Jackson County CARe Initiative

"Working toward zero tolerence of rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse."
CARe Home

Frequently Asked Questions
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  • What is CARe?
    CARe stands for Communities Against Rape, but CARe is also concerned about other sexual crimes including sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Moreover, CARe is involved in community awareness and education about the impact of sexual crime on the survivor, perpetrator, and the community at large - especially among young people aged 12 to 21.

    The Jackson County CARe Initiative was formed in 1999 as a partnership among the Step Ahead Council of Jackson County, Purdue University 4-H Youth Department, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, Turning Point Domestic Violence Center and Girls Inc.

    Statewide, the Communities Against Rape Initiative (CARe) is a collaboration that facilitates and supports the development and implementation of programs/efforts to prevent sexual assault and rape of youth in communities across Indiana.

    To achieve this task, partnerships were formed between the Indiana State Department of Health, Purdue University 4-H Youth Department, Indiana State University, Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault and concerned communities throughout Indiana.
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  • Are other groups involved?
    Many other local organizations and individuals have joined CARe in trying to find solutions to the issue of rape and sexual crime in Jackson County. Among these are:
    • Businesses
    • City of Seymour
    • Domestic Violence Task Force
    • Drug-Free Council of Jackson County
    • Girls, Inc
    • Indiana State Police
    • Individual young people and concerned citizens
    • Jackson County Sheriff's Department
    • Prevent Child Abuse Jackson County
    • Schneck Medical Center
    • Seymour Community Schools
    • Seymour Police Department
    • The Tribune
    • Turning Point Domestic Violence Shelter
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  • How does CARe work?
    Community minded residents, young people and others from every community in Jackson County are working together to address the problem of rape and sexual crime in Jackson County. They are active members of either the CARe Steering Committee or its Task Force.

    The CARe Steering Committee has the responsibility of developing a program that will best use available resources to reduce sexual crime, raise public awareness and educate our youth.

    CARe Task Force members are charged with working within their respective communities to help implement the CARe program, work with local youth and keep the issue before the general public.
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  • What is the impact of sexual crime on survivors?
    A few of the many problems associated with surviving a rape or sexual assault include:
    • Psychological problems like Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
    • Deep depression.
    • Sleep disturbances.
    • Anxiety and other profound fears.
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  • Why should I support the CARe Initiative?
    • Rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse may well be the most under-reported crimes in our society.
    • Some experts estimate that as few as one in sixteen rapes are reported to authorities. In other words, as many as 90% of rapes go unreported!
    • Rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse have a devastating effect on our entire community.
    • Survivors can suffer for years after an attack.
    • The effects on children are often lifelong.
    • It is only through education, public awareness and action that these issues can be addressed.
    • CARe needs the support of the entire community to achieve its goals. Because it occurs among all ethnic groups and income levels, children and adults, males and females, family members and strangers, our methods must be unique and diverse. You are invited to learn more about the CARe Initiative by contacting the Jackson County CARe Initiative.
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  • What are CARe's goals?
    1. CARe has the expressed purpose of reducing the number of rapes, sexual assaults and cases of child sexual abuse in Jackson County.
    2. CARe is dedicated to educating our youth and the public about the impact of rape and sexual crime on survivors, perpetrators and the community at large.
    3. CARe wishes to establish a central, county-wide database of information about reports, arrests and convictions in sexual crime cases.
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  • How does CARe plan to achieve these goals?
    CARe is working toward these goals by:
    • Bringing together organizations working on various aspects of sexual crime.
    • Gathering public input on the issue of rape and other sexual crimes.
    • Utilizing a combination of local, state and federal resources to address the issue.
    • Formulating a prevention and intervention program based on community input and the latest scientific research.
    • Establishing and maintaining a Speakers' Corps staffed by volunteers trained in educating our youth and the public about rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.
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  • How can concerned individuals and organizations help CARe?
    The Jackson County CARe Initiative needs active and concerned individuals to serve as members of the Speakers' Corp, the Steering Committee, or on our Task Force. We think you will find it an enlightening and rewarding experience. For information on how you can help, write or call the CARe Project Manager.
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    Jackson County CARe Initiative
    11372 E. 200 S.
    Crothersville, IN 47229
    ATTN: Thomas E. Rothring - Project Manager
    812-523-8646