Betty Griffin Center now provides rape care services at Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns hospital (See Channel 4 Reporter Aaron Farrar’s Coverage here.)
At the hospital, located at 205 Trinity Way in St. Johns, Fla., hospital and Betty Griffin Center staff provide for the immediate medical and forensic needs of rape victims – with privacy and professional care – along with counseling and transitional housing. A trained advocate is present during the exam, which is conducted by a sexual assault nurse examiner. The exam is confidential and free.
“With the population growth in St. Johns County, we’ve wanted to provide similar services in the northern part of the county for the last several years,” said Betty Griffin Center CEO Kelly Franklin (pictured here with Betty Griffin Center Board Member and Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns County CEO Cory Darling.) “Through this partnership with Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns, assault survivors in that area will no longer have to drive across the county to St. Augustine to obtain these services.”
The nonprofit agency, which provides services for survivors of domestic and sexual assault, has operated a rape crisis center at UF Health St. Johns (formerly Flagler Hospital) since 2016. In 2023, the agency conducted more than 25 exams at that hospital, and provided more than 10,000 hours of supportive services to 1,035 women, children and men.
Today, there are approximately 1,200 rape care centers (RCCs) in the U.S. providing survivor support services and community education. The centers offer different resources based on community needs and financial resources, but the overarching goals remain the same. For those impacted by sexual violence, RCCs oftentimes offer crisis intervention hotlines, support groups, counseling, legal and medical aids (to accompany survivors to medical exams or law enforcement interactions), as well as referrals to other local or virtual resources.