In recent years, child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has become widely known, with scandals making headlines across the country and the world. Both advocates and survivors are working to get justice and prevent further harm from taking place. One of these organizations is the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA).

What is the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault?

The goal of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault is to bring an end to sexual assault in California and across the country. Its vision is “a world free from sexual violence.”

CALCASA began 40 years ago, founded as a grassroots movement in 1980 by Marilyn Peterson to bring forward a collective voice against sexual violence. CALCASA has a history of supporting the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and launched its first media campaign in 1997, entitled “This Is Not an Invitation to Rape Me,” which highlighted the common misconceptions surrounding sexual assault.

Since its founding, CALCASA has run campaigns, hosted conferences, and supported legislation in the name of preventing sexual assault and protecting survivors.

What Does the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault Do?

CALCASA “provides leadership, vision and resources to rape crisis centers, individuals and other entities committed to ending sexual violence,” according to the mission statement on its website.

The organization seeks to do this through prevention, advocacy, and public policy.

The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault works to make sure that survivors of sexual violence have access to effective, empowerment-based advocacy, working with member centers and partners, not just in California, but across the U.S.

Not only does CALCASA advocate for survivors and respond to their needs, the organization also prioritizes sexual violence prevention through training and technical assistance with California’s Rape Crisis Centers. CALCASA has a number of prevention initiatives, including Self Defense, PreventConnect, RALIANCE, and #BoldMoves. More information about these programs can be read on their website.

CALCASA’s public policy team works to address legislation, both on the state and federal levels, impacting sexual violence survivors. The team drafts, reviews, and lobbies for policies to provide funding for services for sexual violence survivors, and to encourage systemic change. In addition, CALCASA helps organizations advocate for sexual violence and rape prevention and for survivors’ rights. According to its website, it can help advocates become proactive when it comes to engaging with policymakers.

California Sexual Assault Statistics

CALCASA’s work has continued for decades because sexual violence has also continued. In California, more than 86 percent of women and 53 percent of men report having experienced some form of sexual harassment and/or assault sometime in their life (compared with 81 percent and 43 percent nationally, respectively), according to a joint study from CALCASA and the Center for Gender Equity and Health (GEH) at University of California San Diego School of Medicine.

The study found that Californians who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, along with men who live in California but were born outside the United States, face a higher risk of sexual harassment and assault.

What Are the Sexual Assault Laws in California?

California’s sexual assault laws cover rape, rape of a spouse, sodomy, sexual battery, and a number of other non-consensual sex acts. RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, defines these and other sex crimes on its website.

California’s statute of limitations for sex crimes varies depending on whether it’s a civil or criminal claim. Survivors who experienced the abuse as an adult have 10 years from the date of the incident to file a civil action against the perpetrator, or three years from the date they discover the incident or reasonably should have discovered that an injury or illness resulted from it.

Criminal prosecutions under California law for “rape, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts, continuous sexual abuse of a child, oral copulation, and sexual penetration” can be filed at any time if the offense occurred after Jan. 1, 2017.

California recently updated its statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child. Now, child victims of sexual assault have until 40 years of age, or within five years of discovering the abuse, to file a civil lawsuit. A three-year lookback window has also been established for claims previously barred due to the previous statute of limitations.

How to Get Help From the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault

CALCASA offers a variety of services.  It has a list of agencies on its website offering a variety of services, such as hotlines and crisis centers, that can help victims of sexual assault and sexual violence. Users can search agencies listed on the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault website by City, County, and Language. Agencies include crisis lines and offices that can help those affected by sexual assault, harassment, and rape.

The organization provides these agencies and other organizations with advocacy resources, according to its website. It has a specific program for university campuses to help address sexual violence and other issues that affect college campuses nationwide. The program provides resources to help prevent sexual violence and also support survivors.

A number of resources available on California university campuses are also posted on CALCASA’s website, including the Campus Violence Prevention Program at the University of California, Davis, the Rape Treatment Center at UCLA Medical Center, and Campus Assault Resources and Education at the University of California, Irvine.

CALCASA has also compiled resources available in languages other than English, including American Sign Language, Spanish, Urdu, Vietnamese, and many others. Agencies that offer services in a number of languages include Casa de Esperanza of Yuba City, Bay Area Women Against Rape, Tri-Valley Haven of Livermore, and Women’s Center – Youth & Family Services, with offices in Stockton, Tracy, and Lodi.

Users can access the list of agencies that work with CALCASA by clicking the “Get Help” link at the top of the organization’s website.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.