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

Watch our latest Teal Talk Tuesday video featuring Angela, STAR’s Community Educator Director, to learn about the definitions and prevalence of human trafficking in Louisiana. If you are interested in learning more about human trafficking, register for our upcoming virtual training on Friday, January 22nd from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. This 2-hour training is designed to… Read More

We are nearing the end of 2020, a year that was difficult and challenging for all of us. This time last year, STAR staff gathered in a meeting to discuss a ‘20/20’ vision for the upcoming year. We were so optimistic about the new year and explored ways we could enhance our services to survivors… Read More

By Morgan Lamandre, STAR Legal Director Every year there are thousands of cases involving child sexual abuse victims in the State of Louisiana. Going to court can be frightening and overwhelming for children that have experienced sexual trauma, and research show that without proper preparation and support, children can be further traumatized through the court… Read More

By Racheal Hebert, LCSW-BACS, President & CEO What is the VOCA CVF Fund? The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund (CVF or the Fund) is a non-taxpayer source of funding that supports thousands of crime victim service providers. These providers serve millions of crime victims annually and are funded by monetary penalties associated with federal… Read More

By Airzola Cleaves, STAR Staff Attorney “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” While someone may generally agree with this concept, it can be admittedly difficult to do. Picture this for a moment, you are sitting in your car at a red light and you see a person holding a sign. The sign may include… Read More

by Angela Lore There’s a common saying people use when looking back at a difficult time in their life – “all’s well that ends well.” For me, I find that this expression rings true due to my courage, support from STAR, and my unwavering desire to find out the truth about what happened to me… Read More

Yesterday, USA Today published a report detailing LSU’s mishandling of various sexual assault complaints that resulted in a lack of accountability for repeat offenders of sexual assault and dating violence within LSU’s athletic and fraternity systems. STAR echoes the concerns raised by students featured in the article and we want to respond to these allegations by providing additional… Read More