During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we’re shining a light on one of the most immediate and compassionate services Fort Bend Women’s Center provides: our Hospital Accompaniment Response Team (HART).
When someone experiences a sexual assault, they are thrust into a traumatic and deeply disorienting situation. In the hours that follow, survivors often find themselves at a hospital, asked to recount their trauma to strangers, undergo an invasive forensic exam, and possibly interact with law enforcement—all while still in shock.
Now, imagine that during this moment of extreme vulnerability, someone enters the room who offers more than just a kind word. They offer presence. Calm. Safety. Reassurance.
That someone is a HART advocate.
When the Unthinkable Happens, HART Is There
The Hospital Accompaniment Response Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to accompany survivors of sexual assault—children and adults alike—at local hospitals throughout Fort Bend County. These trained advocates provide trauma-informed crisis intervention, walking beside survivors through each step of the process.
HART advocates are not just there to offer emotional support. They explain the forensic exam, outline the survivor’s rights, help answer questions, and ensure the survivor feels seen, heard, and in control. Their presence often transforms a cold, clinical setting into a space of comfort and dignity.
Small Gestures. Big Impact.
HART advocates also provide each survivor with a comfort bag—a small gesture with a powerful impact.
Because survivors may have to surrender their clothing as evidence, the comfort bag includes a new outfit, along with cozy socks, toiletries, and a soft blanket. These items, while simple, help restore a sense of cleanliness and autonomy after the exam.
For children, the comfort bag also includes a stuffed animal, a coloring or activity book, and a storybook—tools that help ease fear and bring comfort in a moment filled with confusion.
Growing Need, Including Children
In 2025, we’ve seen a significant increase in calls for HART support, averaging 8 calls per month—4 adults and 4 children. Just last year, in 2024, we averaged 5 calls per month, supporting 3 adults and 2 children monthly.
These numbers reflect more than data—they represent lives touched, crises eased, and survivors met with care and understanding when they needed it most.
Turning Crisis into a Path Toward Healing
Every survivor’s path to healing is unique, but what they share is the need to feel safe, supported, and informed in the aftermath of trauma. HART ensures they don’t have to face the journey alone.
When the immediate crisis subsides, survivors receive information about Fort Bend Women’s Center services, local resources, and Crime Victims' Compensation options—empowering them to take the next steps toward recovery.
You Can Stand With Survivors
This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we invite you to reflect on the impact a single moment of compassion can make. HART is just one way Fort Bend Women’s Center provides critical, trauma-informed care to survivors—and we can’t do it without your support.
Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, or spread the word, your action sends a powerful message: no one should have to face trauma alone.
Together, we can make healing possible.