Strategy For Preventing Sexual Assault During Fiesta

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Offers Tips on Ways to Diffuse Situation that Can Lead to Sexual Assault

Fiesta is a time when San Antonians party hearty.  So, if a group of girlfriends are out for Fiesta and one is drinking too much and decides to accept a ride home with a man she just met, is there anything her friends can and should do to intervene in this situation to prevent a potential sexual assault?

Shelley Botello, RN, BSN, CA-CP SANE, SANE-A, and program coordinator for the Sexual Assault Response Team at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, a campus of Methodist Healthcare, says there is.  Bystander intervention is a new philosophy and strategy for preventing sexual assault and it’s gaining momentum as a way to effectively help a friend or stranger who may be at risk. This approach encourages people to identify situations that might lead to a sexual assault and then safely intervene to prevent an assault from occurring. By intervening with a method that de-escalates the situation, such as humor or distraction, a bystander can diffuse problem behaviors before they escalate.

“The girlfriends in our example can intervene and put their friend in a cab or take her home themselves,” said Botello.  “They also might intervene earlier when the man offers to buy her another drink—turning the perpetrator away from the opportunity to commit a sexual assault.”

Experts are encouraging the use of bystander intervention because it discourages “victim blaming” and shifts responsibility to both men and women.  Also, it encourages individuals to step in when they see people who are not making good choices for themselves or are in potentially dangerous situations.

According to Botello, Saturday is the busiest day for sexual assaults, followed by Friday and Thursday—all prime party times during Fiesta.

From Ashes to Fire

Tags

Easter, Good Friday

 Abingdon Press Supplemental Worship Services
By Austin Frederick, Jr., Vice President, Pastoral Care Services

Austin Frederick, Jr., Vice President, Pastoral Care Services

Those of the Judeo-Christian faith have now journeyed through the season of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday. These 40 days have been spent in recognition of our Humanness in God’s call to repentance, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and meditating on the Word of God.

We now face “Holy Week” beginning on Palm Sunday entering into Jerusalem; Maundy Thursday, sharing the Last Supper; Good Friday, watching a crucifixion and Easter Sunday witnessing a resurrection.

We have journeyed “From Ashes to Fire, from Repentance to Rebirth; from Sin and Death to Resurrection and Eternal Life.” These are the faithful observations that we have been given to recover and celebrate again in our common worship. All are invited to share in the observance of past events in our preparation for our lives to come in Christ.

We invite patients and guests at our hospitals to join us at any of our Holy Week and Easter celebrations at the following locations:

Methodist Hospital
All Faith’s Chapel

March 29

Good Friday

Adoration of the Cross followed by Communion Service

Noon

Good Friday Service 3 p.m.

 

March 31

Easter Sunday Services

Protestant Service 11:30 a.m.

Catholic Mass 3:30 p.m.

 

Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital

Chapel

 

March 31

Easter Sunday Service

11:30 a.m.

 

Methodist Stone Oak Hospital

Chapel

 

March 31

Easter Sunday Service

7:30 a.m.

 

Northeast Methodist Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital

Chapel

 

March 28

Maundy Thursday

Protestant Service 11 a.m.

Catholic Mass 12:30 p.m.

 

March 29

Good Friday Service

3 p.m.

 

March 31

Easter Sunday Services

Catholic Mass 9 a.m.

Ecumenical Service 12:30 p.m.

 

Methodist Texsan Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital

 

March 28

Maundy Thursday

Holy Communion

Prayer Room

3 p.m.

 

March 29

Good Friday Service

Prayer Room

Noon

 

Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital

Chapel

 

Holy Wednesday

March 27

Tenebrae Candlelight Service

The Agony of the Christ

7 p.m.

 

Maundy Thursday

March 28

Holy Communion Service

11:30 a.m.

Catholic Evening Mass

The Holy Eucharist

6:00 p.m.

Holy Communion Taken to Patients &

Staff

9:30 a.m. & 9 p.m.

 

Good Friday

March 29

Stations of the Cross

3 p.m.

Good Friday Service

Procession of the Cross

The Last Seven Words

5:30 p.m.

