they used to be and it is
not back to the way it was before the
pandemic," explained Gerdes.
Gerdes added that unfortunately
the domestic violence statistics are
higher and it has been a weird switch
for them. e domestic violence
cases were much more violent during
COVID-19.
"People were stuck inside of their
homes together with children, their
jobs were crazy and things just got
much more violent," Gerdes said.
e annual Walk Awhile in Her
Shoes fundraiser event is scheduled
for March 25, 2022.
Volunteers are needed. For more
information call the 24-hour local hot-
line , 910-485-7273, visit https://www.
rapecrisisonline.org/ or the National
Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-4673.
NEWS
Crisis center pens new name
by DR. SHANESSA FENNER
DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Principal,
WT Brown Elementary School.
COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin-
gweekly.com. 910-484-6200.
A FREE public event
Refreshments & door prizes!
For more information: 910.484.6200
&
presents
Catering is provided by
Two Brothers Catering
Nov 9
th
2021
5:30 pm
to 7 pm
