• survivors of sexual violence
• loved ones of survivors including friends, family members, partners, or anyone concerned about a survivor
• service providers looking for referrals and support for their clients
• anyone who is impacted by sexual violence

• emotional support
• accompaniment to forensic medical exams and police interviews
• information about the criminal justice system process
• referrals to local agencies for therapy

You will be connected to a trained advocate who offers immediate emotional support, information about reporting options, the criminal justice process, medical care, legal support, and other local resources.

Advocates always believe survivors and keep caller’s information confidential, except for mandatory reporting required by law.

All MESA advocates and staff are mandatory reporters. What does this mean?

This means that if you tell a MESA advocate about someone from a vulnerable group being sexually assaulted, they will have to report that to law enforcement. Vulnerable groups include anyone under 18 years old, over 70 years old, and adults with disabilities that hinder their ability to care for themselves.

To make a mandatory report, MESA advocates will need the following information:

• survivor’s first and last name
• survivor’s date of birth OR survivor’s address

Without this information, reports are extremely difficult for law enforcement to follow up on.

You do not have to provide MESA advocates this information, and without it, MESA advocates will not be able to report to law enforcement.