Seek Then Speak, a new tool to support sexual assault victims, is now available as a free resource in Lake Havasu City.  It is part of a new initiative brought to the community by the Lake Havasu City Police Department and the Havasu Abuse Victims Education Network (HAVEN).

Seek Then Speak is a web, phone, or mobile app that helps survivors gather information, explore options, and take action when they’re ready.  It helps sexual assault victims engage with local resources while remaining anonymous until they choose to make direct contact with law enforcement or victim advocates. 

Seek Then Speak was developed to help end the silence for sexual assault victims.  As few as one in five sexual assault victims report the crime.  To help victims recover and support their participation in the criminal justice process, Seek Then Speak makes it easier for victims to reach out for help. They learn they are not alone and that help is available.

If a victim chooses to begin the reporting process, they are transferred to Victim Link, a subscription tool for law enforcement and advocacy, which then notifies the Lake Havasu City Police Department and HAVEN.  The program helps close gaps in service delivery and promotes justice and healing.  It is also available in multiple languages to increase victim access. 

If they choose, victims can still begin the process of reporting the crime directly to the Lake Havasu City Police Department and request supportive services from victim advocacy. 

Seek Then Speak works in partnership with an agency platform called Victim Link which was co-developed by Ten8Tech and End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI).    Victim Link combines technology and education to improve community responses to sexual assault.  The programs also coordinate with Start by Believing, the campaign that prepares friends and family members to respond appropriately to a sexual assault disclosure. 

When someone tells you they were sexually assaulted, the first step is to Start by Believing, which is a public awareness campaign launched in April 2011 designed to change the way we respond to sexual assault.  The Lake Havasu City Police Department supports the campaign through education of their officers, displaying Start by Believing decals on all patrol vehicles and having a link on the department’s webpage.

The second step is to Seek Then Speak, which connects victims to resources through Victim Link.  Seek Then Speak is now available to anyone in the Lake Havasu City area by visiting www.SeekThenSpeak.org, calling 888-865-9863 or downloading the mobile app.    

Public Information Officer:  Sergeant Tom Gray (928) 855-1171