NEWS RELEASE – March 31, 2025
ARH hosts "Take Back the Night" event
Middlesboro, March 31, 2025 – Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) is hosting “Take Back the Night,” an event aimed at raising awareness about sexual abuse and violence. This important event will take place at the Middlesboro Community Center on April 4 from 6:00-8:00 PM.
Tara Dewees, the ARH Director of Behavioral Health Outreach and Recovery Services, comments, “Since April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, we want to raise awareness and highlight healing and empowerment for survivors. Awareness is the first step toward change, and we stand together to support survivors and end the stigma surrounding sexual assault.”
The event will feature guest speakers including:
- Rebecca Lee Akers, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC from ARH Women’s and Family Health Center in Middlesboro
- Cheryl Caudill, Domestic Violence Advocate
- Tara Dewees, ARH Director of Behavioral Health Outreach and Recovery Services
- April Wallace, Peer Recovery Coach at Middlesboro ARH Hospital
- Katherine Burkhart, Operation UNITE Coalition Coordinator.
Dewees says, “We hope to connect survivors with resources and support networks to assist them on their healing journey and empower others to seek help.”
Topics include the importance of reaching out for help, domestic violence, and the impact of sexual assault on mental health. Mike Taylor, Bell County Commonwealth Attorney and the Senesi of the Boone Trail School of Isshub-ryu Karate, will speak about self-defense techniques. Parents considering bringing their children should be aware that some discussion topics involve mature subject matter, which may be confusing and/or inappropriate for young audiences.
Dewees emphasizes the urgency of raising awareness, noting that recent statistics indicate an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and every nine minutes, the victim is a child.
Community partners for the event include the ROHR Women’s Recovery Center, Cumberland River Comprehensive Care, Operation UNITE, Winds of Change, Cumberland Valley Domestic Violence Services, RRJ Solutions, and the University of Kentucky.
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.