Rape Crisis Center receives donated phones for victims

Daniele Dreitzer, executive director of The Rape Crisis Center, checks out one of the phones donated by Cricket Wireless Nov. 7, 2017, at the store on North Rainbow boulevard. Beside her is Marlon Young, territory sales manager for Cricket Wireless. (Jan Hogan/View)

Daniele Dreitzer, executive director of The Rape Crisis Center, checks out one of the phones donated by Cricket Wireless Nov. 7, 2017, at the store on North Rainbow boulevard. Beside her is Marlon Young, territory sales manager for Cricket Wireless. (Jan Hogan/View)

Marlon Young, territory sales manager for Cricket Wireless, shows the display model Nov. 7, 2017, for one of the 12 phones his company gave to the Rape Crisis Center. (Jan Hogan/View)

Channel 13 interviews Carmella Gadsen, development coordinator for the Rape Crisis Center, Nov. 7, 2017, at Cricket Wireless store, 2051 N. Rainbow Blvd. The nonprofit was given 12 new smart phones to hand out to rape victims whose phones were stolen or confiscated for evidence. (Jan Hogan/View)

Some of the cell phones, still in their packaging, are seen Nov. 7, 2017, at the Cricket Wireless store, 2051 N. Rainbow Blvd. The phone store gave a dozen new cell phones to the rape crisis center as part of a phone-loan effort. (Jan Hogan/View)

Karina Chaidez, assistant manager, sets up the display Nov. 7, 2017, at the Cricket Wireless store, 2051 N. Rainbow Blvd. The cell phone company gave 12 smart phones to the Rape Crisis Center after it learned of the need. (Jan Hogan/View)

The exterior of the Cricket Wireless store, 2051 N. Rainbow Blvd. is seen Nov. 2, 2017. The cell phone company gave 12 smart phones to the Rape Crisis Center after it learned of the need. (Jan Hogan/View)

The Rape Crisis Center recently received another boost to help victims: Cricket Wireless contributed a dozen smartphones with six months of free service.

The phones are important, as some victims have phones stolen during an assault or the phones are taken as evidence by law enforcement, said Rape Crisis Center development coordinator Carmella Gadsen.

“A lot of times the assailant is someone that (the victim) knows,” Gadsen said, “so there could be text messages from the perpetrator; there could be pictures on the phone which could help the police.”

Crisis Center advocates meet victims at the hospital, support them through the forensic exam and continually follow up.

“Being able to connect with victims for follow-up, for them to get updates from law enforcement, and to connect with family and friends for support after an assault are all crucial,” said Daniele Dreitzer, executive director of the Rape Crisis Center.

The phone models were Samsung Grand Prime, LG Stylo and HTC 636 Desire. The phones will be made available to victims while they’re at the hospital.

Metro officer Jay Rivera said any phone taken as evidence might not be returned for months. In addition to fingerprints, the “guts” of the phone needed to be looked at.

Dreitzer said the phone-loan idea came from Medina and Summit counties in Ohio; a rape-crisis group in the latter had partnered with a Cricket outlet there.

“Not having a means of communication after an assault is so challenging. You can’t connect to your support system, there’s no way for law enforcement to get in touch with you, you can’t reach out for help. And so many people don’t have land lines anymore,” she said. “Their cellphone is their sole means of communication.”

The Rape Crisis Center will recycle phones onceusers are done with them, Dreitzer said.

Contact Jan Hogan at jhogan@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2949.