KENTON BOONE CAMPBELL GALLATIN PENDLETON CARROLL TRIMBLE OLDHAM MASON SHELBY SPENCER BULLITT FRANKLIN CRITTENDEN TAYLOR BUTLER MCCRACKEN WARREN CHRISTIAN TRIGG GRAVES TODD BARREN PULASKI SIMPSON ALLEN PERRY KNOX CUMBERLAND MONROE CLAY LAUREL CLINTON WAYNE MCCREARY WHITLEY CALLOWAY Sample Letter to the Editor/Op-Ed Dear Editor, As the board chair of (local program), I write out of great concern that vital services for victims of sexual assault are at risk of being drastically reduced or eliminated. One out of five Kentucky women have been victims of rape in their lives, and one in five men have been victims of sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime. By statute, the thirteen rape crisis centers function as the service arm of the state to provide services to victims of sexual assault. Here is the problem: State retirement costs combined with federal sequestration cuts will result in a 42% cut in funds for our rape crisis centers by 2015. This means cuts to or an elimination of services to victims across Kentucky at a time when our centers are seeing an increased demand from human trafficking victims and victims in the military. Without adequate funding for our programs, who will respond to crisis calls, support victims during the medical exam, or help victims have the courage to report these crimes to police? This is why we ask for your help in urging the Kentucky general assembly to preserve rape crisis services by allotting sufficient funds in this year’s budget. As always, if you or a loved one have been affected by sexual violence and need free, confidential support, contact our crisis line at 1-800-656-HOPE. Sincerely, Board Chair KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS PO Box 4028 | Frankfort, KY 40604 | (502) 226-2704 | www.kasap.org LESLIE RUSSELL METCALFE LOGAN FLOYD OWSLEY ROCKCASTLE GREEN EDMONSON ADAIR LYON MARSHALL CARLISLE HICKMAN CASEY JACKSON HARLAN BELL MARTIN MAGOFFIN BREATHITT HART MUHLENBERG CALDWELL JOHNSON WOLFE ESTILL LEE LINCOLN GRAYSON HOPKINS LIVINGSTON FULTON MADISON GARRARD BOYLE MARION LARUE LAWRENCE MORGAN POWELL MERCER WASHINGTON HARDIN MCLEAN OHIO BALLARD NELSON BRECKINRIDGE DAVIESS WEBSTER ELLIOTT MENIFEE JESSAMINE HANCOCK HENDERSON UNION CLARK BOYD CARTER ROWAN BATH MONTGOMERY FAYETTE ANDERSON GREENUP FLEMING NICHOLAS BOURBON WOODFORD MEADE LEWIS ROBERTSON HARRISON HENRY SCOTT JEFFERSON BRACKEN GRANT OWEN PIKE KNOTT LETCHER