By Sarah Goad, VP Editing
After a rash of suspected sexual assaults at last year’s World Cup, several members of the quidditch community have banded together to form the Quidditch World Cup Sexual Assault Victim Response Task Force (SAVRTF) in an effort to provide a safety net for anyone and everyone attending this year’s event.
The group is made entirely of players and volunteers, none of whom are trained counselors, though they are interested in ensuring that everyone who attends US Quidditch World Cup 8 is safe from sexual assault and violence. SAVRTF members will ensure safe housing and transportation is available for those who need it.
The Quidditch World Cup Sexual Assault Victim Response Task Force would like everyone who plans on playing in or attending World Cup 8 this weekend in Rock Hill, South Carolina, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, to have the phone number 336-380-5031 saved in their contacts list in case they’re in need of safe housing or transportation. Task force volunteers can pick you up at your hotel, at the fields, or from any location in the area and ensure you have a safe place to spend the night and transportation.
The task force is also encouraging all attendees to browse this list of collected emergency resources, which may provide you with even greater help than SAVRTF may be able to give this weekend.
Kym Couch is one individual involved in the task force.
“The best I can hope for is that we don't have anyone who actually needs safe refuge! It isn’t that we don’t want to help those who need it, but it really just is so unfortunate that something like this is even necessary within our community. I just hope we’re very over-prepared,” she said.
Sarah MacLeod agreed: “I've been personally affected by sexual assault, and I have friends who've experienced it; trying to cope and watching my friends try to cope, I know that I want to help other victims as much as I possibly can. I feel that this task force has the opportunity and potential to do great things this weekend.”
SAVRTF is still looking for volunteers on the ground at World Cup this weekend who will be able to assist in transportation and providing safehouses.
If you feel like you have the time and resources to help SAVRTF out in any way during US Quidditch World Cup 8, please email me at goadsarahm@gmail.com and I will direct you accordingly!
SAVRTF is not affiliated with or sponsored by US Quidditch or US Quidditch World Cup 8 in any way. Please remember, however, that, via USQ’s Unlawful Harassment Policy, sexual assault is absolutely prohibited and can lead to player suspension.
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