The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center
Serving Survivors of sexual violence
By Sonia Duggan
In a world where silence and shame can perpetuate suffering, a local nonprofit serves as a beacon of hope and support for those impacted by all forms of sexual violence.
For over 40 years, The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center of Collin County has stood as a testament to resilience, compassion and unwavering dedication by advocating, counseling, educating and empowering the women, men and children they serve.
Located in Plano, the center emerged from humble beginnings, rooted in a grassroots effort driven by a social worker’s profound observation. Recognizing the dire need for comprehensive support beyond initial crime reporting, the center was established in 1982 in collaboration with North Texas Medical Center and the McKinney Police Department.
In the early years, programming focused on crisis services such as information/referral, medical accompaniment and the establishment of a 24-hour crisis hotline. As the sexual assault movement progressed into a more professional, comprehensive and respected discipline, The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center of Collin County evolved as well.
In 2013, the Center started providing victim advocacy services in collaboration with Dallas Methodist Hospital and their newly established SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) program. Four years later, they opened a satellite office in Dallas with funding from the hospital’s foundation.
Under the direction of Executive Director Wendy Hanna for the past nine years, the nonprofit has since evolved into a comprehensive support system designed to aid the healing journey.
“The work we do at The Turning Point is vital to our community and survivors because it provides essential services and resources to victims of sexual violence at no cost,” Hanna said. “By helping them navigate trauma and providing crucial services, we help survivors reclaim their autonomy, power and dignity in the aftermath of their trauma.”
Courtney’s SAFE Place
For the last six years, The Turning Point has operated the only forensic medical clinic in North Texas, Courtney’s SAFE Place, where survivors of sexual assault can go for a forensic exam 24/7.
This onsite forensic clinic at the Plano location offers a safe and compassionate
environment for survivors, free from the barriers of traditional hospital settings and fees.
The clinic is named for Courtney Underwood, benefactor and founder of The SANE Initiative in Dallas County after experiencing her own assault at the hands of her pastor, said Amy Lawrence, senior director of programs for The Turning Point. After the assault, Lawrence said Underwood, a college student at the time, endured an “8-hour ordeal” waiting for her forensic exam to be performed at Parkland.
CSP has its own private entrance and offers a calm and welcoming environment with two exam rooms. Here, they conduct a head-to-toe forensic exam to collect DNA evidence and injury evidence.
Patients must be 17 or older to qualify for an exam at CSP and not be under the influence of intoxicants, and not need emergency hospital services or emergency psychiatric services, said SANE Manager Amy Chennault.
During the exam, “survivors have the choice to complete all or part of the exam and they can stop at any time along the way,” she said, emphasizing the importance of survivor autonomy throughout the process.
“I would like every survivor of sexual assault to know that we believe them and are here to support them,” Chennault added.
Survivors do not have to report to law enforcement to have a forensic exam. Evidence collected is held by the state for five years should they choose to pursue it later.
Since opening, Chennault reported as of December 2023, CSP has seen “close to 650 survivors of sexual assault for forensic exams.”
Lawrence said by receiving forensic exams and medical accompaniment at the clinic, survivors gain easy access to immediate aftercare through counseling, case management and legal advocacy.
“It has really helped survivors when they come for their forensic exams to also see the counseling offices as well,” she said. “It helps break down some of the barriers for seeking counseling or therapeutic help.
SANE Team
Central to The Turning Point’s operations is its team of forensic nurses — dedicated professionals who provide compassionate care to survivors during forensic exams. Certified by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the International Association of Forensic Nursing, these nurses ensure that survivors receive the care they deserve with dignity and respect.
In addition, the nonprofit works closely with 16 area hospitals to perform adult and pediatric forensic exams through its SANE program.
“We’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and oftentimes the police or the hospital will call us if somebody has experienced assault at any age,” Lawrence said.
The youngest patient served at the clinic was 13 and the oldest was over 100, said Lawrence. For patients under 13, she said they “typically send them to the Children’s Advocacy Center and then see them at Children’s in Plano or several hospitals we serve in Dallas.”
Since 2019, SANE nurses have completed around 2,500 forensic exams in the DFW Area.
“Most of our forensic nurses do this job as a secondary job apart from their full-time jobs because they have such a passion for helping the survivors in the DFW area,” Lawrence said. “Emotionally, it can take its toll and there can be a lot of turnover… it’s just a tough situation all the way around.”
