‘Support’ a unifying word for advocates and REACH

    REACH of Cherokee County Inc. puts the spotlight on a specific word this month – support. It is a unifying word for the organization. Victims receive support from advocates and Reach receives support from commissions like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
    The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a nonprofit organization that collaborates with other national organizations to promote legislation and policies that serve and protect victims and survivors of domestic violence. It offers conferences and webinars to support smaller organizations like Reach of Cherokee County Inc. in exploring emerging issues, insights, best practices and research from leaders in the domestic violence field, according to its website ncadv.org.
    While the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence works on a national level to support advocates of domestic violence, N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault works on the state level to support nonprofit sexual assault and rape crisis centers like Reach of Cherokee County Inc. N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault is an inclusive, statewide alliance working to end sexual violence through advocacy, education and legislature, according to the nccasa.org website.
    The N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault also works to help victims and survivors of human trafficking. There are two types of human trafficking – commercial sex and labor and services trafficking. Human trafficking is defined as forcing, fooling or frightening someone into performing labor or sex acts for profit according to projectnorest.org.
    While not all human trafficking involves sexual violence, the history of forced labor has always included rape and sexual abuse as methods of harm, fear and control over an individual according to nccasa.org.
    The N.C. Human Trafficking Commission was developed in 2019 and is a legislatively mandated leader of anti-human trafficking efforts in North Carolina charged with examining and combating human trafficking. The N.C. Human Trafficking Commission is also charged with educating law enforcement personnel, social services providers and the general public about human trafficking.
    All of these agencies are supporting each other to provide education and resources to stop issues like domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking on a national, state and local level.
    Cherokee County is a small area but about 80 percent of calls to local law enforcement involve domestic violence in some form, according to Cecilia Crawford-Faulkner, executive director of Reach of Cherokee County.
    Reach of Cherokee County Inc. will hold its biannual gala at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at McGuire’s Millrace Farm in Murphy. This event is a great time to show support for the local organization by purchasing tickets, which include food and entertainment for the evening as well as a chance to be included in the silent auction featuring local artists and businesses.
Tickets for the event are $50 with all proceeds going directly to helping Reach of Cherokee County Inc. provide services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
    Tickets are available at the Reach of Cherokee County Inc. offices and thrift store at 1980 U.S. 64 W. in Murphy. Tickets must be purchased before Friday, Sept. 13.
    If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, call 911. Reach of Cherokee County has a 24/7 hotline for victims to call at 837-8064 for anyone needing immediate help. A Reach representative will be able to help with any need.
    The writer is secretary for REACH of Cherokee County Inc.