Oleta ‘Lee’ Abrams, 77; Co-Founded Nation’s First Rape Crisis Center
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Oleta “Lee” Kirk Abrams, 77, who co-founded the nation’s first rape crisis center nearly 35 years ago, died Jan. 8 at a Berkeley medical center after a short illness.
In 1971, Abrams founded the nonprofit Bay Area Women Against Rape, which still serves hundreds of women each year from its Oakland offices, after her 15-year-old foster daughter was raped at Berkeley High School.
At the hospital, the girl was kept from her family. When she finally saw a doctor, he made jokes but never checked her for pregnancy or venereal disease, according to news reports at the time.
“She was treated like a piece of meat. There was no compassion, nothing that helped deal with the emotion” of the rape, said Abrams’ daughter, Rebecca.
Infuriated, Abrams and two other women founded the organization, which now offers a 24-hour rape crisis hotline, counseling, educational programs and survivor advocacy services to women of all ages and backgrounds.
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