 

Holy Saturday

March 30

At Sunset: The Lighting of the Paschal Candle

8 p.m.

 

Resurrection Sunday

March 31

Easter Mass

3 p.m.

The Container Store Contributes to the Healing Power of Art

Patients at the Children’s Cancer and Blood Center at Methodist Children’s Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital, are beating cancer with paint brushes, thanks to Tracy’s Kids, The Container Store and Meg Castellanos and her family.

Meg, 10, was successfully treated for bone cancer at the center. While receiving her treatment, she spent a lot of time in the playroom with her siblings. She also loved painting and participated in Tracy’s Kids, a program which offers pediatric art therapy for children with cancer, also in the playroom.

Art therapy allows kids to be kids and gives them something to look forward to when they come in for treatment. It encourages them to interact with other pediatric patients and also builds community between kids and their parents.

“Some kids with cancer have a difficult time adjusting to the changes in their lives ranging from being out of school and away from friends to the effects of chemotherapy,” said Kathleen Sutter, MA, ATR-BC, NCC, art therapist with Tracy’s Kids at Methodist Children’s Hospital. “Art brings kids out of their shell. It helps patients and their families cope with the emotional stress of cancer and its treatment. It helps these young patients express their feelings and reflect on their treatment experiences.”

Ruben and Brandi Castellanos, Meg’s parents, recognized the importance of art therapy in Meg’s treatment. They also noticed the need for more space since the playroom has to accommodate kids with IV poles and computers for nurses.

“The amazing doctors, nurses and staff took such great care of my baby girl and we will be forever grateful,” said Ruben. “My wife and I wanted to help organize the art room.”  A long-time employee of The Container Store, he obtained a special donation of Elfa designer shelving and organizational products. Employees from The Container Store in San Antonio handled the installation.

The new modular shelving and drawer system is attached to the wall.  It holds toys, games and art supplies that previously took up floor space. Now, patients at the Children’s Cancer and Blood Center can use art therapy to paint a picture of a life free from cancer.

Por Tus Amigas. Por Tu Familia. Go Red Por Tu Corazón. For Your Friends. For Your Family. Go Red For Your Heart.

Guest Blog By: Lisa Cruz, Director of Communications, American Heart Association

La familia is at the heart of the Hispanic community. Yet, our families are under attack. This threat has a weakness and that weakness lies in the power, passion and energy of Hispanic women to take charge of their health and the health of their loved ones.

American Heart Association launched the Go Red Por Tu Corazón movement to celebrate the spirit of Hispanic women as we band together to wipe out heart disease. As the number one cause of death for women and Hispanics, heart disease is our leading cause of death. But, together, we can make a difference for ourselves and our families.

The American Heart Association is thrilled to partner with Methodist Healthcare for the Go Red Por Tu Corazón Vestido Rojo health conference to bring awareness and hope to all women. Eighty percent of heart disease is preventable. For six years now, hundreds of women from across San Antonio have come together to share in a day of learning and inspiration. Whether it’s learning new, healthier ways to cook traditional foods, strategies for handling stress or fun ways to get active, Vestido Rojo is a day for us, as women, to take time for ourselves, which in turn helps our families and our community live happier and healthier.

This year, the event will feature health screenings, educational breakout sessions, a physical activity interactive presentation, a healthy breakfast and lunch and Cardiologist Dr. Fernando Lopez as our keynote speaker. Time spent educating yourself on nutrition and healthier lifestyle choices is never time wrongly spent. If we all work together in an effort to eliminate heart disease and stroke, we will save the lives of our mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends.

Each year, Vestido Rojo has welcomed even more women and is expecting nearly 700 this year, making it the largest Vestido Rojo event in the country. That’s right, San Antonio women – mothers, grandmothers, daughters and friends – continue to stand side by side in the fight against heart disease. Join us Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013 at the San Antonio Event Center and Go Red Por Tu Corazón.  To register, please call 210-617-2617 or email t-joise.moya@heart.org.

We would like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors of this year’s event, who have made the commitment to help San Antonio get healthy. Thank you to Methodist Healthcare, H-E-B, KONO, La Prensa and Univision Radio.