MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to create a safe community where victims and survivors of sexual assault, sexual abuse, stalking, and domestic violence are thoroughly respected and supported. We work to engage the community through prevention, advocacy, and education. We strive to end interpersonal violence in all of its forms, and to provide and coordinate resources that foster healing and promote empowerment for victims, survivors, and communities in Southeastern Ohio.  

BACKGROUND
The Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program was founded in August 2013 to serve survivors in Meigs and Perry counties of Southeastern Ohio. In December 2013, Athens county was added to our service area. In October 2015, SAOP expanded service to Gallia, Hocking, Morgan, and Vinton counties. Beginning October 2016, SAOP became a program of the Edna Brooks Foundation, Inc. working closely with the local organization My Sister's Place. On November 15, 2016, SAOP relocated to a main office at 77 East State Street, Athens, Ohio.   The office location officially opened on December 1, 2016.   SAOP offers branch office locations in each of the seven counties served.  

SAOP is funded by the Rape Crisis Fund grant and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding awarded by the Office of Victims of Crime through the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Federal victims of crime can receive SAOP services. 

OUR GOALS
  • Serve community members of Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, and Vinton counties who have been victimized or who identify as survivors of sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, domestic/dating violence, and stalking through establishing and providing survivor services 
  • Identify existing community resources to support survivors of violence
  • Train existing community resources to provide comprehensive, trauma informed services when working with survivors of violence
  • Work with community organizations to create a coordinated community response to violence
  • Train and organize community volunteers as advocates working within our service area
  • Increase community awareness about the occurrence of sexual and interpersonal violence within our service area
  • Strive to create partnerships within our communities to form a unified front for the prevention of, and response to, violence 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Precision Imprint T-Shirt Sales

Get involved with our Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign, Turn Athens Teal, by purchasing and wearing a custom t-shirt from Precision Imprint! Shirts will be available for online or in-store purchase throughout the month of April. All proceeds from the shirts during the month of April will go towards supporting survivor services at SAOP. Purchase a t-shirt here and help us Turn Athens Teal! 

Kiser's Barbeque Fundraiser

Enjoy a meal at Kiser's Barbeque and on every Monday throughout April, 5% of their net profit will go towards supporting survivor services at SAOP! 

Hampton Inn Waffle Bar

Little Fish Brewing Co. Keg Tapping

Ohio University Take Back the Night

Athens County Child Advocacy Center Inaugural Adult Egg Hunt

Join the Athens County Child Advocacy Center for the Inaugural Adult Egg Hunt to kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month!

D.P. Dough Fundraiser

Turn Athens Teal Art Walk & Survivor Gala 

SAOP's 1st Annual Turn Athens Town Teal Art Walk & Survivor Gala is a community event celebrating and honoring survivorship through displays and performances of artwork. This year's theme will be Growth and Resiliency. 

SAOP is calling for artists of all genres and mediums to submit their work for inclusion in this event. While SAOP would like to bolster the work of survivors in our community, you do not have to identify as a survivor of violence to participate.  To register for submission, please follow this link to our registration form. SAOP asks that all artists register by Friday, March 16, 2018.  All artwork will need to be submitted to SAOP ready to hang (with appropriate hanging hardware) by Friday, March 30, 2018.

For more information, please visit our Art Walk & Survivor Gala web page. To purchase a wristband for admission to this event, please visit our Purchase Wristband web page. Please email us with any questions.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training: Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric SANE Training

OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital and the Forensic Nurse Team from OhioHealth Marion General Hospital  will be hosting a 5-day Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training for Adult, Adolescent, and Pediatric SANE nurses this summer. The training will take place on the following dates: 
  • May 29, 2018
  • June 5, 2018
  • June 12, 2018
  • June 19, 2018
  • June 26, 2018
Training cost is $500.00. There is no charge for OhioHealth affiliates. The registration is May 21, 2018. For more information or to register for the training, contact the Forensic Nurse Team at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital at (740) 383-8677 or darlene.schoonard@ohiohealth.com. 

Monthly Lunch & Learn Series

​Every month, SAOP hosts a Lunch & Learn Series for staff, volunteers, and community members to receive ongoing training and learn more about local and statewide organizations. Bring your own lunch and enjoy a 1-2 hour educational training! 
We do not currently have any Lunch & Learn trainings scheduled. Please check back for information on future trainings! 
The Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program (SAOP) is funded by grants including the Rape Crisis Fund grant and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, through the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
​Victims of federal crimes will be served through SAOP services.