24 Hour Hotline:(805)564-3696

24 Hours Hotline:(805)564-3696

About Us

About page

ABOUT US

Our Story

Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides confidential counseling and support services to survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones.

STESA is committed to empowering survivors and eliminating all forms of sexual violence in our community. Through education and awareness, STESA aims to change the cultural norms that enable sexual assault to proliferate. Our service area extends from Carpinteria to the Santa Ynez Valley, with our office located in downtown Santa Barbara.

HISTORY

Our Past

Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA), formerly Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center, was founded in 1974 by Muff Bizwell, Nora Hochman, and Barbara Lindemann who identified a critical need in the community and decided to take action. These three women established Santa Barbara’s first-ever crisis hotline to address sexual assault. A small operation, it was run out of Muff’s garage, and staffed by a handful of volunteers.

In addition to the 24-hour hotline, the organization grew and expanded its services over the years to include in-person counseling, self-defense classes, and community education programming. Since its inception, the organization has served thousands of survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones.

In 2018, Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center became Standing Together to End Sexual Assault. This change was in response to community feedback, and based on the desire to more accurately represent the scope of services offered by the organization. STESA is more than a crisis center, it is an agent of community change. We invite you to stand with us!

Our Mission

Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) empowers people through healing and social change to eliminate all forms of sexual violence. We are committed to transforming lives by providing services and education to meet the needs of our diverse community.

Our Vision

To create a community free from all forms of sexual violence.

OUR CORE VALUES

Join Us In The Cause

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SERVICE

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COMPETENCE

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DIVERSITY

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INTEGRITY

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RESPECT

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PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

The philosophy is the foundation for STESA’s programs and services:

Intersectionality

Sexual assault is a direct result of systemic injustice. Any efforts to eliminate sexual assault must address the role of various, overlapping forms of oppression in creating the cultural norms that enable sexual assault to proliferate, and that prevent survivors from receiving the support they need. These intersecting oppressions include sexism, racism, heterosexism, ageism, classism, and ableism.

Empowerment

Sexual assault takes power and control of an individual’s body away from them. An important part of a survivor’s healing process is reestablishing control over their lives. We believe that it is critical that this be reflected in our counseling style and the services we provide. Our advocates are trained to provide accurate, unbiased information and options, encouraging the survivor to make decisions for themselves. We are committed to empowering survivors to heal on their own terms.

Norms Change

To view the high incidence of sexual assault in our country as a series of isolated incidents is to ignore the larger problem of norms in our society. We live in a culture that stigmatizes survivors, and excuses the behavior of perpetrators. This needs to change. We must be proactive and address sexual assault before it happens. STESA is working to change norms in our community by raising awareness of this issue, providing prevention education, and advocating for legislation that will benefit survivors.

LEADERS

Board Of Directors

Melissa Risotti

Stacey Risotti

President

Melissa Guillen

Melissa Guillen

Vice President

Ethan Bertrand

Ethan Bertrand

Treasurer

Joanna Guan

Joanna Guan

Secretary

Hanna Sullivan

Hannah Sullivan

Board Member

Gabe Escobedo

Gabe Escobedo

Board Member

board-member-silhouette

Christina Ortega

Board Member

Tere Juardo

Tere Jurado

Board Member

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