Bobbi Gagne

Photo of Bobbi GagneExecutive Director Bobbi Gagne

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The shelter, on Cottage Street in Barre in the same building as the SACT office, is set up with two separate living areas, so that if there are both male and female residents, they need not cross paths, according to Executive Director Bobbi Gagne.
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"We have seen between 50 and 60 male victims of sexual violence in a year," said Gagne, adding that it was clearly time for there to be shelter services for male as well as female victims."At this point, we're inventing the wheel," she said of the groundbreaking service.The shelter is for adults.Male victims of sexual violence (including adult rape and past childhood sexual abuse) gain access to the Crisis Team's services - including peer support, referrals, and the shelter - the same way female victims do, said Gagne.People who need shelter or other services can call the SACT's hotline or the office.Male victims of domestic violence, however, need to be referred through another agency - such as SafeSpace or another domestic violence group - to ensure that the person seeking help is not an abuser in search of a sheltered partner."We have limited space, and we're getting calls from all over," said Gagne.The shelter's screening criteria are pretty much what you'd expect: the person has to be nonsuicidal, able to stay on his or her own (that is, not have mental health or medical concerns requiring constant monitoring), and must not have sexually offended.These criteria apply to both men and women.The maximum stay is 3 nights.According to Gagne, the group is providing services to male victims with an all-volunteer staff because no one will fund them, although funding for services to female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault is available."Our services are available to human beings," she said."For the last ten years we've seen more and more male victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault come through [the Crisis Team's] doors.As a Native American Indian person, it did not make sense not to extend help to all human beings."Because of the volunteer staffing at the shelter and for peer support groups, Gagne says, "what I give for male victims is not taking away from female victims."She continues, "We might meet them a little more than halfway, simply because males have so few sexual violence resources.Men, for example, are more likely to come to the shelter at night - or outside their working hours - because they don't feel okay about explaining their need for shelter to a boss."The volunteers are so committed, she said, that they sometimes even buy out of their own pockets copies of the few books on male victimization that are available to give to male residents to take with them.The Sexual Assault Crisis Team has both men and women on its Board of Directors and as advocates and volunteers.
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"We want to make sure," said Gagne, "that any male victim coming through these doors doesn't feel that 'this is just a feminist organization, men are not welcome here.'"Goslant was the perfect candidate to oversee the shelter, Gagne explained, because he has spent at least eight years with the Crisis Team as a volunteer, eventually becoming the Board's president."Because of his work in the field and with various populations of different genders, he could support male victims - and," she laughs a bit grimly, "he was willing to do it for no pay."The Crisis Team has only five to seven advocate-volunteers to cover all the shelter's hours, according to Gagne.The group is always looking for volunteers, who will receive 30 hours of training.An open house will be scheduled later in the Spring.

To volunteer for the Crisis Team or at the Shelter, call 802-476-1388.Anyone in need of shelter or sexual violence support and advocacy services should call 802-479-5577.

Photo of Bobbi GagneExecutive

Director Bobbi Gagne
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to Executive Director Bobbi Gagne.
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said Gagne, adding that it was clearly time for there to be shelter

services for male as well as female victims."At this point,

we're inventing the wheel," she said of the groundbreaking
...
the shelter - the same way female victims do, said Gagne.People
...
said Gagne.
...
to Gagne, the group is providing services to male victims with an
...
Gagne says, "what I give for male victims is not taking away
...
"We want to make sure," said Gagne, "that any male
...
was the perfect candidate to oversee the shelter, Gagne explained,

because he has spent at least eight years with the Crisis Team as

a volunteer, eventually becoming the Board's president."Because

of his work in the field and with various populations of different

genders, he could support male victims - and," she laughs
...
the shelter's hours, according to Gagne.

