Two Leaders to Receive Top Awards for Sexual Assault Advocacy

INDIANAPOLIS — In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault (ICESA) is honoring two trailblazing advocates for their life-long commitment to supporting survivors and transforming community responses to violence.

The awards will be presented Tuesday April 28, during ICESA’s annual convening in Indianapolis. The honorees, from Fort Wayne and Muncie, represent a combined 60 years of service to the state.

National Recognition for Fort Wayne Leader
Dottie Davis, a retired deputy chief of the Fort Wayne Police Department, will receive the national Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Davis is one of only 24 people in the country to receive the honor this year.

During her 30-year career in law enforcement, Davis led the Crisis Intervention Team and developed a statewide toolkit to bridge the gap between police officers and victim service providers.

“Dottie Davis and Teresa Clemmons represent the spirit and energy of what is possible in the movement to end sexual violence,” said Beth White, president and CEO of ICESA. “These two extraordinary women have served their communities with compassion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to lifting up our survivors.”

Lifetime Achievement in Muncie
Teresa Clemmons, the Executive Director of A Better Way in Muncie, will be the first-ever recipient of the Priscilla D. Thomas Keith Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award.

Clemmons has spent over three decades expanding survivor services across East Central Indiana. Her organization is one of only 17 certified Rape Crisis Centers in the state. The award is named after the late Priscilla D. Keith, a former ICESA board chair and prominent advocate.

The Current Landscape in Indiana
The recognition comes as Indiana continues to face sexual violence rates that exceed the national average. According to ICESA data:

1 in 3 women in Indiana experience sexual assault in their lifetime.
1 in 4 men report experiencing sexual violence.
Indiana high school students report rates of sexual assault and rape that are higher than the national average.

About ICESA
ICESA empowers Indiana communities to prevent sexual assault and serve those impacted through comprehensive training, advocacy, public awareness and coordinated sexual assault services.