Advocacy, counseling, legal help
At the heart of The Turning Point’s mission is its commitment to accessibility. With services available in both English and Spanish, and a 24-hour crisis hotline staffed by trained volunteers, the center ensures that survivors from all walks of life have access to the support they need, regardless of language or circumstance.
Crisis intervention and support services are also available at the Plano location on a walk-in basis during business hours, Monday-Friday. Trained advocates are accessible through The Turning Point’s 24-hour hotline 1-800-886-7273 to provide crisis intervention, emotional support and referrals to survivors, their families and friends.
The Turning Point uses a combination of their eight dedicated staff advocates and volunteer advocates. Lawrence said all their general staff are trained advocates and provide advocacy services. Volunteer advocates go through a 40-hour service certification training through the OAG.
Once trained, volunteer advocates will also take shifts and do hospital accompaniments as well as manage the crisis hotline.
“When we have a forensic exam that needs to take place, our advocates are always also on that call, or on that visit and exam,” Lawrence said. “They let them know what their rights are, resources, as well as just emotional support, and then we do a follow up several days later to check on them and see what further assistance we can provide.”
In addition to advocacy, The Turning Point offers comprehensive counseling services to individuals ages 13 and up who’ve experienced sexual abuse, sexual assault or any type of sexual violence from anytime in their lives at no cost.
Staffed by skilled counselors trained in trauma-focused care, the center provides individual and groupm therapy sessions tailored to the unique needs of each survivor. Services are also available for family and friends of the survivor to support them during the healing process.
In 2023, the clinic served 266 clients through its counseling office, both in-person and online, with its staff of six counselors plus a clinical manager who provides counseling services as well.
The road to justice and healing is fraught with challenges. Long delays in DNA testing and the exhaustive nature of the legal system often exacerbate survivors’ trauma, underscoring the need for ongoing support and advocacy.
The Turning Point’s legal advocacy program serves to navigate survivors through the complex legal terrain, providing emotional support and ensuring their rights are upheld throughout the process.
“We’re hiring a full-time legal advocate right now,” Lawrence said. “This is an area of priority for us that we’re really trying to build a solid foundation for because what we found is that so many survivors go through the legal process and simply don’t continue with the reporting process because of some of the communication challenges with law enforcement.” Ultimately, she hopes the additional legal support will improve the outcomes when the crimes are being prosecuted.
Education, Outreach, Volunteers
The Turning Point is committed to equipping community members of all ages, from youth to college students and beyond, with the knowledge and skills to create a healthier, safer environment for everyone.
“If you or someone you know experiences this form of violence and abuse, you would want to know that services like ours exist in your community and is accessible to everyone, regardless of your income, race, gender, age and faith,” Hanna said.
By offering outreach and workshop programs, it helps individuals cultivate healthy relationships, build resilience and start conversations to create change, said Lawrence.
The nonprofit is active with the Job Corps in McKinney on a weekly basis, she added, to let “the new students there know about our services and working closely with them.”
Additionally, working in the school districts post pandemic has presented challenges, said Lawrence, but they continue to let school counseling staff know about their resources.
Some of the prevention work they do include presentations with groups of youth, or even youth serving adults, talking about some of the core foundations of healthy relationships, boundaries, consent, how to support a friend who’s experienced sexual violence, how to intervene, and more said Lawrence.
“I think one of the biggest challenges that we have here in Collin County is that we’ve been here for so long many people are not aware of our services.”
Ten percent of their clients are male, said Lawrence, adding there’s stigmas for men who have been abused — especially child abuse as well as sexual abuse.
“Part of it is destigmatizing and trying to break down some of the barriers, even just in the communities,” she said. “If people were not so hesitant to speak about it, it wouldn’t become so stigmatized and silent.”
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and The Turning Point is leading the charge in sparking meaningful dialogue, challenging stigma and empowering survivors through multiple engagement initiatives.
The nonprofit is hosting events like the “Our Community Supports Survivors” gathering — an annual affair aimed at fostering resilience and celebrating the strength of survivors. This year’s event, themed “Blossoming Beyond,” scheduled for Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Art Centre of Plano, shines a light on stories of growth and healing.
As part of their educational initiative, the nonprofit is hosting a panel discussion April 10 at UTD about how to advocate for change, how individuals can make a difference when it comes to policy, and much more.
“We’re often the last line,” Lawrence said. “If someone has experienced abuse or assault, they often turn to a family member or friend or somebody close to them in their community first. We hope to empower the community to know how to respond in this instance, to know how to connect them with help or how to validate their experiences so that they are not retraumatized in the process of trying to share a really vulnerable or horrific experience with another person.”