Photo of Bobbi GagneExecutive Director Bobbi Gagne
...
The shelter, on Cottage Street in Barre in the same building as the SACT office, is set up with two separate living areas, so that if there are both male and female residents, they need not cross paths, according to Executive Director Bobbi Gagne.
...
"We have seen between 50 and 60 male victims of sexual violence in a year," said Gagne, adding that it was clearly time for there to be shelter services for male as well as female victims."At this point, we're inventing the wheel," she said of the groundbreaking service.The shelter is for adults.Male victims of sexual violence (including adult rape and past childhood sexual abuse) gain access to the Crisis Team's services - including peer support, referrals, and the shelter - the same way female victims do, said Gagne.People who need shelter or other services can call the SACT's hotline or the office.Male victims of domestic violence, however, need to be referred through another agency - such as SafeSpace or another domestic violence group - to ensure that the person seeking help is not an abuser in search of a sheltered partner."We have limited space, and we're getting calls from all over," said Gagne.The shelter's screening criteria are pretty much what you'd expect: the person has to be nonsuicidal, able to stay on his or her own (that is, not have mental health or medical concerns requiring constant monitoring), and must not have sexually offended.These criteria apply to both men and women.The maximum stay is 3 nights.According to Gagne, the group is providing services to male victims with an all-volunteer staff because no one will fund them, although funding for services to female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault is available."Our services are available to human beings," she said."For the last ten years we've seen more and more male victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault come through [the Crisis Team's] doors.As a Native American Indian person, it did not make sense not to extend help to all human beings."Because of the volunteer staffing at the shelter and for peer support groups, Gagne says, "what I give for male victims is not taking away from female victims."She continues, "We might meet them a little more than halfway, simply because males have so few sexual violence resources.Men, for example, are more likely to come to the shelter at night - or outside their working hours - because they don't feel okay about explaining their need for shelter to a boss."The volunteers are so committed, she said, that they sometimes even buy out of their own pockets copies of the few books on male victimization that are available to give to male residents to take with them.
...
"We want to make sure," said Gagne, "that any male victim coming through these doors doesn't feel that 'this is just a feminist organization, men are not welcome here.'"Goslant was the perfect candidate to oversee the shelter, Gagne explained, because he has spent at least eight years with the Crisis Team as a volunteer, eventually becoming the Board's president."Because of his work in the field and with various populations of different genders, he could support male victims - and," she laughs a bit grimly, "he was willing to do it for no pay."The Crisis Team has only five to seven advocate-volunteers to cover all the shelter's hours, according to Gagne.

Bobbi Gagne, executive director of the Barre nonprofit organization, says the 20 percent increase in the number of calls to the center's toll-free hotline last year evinces a growing willingness among victims to seek emotional and legal counsel.

"The more we educate and put information out there, the more people start to realize we have an emergency shelter for male and female victims of sexual violence," Gagne says."More people see us as a resource, people who don't necessarily want to report to police, but who do want support services and advocacy."

The jump in calls, from 187 in 2004 to 222 in 2005, may also reveal a more disturbing phenomenon, she says.

"I think there is an increase in sexual violence in the state of Vermont, and in Washington County as well," Gagne says.

Crime data don't necessarily support that claim.In 2004, according to a Department of Public Safety report, Washington County had 30 incidents of rape, forcible sodomy, forcible fondling, incest and statutory rape.The 2005 report includes only the first three-quarters of the year, but the number of incidents reported - 10 - isn't on pace to reach 2004 levels.

That doesn't mean it isn't happening, Gagne says.
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"In the past, the state represented the state, the accused had an attorney, and the victim felt like they had nothing to do with the case except to become a witness," Gagne says.
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Gagne emphasizes, however, that the center's services are available to victims who do not want to report.In addition to counseling more than 200 victims last year, the crisis team housed 19 victims for a total of 125 overnight visits in 2005.

"Non-offending family members, supportive partners or significant others are also welcome to stay," Gagne says.
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The visual display, Gagne says, is meant to spotlight an issue that affects an entire community.

"If you haven't been a victim yourself, chances are good that either an immediate family member or relative or somebody close to you has been affected," Gagne says.