This past week I received a message from a friend asking for resources for a young girl who had been raped by a family friend. When he called, he did not relay many details about the incident, but he needed guidance for where to turn next. It was a Sunday, so I turned to my bMOREsafe app.

The unfortunate reality is that the issue of sexual violence is extremely prevalent. For many folks, this is an issue that hits close to home. One in two women will be sexually assaulted in their life time, one in five will be raped or endure attempted rape. Of course there are groups working at every level of this issue, from prevention, awareness, law enforcement, prosecution and victim services, however, the community still struggles with this crime.

Here in Baltimore, if someone is sexually assaulted, there are two main hospital centers that provide the forensic exam and medical care needed after the incident. For children under 12 years of age are referred to, University of Maryland Medical Center, those over 13 years of age are referred to Mercy Medical Center. Many community members do not know this though, nor do they understand the critical steps to take before a forensic exams. This is why Mercy Medical Center has created a new app called bMOREsafe.

This app is free and downloadable on most devices, allowing the community to have 24-hour access to resources for sexual assault. bMOREsafe walks the client through the first steps of finding help, listing the many options and resources available. They also have resources for providers, as well as continuing education classes. The app is extremely user friendly and is available in both English or Spanish.

With sexual assault cases so prevalent it is important to be prepared for both you and your friends. Download the app now and check out their website for more information on this important issue.