Welcome Rachel!

Hey everyone! My name is Rachel Nowlain and I am the newest addition to the prevention team at Hope Alliance.

Growing up, I was exposed to a wide variety of examples of domestic violence. Often, my friends would come to me and tell me what was going on in their life, but there were no resources for DV victims in my small, rural county. In response to their outcries, my mother created a makeshift shelter at our house where my friends knew they were welcome and could feel safe anytime. Some of the friends we took in for a few days and some stayed for years. After being frustrated with the lack of resources and with the lack of understanding or care about the issue of domestic violence in my hometown, it is refreshing to be apart of a community that acknowledges that domestic violence and sexual assault exist and works to help survivors and prevent violence.

According to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, “Sexual violence prevention requires comprehensive, community-based initiatives that address the various systemic issues, attitudes, behaviors and norms that perpetuate sexual violence.”   At Hope Alliance, we visit schools in Williamson county and lead discussions with students on topics such as respect, power and control, needs and behaviors, conflict resolution, stereotypes, healthy relationships, and consent. We cover topics like these because we believe that developing a better understanding of ourselves and others will allow us to see everyone as a fellow human. When we do this, we are not de-valuing other individuals and it is less likely that we enact violence on one another. I have only been facilitating for a few weeks now, but I am excited to be a part of the team and I cannot wait to see what progress we make with our students this semester!