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By Mary I. Coombs For the Tidings April 26. 2015 12:18PM Ashland detective honored at state AAUW convention From left, Ashland AAUW members Mimi Pippel, Bessie Azari, Christine Fernlund and Phyllis Fernlund pose to the left and right of honoree Carrie Hull, center, at the state AAUW convention on April 19. Courtesy photo Ashland Police Department Det. Carrie Hull received the Breaking Barriers Achievement Award at the Oregon American Association of University Women (AAUW) convention on Sunday, April 19. She wowed the audience in her speech with stories, statistics, and a deep knowledge of the challenges in curbing sexual assaults. As a detective, Hull saw first-hand the devastating impact of sexual assault and also the treatment of victims by police. Hull developed, implemented and currently manages the You Have Options Program (www.ReportingOptions.org) which provides victims of sexual assault with options for reporting to law enforcement by removing traditional barriers victims encounter. The program uses trauma-informed interviewing procedures that result in a more accurate understanding of serial sexual predators and the identification and prosecution of those offenders.  AAUW advocates for women and girls for “equitable climates free of harassment and bullying as well as freedom from violence and fear of violence in their communities and schools.” The Ashland AAUW Public Policy team has been involved in the study of sexual violence in the Ashland community and shared this information at branch meetings. The Public Policy team recommended to the Ashland AAUW Board of Directors that it nominate Carrie Hull as the first recipient of the Breaking Barriers Award. During the questions and answer period following Hull’s talk, an AAUW member asked, “What should I say if someone discloses to me that she has been assaulted?” Hull’s answer: Say you are so sorry this happened to her and ask her how you can help. Resist the tendency to ask a lot of questions. The survivor needs to know her options to decide what to do next, and needs your support. Find the phone number of your community’s sexual assault response team, (SART), and get her help. In Jackson County, the SART director is Susan Moen (541-840-0904). Mary I. Coombs is an attorney, Tidings columnist and AAUW member. http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20150426/news/150429833 © 2016 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->