Survivor Creates App to Help Others Navigate Assault Recovery

Jess Michaels stood before more than 100 advocates, therapists, and community partners in Johnstown with a message that's changing how people support sexual assault survivors.

The keynote speaker at the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center's second annual summit shared how understanding neuroscience transformed her own healing journey. She spent decades wondering why she froze during her 1991 assault instead of fighting back, until she learned how the brain actually responds to threats.

"The decision-making part of the brain shuts down when the nervous system detects a threat," Michaels explained. When escape seems impossible, the body protects itself by shutting down—just like pulling your hand from a hot stove is reflexive, not strategic.

That revelation didn't just heal her own shame. It sparked a mission to help others.

Why This Inspires

Michaels is now developing #WithYouToo, a social safety app currently in beta testing that gives people practical tools to support survivors effectively. She's teaching communities across Colorado to approach sexual assault as an injury first, before turning it into an investigation.

"I believe we get more justice this way," she said. By creating safety and understanding before pressing for legal action, survivors feel empowered rather than traumatized all over again.

The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center exemplifies this approach. The organization serves survivors in Weld and Larimer counties through a 24-hour crisis hotline staffed by 22 trained volunteers who undergo 40 hours of preparation.

Heather Washburn, who serves on the center's board of directors, says the key is meeting survivors where they are. No matter their background or willingness to report to police, the center provides support without judgment.

Sarah VanVlerah, the center's volunteer coordinator, notes that volunteers often stay on the phone with survivors for hours and emotionally invest in every caller. Their goal is simple: help survivors feel safe again.

The April summit kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Month by bringing together the center's network of supporters to learn better practices. Michaels' presentation gave them scientific backing for what they already knew instinctively—listening without judgment can be transformative.

From professional dancer to survivor advocate, Michaels is proving that understanding trauma can break its power.