Social Justice &
Systems Change
Crisis Number.
Free. Confidential. 24/7
Crisis Number.
Free. Confidential. 24/7

Avalon Healing Center firmly believes that the movement to end sexual violence is deeply connected to other social justice and anti-oppression causes. In order to end sexual violence in our communities, we must work to dismantle the structures of systemic oppression that have long shaped our society’s culture and experiences of various marginalized groups. For example, racial equity, economic justice, LGBTQ+ equality, access to basic human needs, and adequate healthcare all significantly impacts a survivor's experience as they navigate their healing journeys. Because of this, we cannot work in silos. Collaboration with survivors and organizations that also hold similar beliefs rooted in systems change and co-liberation work is inherently our duty and responsibility. At Avalon Healing Center, we strive to ensure that those affected by sexual violence can fulfill their societal roles and receive fair and just treatment during their healing process. It is our privilege to offer support and create a safe space so that survivors and their support systems can thrive.

Survivor Advisory Council

The purpose of the Survivor Advisory Council is to make sure individuals who are survivors of sexual violence have a voice in the decisions made that directly affect clients at Avalon Healing Center. The Survivor Advisory Council advises staff and board members on ways to make survivors feel seen and heard and trusted. The Survivor Advisory Council consists of 5 individuals who have had a healthy relationship with Avalon over time and are able to advocate for survivors in a healthy way with the support of the staff at Avalon.

If you are a survivor of sexual violence who has received services from Avalon Healing Center and would like more information on how to be involved, contact Sharron Fincher at sfincher@avalonhealing.org or 313-949-7064.
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Commitment to DEI

Avalon has made our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work an organizational priority with support on all levels. We have made significant strides in increasing diversity and strengthening our culture of inclusion for not only our staff and board members but also for the clients that we serve. Moving forward our DEI efforts will focus on ensuring that Avalon is an organization where equity and inclusion are a priority.
The five areas that we are currently focused on are:

Wayne County Sexual Assault Collaborative

The Wayne County Sexual Assault Collaborative (WCSAC) is a multi-disciplinary group comprised of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, sexual assault forensic examiners, healthcare system administrators, advocates, and othe community stakeholders. The mission of the group is to determine best practices, develop protocols, work to hold each discipline accountable, and in general, discuss issues related to sexual violence in an effort to maintain a trauma-informed, survivor-centered, offender-focused response to Wayne County communities. By supporting survivors’ needs for compassionate and comprehensive medical and emotional care, we promote better experiences survivors have when engaging with systems, investigation that will result in higher arrest and prosecution rates.

For more information on getting involved with WCSAC, contact Henry Walker at hwalker@avalonhealing.org or 313-938-2376.