Decide to End Violence: Promote Healthy Relationships and Communities

Sexual assault is a public health issue where informed public and private discourse is just as important in addressing the problem as the passage of laws. Indeed, collectively deciding to end violence has the power to prevent sexual assault, and reduce or eliminate post-assault complications like post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, major depression, suicidal thoughts, low or no ability to work, or eating disorders. Deciding to help end abuse and instead promote healthy interactions demonstrates the kind of public support survivors and community members need to feel comfortable coming forward to receive critical mental health, medical and legal assistance as well as prevention education programs.

The FBI and the Journal of Traumatic Stress estimate that 1 in 3 women, 1 in 4 girls, 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 11 men will be victims of sexual assault at least once in their lives. The most recent yearly report by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety cites 7,754 cases of reported sex-related crimes in Minnesota. There are an average of 7 rapes per day across the state, with sexual assault representing 16% of all violent crimes in Minnesota.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a great time to join others in Stevens County, in Minnesota and across the nation to decide to end violence in our communities. The Stevens County Violence Prevention Task Force has worked diligently over the past sixteen years to develop a coordinated community response to support survivors of assault and abuse and to support the criminal justice system’s efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.

Our work has included creating response protocols for domestic and sexual assault (which in turn have been instrumental in the development of the state’s response protocols), providing opportunities for community education on the issues surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as promoting awareness of the resources available to survivors of violence in our community.

Participating agencies include: Morris Police Department, Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, UMM Campus Police, Someplace Safe, UMM Violence Prevention Program, Stevens Community Medical Center, Stevens County Human Services, Stevens County Court Administrator, Stevens County Attorney’s Office, Minnesota Department of Corrections, UMM Student Counseling, Stevens County Human Services, and UMM Student Affairs.

If you would like more information about the Task Force and what we do, please call 320-589-3208. Together, we can decide to end violence in Stevens County.

Stevens County Violence Prevention Task Force
Jim Beauregard – Morris Chief of Police
Chad Christianson – MN Department of Corrections
Charles Glasrud – Stevens County Attorney
Bridget Joos – UMM Violence Prevention Program
Becki Jordan – Someplace Safe, Stevens County
Jen Lund – UMM Campus Police
Joanie Murphy – Stevens County Human Services
Brenda Smith, RN - Stevens Community Medical Center
Randy Willis – Stevens County Sheriff’s Office

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