This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week, and at STAR, we have many volunteers that support our team 24/7. We are thrilled to have so many people help provide support to survivors, accompany survivors to hospitals for forensic exams, and serve a selfless devotion to our nonprofit. Thank you to all of our volunteers that dedicate… Read More

Did you know that 55% of sexual assaults occur at or near the survivor’s home? When a survivor is sexually assaulted in their home, they are faced with the difficult decision of whether they should stay in their home or move. However, the State of Louisiana does not allow lease termination for sexual assault survivors.… Read More

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! Commit to learning more about the problem of sexual violence and ways you can better support survivors by watching documentaries, films, and series that highlight survivors and the impact of sexual violence on their lives. Below are summaries of movies and shows that our New Orleans Advocacy Team recommend… Read More

By Caroline Schroeder, Guest Blogger This past week Oregon State University President F. King Alexander eschewed blame for his role in Louisiana State University’s mishandling of sexual misconduct complaints during his tenure. Alexander claimed that, regardless of whether or not he was aware of this crisis, he could not have addressed it because Louisiana is… Read More

Yesterday, a white gunman in Atlanta killed eight people in three attacks, six of whom were Asian women. On this same day, the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate released a report on thousands of incidents of anti-Asian harassment and violence reported to them over the past year.  The gunman in yesterday’s Atlanta shooting denies race… Read More

Yesterday, STAR’s Legal Director, Morgan Lamandre, joined dozens of survivors and advocates to testify before the Louisiana Senate Select Committee on Women and Children about the need for the state to take more action to support survivors of sexual assault and hold the institutions that fail them accountable.  As Morgan said in her testimony, “Our… Read More

This week, the Louisiana State University (LSU) community is preparing to receive the Husch Blackwell law firm’s investigative report on the university’s Title IX policies and their implementation. LSU retained the law firm to conduct this review in response to a series of articles published by USA Today last fall which featured student survivors’ experiences… Read More

STAR staff members interact with many different community partners ranging from schools to law enforcement agencies to hospitals and more. Frequently, Black staff members and other staff members of color at STAR are called upon to go into majority white spaces to provide STAR services.  Last month, we became aware of a student at a… Read More

Highlighting those who have transformed the anti-sexual violence movement Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by Black Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in our history. This month, we want to take the opportunity to highlight six key Black leaders in the anti-sexual movement that have shaped our work.… Read More

Last week, as our staff returned to work after the holidays with hopes of a better year to come, we were instead faced with the reports of a violent mob storming the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6th. As arrests, investigations, and political responses continue to unfold, threats of violence remain. The FBI is warning… Read More