Is sexual assault a problem in Latin America? How does AMIGOS deal with the issue of sexual assault?
Statistically, Volunteers are at a greater risk of being assaulted on a college campus than while in their Latin American community. However, just as in the United States, sexual assault does occur in Latin America. AMIGOS views sexual assault as an issue which requires immediate and unequivocal support from the organization. To minimize risk, Volunteers participate in personal health/safety training, including sexual assault awareness, during briefing. This training provides life-long skills in assault awareness and prevention. It is imperative that Volunteers promptly and completely report assaults to their Project Staff in order to receive assistance. AMIGOS provides 24 hour on-call support to all Project Staffs, which includes an International Office staff member, the AMIGOS Medical Director, a rape crisis counselor, and an adolescent mental health professional.
