Become a Supporter and Believer of Children’s Advocacy Centers
February 6, 2010
Dear Friends of CACGA:
As my time with CACGA comes to a close, I’d like to share with you why I believe in what we do. In 1995, I was abducted from my home in Norcross, raped and left in a crime-ridden area of Atlanta. After I was taken to the Atlanta Police Department, I was accused of a “sex for drugs deal” gone bad. Then, I was taken to Grady’s Emergency Room. I got there around midnight in the same clothes I wore during the attack. A nurse said she would contact the Rape Crisis Center and that a doctor would see me soon.
Hours later, around 3:00 in the morning, my brother-in-law asked why no one had seen me yet. The nurse called Rape Crisis again. She explained that Grady operates on a system where patients are assigned on a rotating basis to a resident doctor from one of two schools. The resident I was assigned to, she told us, was delivering a baby, but I would be his next patient. (This is when I learned a black male from Morehouse would be my doctor. The reason I tell you this is because I was terrified of black men for a period of months after the attack). The other resident, I found out later, was a female resident from Emory. Around 6:00 am, the nurse and the resident entered the room. The nurse handed him the rape kit. A blank look crossed his face and he told her he had never done one. After they collected the evidence together, I put back on the only clothes I had and walked out of Grady. It was Thanksgiving Day.
I tell you my story not to make you feel sorry for me. I share it to illustrate why I believe in the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia. When this happened to me, I was an adult. I was and still am (most of the time) capable of rational thoughts and able to understand that this was a random crime. Only now do I realize that what followed after the attack was a series of unfortunate events. Yet how can a child know that? Will a four-year-old know she did nothing wrong? Can a 12-year-old put all the pieces of a shattered world back together? I couldn’t, and I was 29.
Children’s Advocacy Centers replace these grim experiences with caring and compassion every day. CAC professionals are now replacing uncaring officers who might doubt us with people who really listen and know how to help. And, each Center eliminates a never-ending six-hour wait. Every Children’s Advocacy Center strives to restore normalcy as soon as possible, reconnecting victims to a world momentarily lost. Moreover, we work hard to restore a child’s belief that the world is a safe place, after all.
By reading this, I know you are a CACGA supporter. Now, I ask you to become a believer. Together, we can prevent every child from having to endure senseless procedures and protocols. Let’s not allow any child to be a doctor’s first-ever experience for collecting crucial evidence that is so vital for prosecution. Let’s not allow any child or family member to remain in the dark about follow-up care. And, let’s not allow anyone to have to put on those dirty clothes she wore while being victimized.
We are part of a very distinguished and committed organization. I am so proud to have been a part of it!
Rita Rocker
Past Chairman Board of Directors
Chair, Advisory Committee