In the News

Feb. 10, 2025 - “We are very concerned about meeting demand, especially with the rhetoric going around right now, we are trying to focus on taking in as many survivors as possible,” Swick said.

Feb. 5, 2025 - Meet Tlalli Calderon, 2024 RISE Featured Artist and local artist. Learn more about her journey, artwork, and what's next.

Jan. 3, 2025 - The Blue Bench is training bar employees to identify and prevent sex crimes at their establishments.

Dec. 24, 2024 - “We know there’s a correlation between alcohol and sexual violence,” said Kaity Gray, director of community education at The Blue Bench. “Alcohol doesn’t cause sexual violence, but it is a tool the perpetrator uses."

Dec. 19, 2024 - While holding the title as Miss Colorado for America Strong 2021 as Miss Highlands Ranch, Sanders collaborated with a nonprofit organization called The Blue Bench to advocate for ongoing rape prevention education to be part of the curriculum in schools.

Dec. 3, 2024 – Caring for Denver Foundation is excited to announce more than $14 million in grant funding to 30 community-based organizations dedicated to addressing gaps in mental health and substance misuse care.

Nov. 22, 2024 - According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it’s around 50 percent overall and up to 77 percent on college campuses. “We know that alcohol does not cause sexual violence, but it is a big part of it,” said Kaity Gray, Community Education Director for The Blue Bench, a local nonprofit committed to eliminating sexual assault.

Nov. 12, 2024 - The Blue Bench, which helps survivors of sexual violence, will cut its therapy team from six therapists to one, amid a 35% funding cut from federal dollars.

Oct. 31, 2024 - On November 1, the Blue Bench, Denver's only sexual assault prevention organization, will launch its fifth annual Change on Tap campaign, in which partnering bars and restaurants receive educational materials, resources and training on how to combat sexual harassment and assault in their establishments.

Oct. 29, 2024 - The state went from getting $31.3 million in VOCA funds in fiscal year 2017 to about $13.6 million in the most recent fiscal year, when the money was stretched to help support more than 125,000 survivors—mostly women who were victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, Department of Justice data shows.

Sept. 30, 2024 - Laura Patlan, Co-Director of Client Services, sat down with Jenny Stith, Executive Director at Wings, and the Caring for Denver Foundation to delve deeper into the mental health implications of sexual assault and the various interventions available for healing.

Sept. 24,2024 - "We got our VOCA notification, and when we look at year over year, we're losing about 45% of our funding from [fiscal year] 2024 to 2025," said Megan Carvajal, executive director of The Blue Bench

Sept. 23, 2024 - Kaylyn Fern, director of Philanthropy at The Blue Bench, emphasized the significance of the program: “Denver is a city that strongly values social responsibility. With the high prevalence of sexual violence and harassment, our SHIELD certification enables businesses to demonstrate their commitment to creating a safe work environment and supporting survivors..."

Sept. 11, 2024 - "Having the control of being able to do it yourself with guidance or with clear instructions feels a lot more empowering than someone else, even if it's a well-intentioned healthcare professional touching you in an area that might unfortunately have associations with previous trauma," said Ana Martinez, co-director of client services with The Blue Bench.

April 28, 2024 - The new legislation is an expansion of the Rape Shield law that stops certain pieces of victim information from being used as evidence in court.