Our History
The Sexual Assault Center was started in 1978 in response to a community need for services to sexual assault victims. It began as part of the Crisis Intervention Center. Two Vanderbilt students, Rebecca McCulloh and Keith Wilson, were volunteer phone counselors at CIC and realized many of the calls were from rape victims. Consequently, they decided to establish a hotline to specifically address sexual assault issues. From this effort, evolved the extensive counseling and education services we now offer.
Originally named the Rape & Sexual Abuse Center (RASAC), the name was changed to the Sexual Assault Center (SAC) in 2008 when the center moved to French Landing Drive.
The founders of SAC presented their stories about the inception of the Center at the 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2003. Their remembrances and passion inspired past and present Board, staff, and volunteers. It is amazing to see how closely we have held to the goals and ideals that first established the organization. It is also amazing to see the ways in which the Center has grown. The legacy of Reverend Rebecca McCulloh and Dr. Keith Wilson continues to live on in the success stories of the clients we help heal and in the educational outreach programs we provide to the Nashville community today.
Reverend McCulloh now resides in North Carolina and is the Director and Mental Health Counselor of Taking Care of You and a Pastor at Chapel Hill Christian Church.
Dr. Wilson and his wife have recently moved back to Middle Tennessee and he is employed at the Fort Campbell Military Base in Clarksville.
Milestones
- 1978 Crisis Response Line began
- 1980 Short-term Counseling was offered to victims of sexual assault
- 1981 two grants enabled the Center to develop Community Awareness Education projects
- 1984 first full-time Executive Director, Norma Calaway-Fagan, was hired
- 1988 a fire destroys the Center’s building and records
- 1993 Tim Tohill was hired as Executive Director when Ms. Calaway-Fagan retired
- 1997 Center received the Marvin Runion Leadership Award for Management of a Turnaround
- 1998 over $1.3M was raised in a Capital Campaign led by Lisa Campbell to purchase property at 25 Lindsley Avenue and establish an endowment
- 1998 “Safe @ Last” education program is begun in local schools
- 2003 Legacy Society for planned giving was established in recognition of the 25th anniversary
- 2007 “Be. Promoting Healthy Teen Relationships” is piloted for 7th, 9th, and 11th graders
- 2007 A capital campaign was begun to allow for the Center to expand its programs
- 2008 SAC relocates to a new facility in Metro Center at 101 French Landing Drive