Howard Brown Health has launched a sexual-harm response project called in.power* to better assist survivors of sexual assault in gaining access to needed medical, behavioral health, legal, and support services.
The program is designed to serve all people who experience sexual harm, including LGBTQ people.
It is believed to be the first LGBTQ-specific sexual-assault support program of its kind, and the only resource in Illinois designed specifically for sexual and gender minorities.
Through in.power*, patients are eligible to receive free STI testing and treatment along with supportive services including case management, support groups, acupuncture, legal support, linkage to community resources and survivor support.
Additionally, in.power* seeks to bring about community-level change by working to amend laws that discourage LGBTQ survivors from seeking care; through partnerships with established community stakeholders, in.power* implements professional trainings to improve system responses to LGBTQ survivors. Also, in.power* offers bystander trainings to staff at bars, restaurants and universities in order to educate community members on how to proactively and reactively respond to sexual violence.
For more information, email in.power@howardbrown.org .