HOUSTON – Nearly 13 percent of Texans have experienced sexual assault, according to the Houston Area Women’s Center, an organization that is committed to helping survivors of both sexual assault and domestic abuse
Many of the center's employees, like Leticia Manzano, know firsthand what it is like to overcome such a traumatic ordeal. She has worked at HAWC for 19 years, and serves as the sexual assault services coordinator.
"The thing that I hear the most from (sexual assault) survivors is that they're afraid to talk to someone because they may not be believed that it happened … because it mostly happens by somebody that they know,” Manzano said.
For survivors who seek help at HWAC, Manzano is the person to whom survivors can talk. She offers daily and weekly counseling sessions and connects survivors with support groups and other resources to assist them with medical care or temporary shelter.
The mission is a personal one for Manzano, who was sexually abused by a family member at 14 years old.
"I survived it," Manzano said. "I got counseling. It made all the difference in the world, and my first job here was as a children's counselor."
It is part of the reason Manzano has been so passionate about helping survivors through the physical and emotional trauma of sexual abuse.
"Is it nightmares? Is it flashbacks? Is it anxiety? Is it depression? Because these are all common reactions after being sexually assaulted,” Manzano said. "They want an answer to the question, 'Why? Why did this happen to me?' and that's hard, because I do not have an answer."
What Manzano does have to offer is comfort to victims and a place for them to feel safe.
"I found a support system, and I want clients to know that they can find a support system here, Manzano said."
The Houston Area Women’s Center operates telephone hotlines for victims of sexual assault or domestic abuse. The Rape Crisis Hotline number is 713-528-7273 and the Domestic Violence Hotline number is 713-528-2121.
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