Advocacy, Support and Care: Teal House is a refuge for victims of sexual assault

A free service for victims of sexual assault, The blue-green house in Statesboro provides advocacy, emotional support and supportive care for victims of all ages.

The Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault & Child Advocacy Center is a nonprofit organization contracted by the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit and law enforcement to serve Bulloch, Jenkins, Screven and Effingham Counties. SRSAC is part of the Statesboro area sexual assault response team, which includes law enforcement, the district attorney, attorney and forensic nurse examiners. Education, awareness and prevention services are also offered.

The Teal House emerged in 2007 when law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and local individuals called for the need for a sexual assault facility. At first they only worked in the local gynecologist’s office or hospital. At that time, the center only cared for victims over the age of 18 and conducted forensic medical examinations.

Fast forward to 2024, and they are now a sexual assault and child advocacy center, serving victims of all ages. They provide advocacy through direct services and liaison relationships, including medical, legal, social services and law enforcement. They also provide further support through referrals to other community services.

At Teal House it truly feels like entering a home. The dedicated staff have worked hard to create a warm, caring and safe environment for those seeking help.

Specialized, compassionate care for victims

The Teal House is now fully equipped with a medical examination room and observation room, allowing them to conduct forensic interviews. This is a special type of interview with children who may have been sexually, physically or mentally assaulted or witnessed a crime. Currently, the majority of the work they do in coordination with law enforcement in our county and surrounding counties is in child advocacy.

With seven Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), The Teal House is equipped to handle all sexual assault cases. A SANE is a specially trained, certified nurse who collects evidence for law enforcement. SANEs are available 24/7 to provide care to victims.

Teal House offers care for all ages and genders. When caring for a sexual assault victim, an attorney is always present alongside the SANE to answer questions, guide the victim through the examination, and provide comfort. Advocates are volunteers and staff trained to provide emotional support and crisis response to victims.

Lily Grey, executive director, says her goal as an attorney is to “make the worst days of a victim’s life a little better,” even if she can only make them smile for half a second. She adds: “Medical examinations can be a long process, we work at your pace. It’s about giving the victim back their strength.” They comfort the victims by offering them a hand to hold, a warm drink and a stuffed animal or blanket.

For Gray, her passion is working with the children they care for, facilitating them, spending time with them, and reassuring them that they are in a safe environment. She emphasizes that The Teal House is an important resource for children who may have been victimized.

Because of the emotional toll that working with victims can place on her employees, Gray makes it a priority to prioritize mental health and urges her employees to take time and seek therapy for themselves. She wants to make sure they do their best so they can be there for the victims.

“I want to make sure we survive this,” she said.

Community support required

The Teal House relies on state and federal support and grants to fund the center. Since 2021, funding for VOCA (the Victims of Crime Act) has been cut by 50%. This means The Teal House must increasingly seek donations locally and host fundraisers to provide the vital care the victims in our community need.

The Teal House’s largest fundraiser this year is the Teal Run, which took place in April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Teal House also provides community outreach and awareness programs in Bulloch and surrounding counties. Gray says: “Our goal is to reach people around the world to provide insight and education about who we are, what we do and how you can contact us for our services.”

The Teal House also raises awareness by participating in First Fridays, the Statesboro Mainstreet Farmer’s Market and other local events. (Be on the lookout for an upcoming fall fundraiser.)

Gray shares that local donations are so important and helpful to the organization.

“It’s important and very important to me when people donate and are willing to help because this is something important for the community,” she said. “And we want to be able to maintain and continue to offer these services.”

The Teal House can always use help from the community in the form of donations. To give comfort to the victims, Some of the most needed items include mini sodas, water, non-perishable snacks, toys, games, coloring books, blankets and stuffed animals. Donations are also possible here.

The Teal House is located at 209 South College Street in Statesboro, Georgia. For more information, visit The Teal House website here or contact Lily Gray at (email protected).

If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, attorneys are available 24/7. You are not alone. Please call 1-866-489-2225.