Sexual Violence / Assault

(See related pages: DNA / Forensics, Sexual Violence / Assault on Campus, Trafficking in Persons, Pornography and Prostitution / Sex Industry.)

– The 'Justice Gap' for Sexual Assault Cases: Future Directions for Research and Reform, K.A. Lonsway & J. Archambault, Violence Against Women, 2012, 18(2), 145-168.

The Center for Women and Families – offers services to all survivors of intimate partner abuse or sexual violence. Our clients include men, and gay, lesbian and transgender people in addition to women and dependent children. We provide a variety of residential and nonresidential services including emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling and advocacy. If you or someone you love has experienced sexual assault or partner abuse at any point, please remember that help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through our toll-free crisis line: 877-803-7577, Louisville, KY.

Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence – a statewide coalition of individual sexual assault crisis programs. The Alliance works to end sexual violence through victim assistance, community education, and public policy advocacy, East Hartford, CT.

CounterQuo – challenging the way we respond to sexual violence.

Dworkin, Andrea – was an internationally renowned as a radical feminist activist and author who helped break the silence around violence against women. In her determination to articulate the experiences of poor, lower-class, marginal, and prostituted women, Dworkin deepened public awareness of rape, battery, pornography, and prostitution.

End Violence Against Women International – provides effective, victim centered, multi-disciplinary training and expert consultation regarding crimes of sexual assault and domestic violence. EVAW International also seeks to identify and disseminate effective primary prevention programs for men and risk reduction programs for women, Colville, WA.

2016, 2015, 2014 and 2012 Annual Reports

Brochure

EVAWI Hires New Staff to Assist You, December 10, 2013

OnLineTraining Institute

Welcome to Kristina Rose: EVAWI's New Executive Director!, August 24, 2017

The Enliven Project – is a truth-telling campaign to bring sexual violence out of the closet and convert the most powerful bystanders to new allies. Sexual violence is the biggest issue we aren't talking about in America. Incorporating lessons from the gay rights and AIDS movements and campaigns like Opportunity Nation, The Enliven Project will tell the truth about sexual violence in classrooms, break-rooms, and board-rooms, enlisting the most powerful bystanders to join the movement, promoting the most promising interventions, and increasing justice and acceptance for survivors everywhere. See Blog.

Girls Education & Mentoring Services (GEMS) – empowers young women, ages 12-21 years, who have experienced sexual exploitation and violence to exit unsafe and abusive lifestyles and to develop their full potential. GEMS provides young women with empathetic, consistent support and viable opportunities for positive change, New York, NY.

Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Center for Social Work Research, School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin – the mission is to advance the knowledge base related to domestic violence and sexual assault in an effort to end violence. IDVSA accomplishes this through supporting research on domestic violence and sexual assault and by providing training, technical assistance, and information dissemination to the practitioner community and the community at large. It is the vision of IDVSA that its multi-disciplinary, researcher-practitioner, collaborative approach will enhance the quality and relevance of research efforts and their application in service provision, Austin, TX.

It Happened to Alexa Foundation, founded by the parents of a rape survivor, the Foundation’s purpose is to help support other survivors and parents through the trauma of the criminal trial, in the hopes that more women will go through with prosecution in order to put these perpetrators behind bars, Lewiston, NY. See brochure.

Joyful Heart Foundation – the vision is a world free of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Our mission is to transform society's response to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, support survivors' healing, and end this violence forever. We deliver our mission through a program portfolio that includes three integrated areas: healing, education and advocacy, New York, NY.

Joyful Heart Foundation Accomplishments, 2011-2012.

Ten-Year Strategic Plan, 2015.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's speech at The National Press Club, Washington, DC, March 13, 2013.

Men Can Stop Rape – mobilizes male youth to prevent men’s violence against women.  We build young men’s capacity to challenge harmful aspects of traditional masculinity, to value alternative visions of male strength, and to embrace their vital role as allies with women and girls in fostering healthy relationships and gender equity, Washington, DC.

Men Stopping Rape, Inc. – since 1983 has provided a forum for men who are interested in ending violence in their community and in their own lives. We provide workshops and trainings on sexual assault, dating violence, masculinity, homophobia, and rape culture from the perspective that since men statistically have perpetrated the vast number of acts of violence in our culture, they must be involved in its eradication, Madison, WI.

The Monument Quilt: a public healing space by and for survivors of rape and abuse – is an on-going collection of stories from survivors of rape and abuse. Written, stitched, and painted onto red fabric, our stories are displayed in city and town centers to create and demand public space to heal. The quilt resists the popular and narrow narrative of how sexual violence occurs by telling many stories, not one. The quilt builds a new culture where survivors are publicly supported, rather than publicly shamed. To date, over 1,000 collected quilt squares have been displayed in 22 different cities across the US (read more on CNN and MSNBC). As the quilt continues to grow, survivors, loved ones and supporters are encouraged to make a square. In a culminating display in Washington DC, 6,000 fabric squares will blanket over one mile of the national mall to spell “Not Alone.”

National Alliance to End Sexual Violence – utilizes a comprehensive grassroots communication network to coordinate national public policy alerts, ensure funding for rape crisis programs across the country, and provide input to governments and nonprofit organizations addressing sexual assault. NAESV represents state sexual assault coalitions – including those addressing both sexual assault and domestic violence – and individuals interested in ending sexual violence, Washington, DC.

Brochure

Staff Announcements, December 2015

National Clearinghouse on Marital and Date Rape

National Indian Country Clearinghouse on Sexual Assault – strives to be your one-stop, comprehensive source for information on sexual violence in Indian Country. NICCSA provides a FREE helpline for professionals, 1-855-464-2272 (M-F, 8 am - 4 pm PT).

National Organization Against the Sexual Victimization of Men (MaleSurvivor) – overcoming sexual victimization of boys and men, Washington, DC.

National Organization of Asian Pacific Islander Ending Sexual Violence – provides technical assistance and support to local / community-based programs and governmental organizations in enhancing their services to victims of sexual violence from the Asian and Pacific Islander communities nationally and in the U.S. territories, Des Moines, IA.

National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault – the fundamental principal is to work with our communities to give voice and develop action strategies that incorporate and address the multiple layers of discrimination that are faced by Women of Color. We employ a multi-strategy approach of: supporting and enhancing the leadership of Women of Color; advocacy and support for organization by and for Communities of Color to assist in their efforts to raise the consciousness, outrage and accountability within their communities regarding violence against women; educating and training on sexual assault and Communities of Color; advocacy strategies to ensure that the realities of our communities inform systems change and public policy; and collaborative efforts with other social justice movements to create an environment where all forms of injustices cease to exist, Canton, CT.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center – a vital center for information, resources and research related to all aspects of sexual violence. It serves and supports state and territory coalitions, local rape crisis centers, government and tribal entities, universities, researchers, and the general public. With a large and growing library of resources, the NSVRC responds to requests for information and augments grassroots efforts to end sexual violence by distributing information and materials, including prevention tools. It coordinates efforts with other organizations and projects; provides technical assistance and customized information packets on specific topics; and maintains a website of current information on conferences, funding opportunities, research and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The NSVRC produces a semiannual newsletter, The Resource, and booklets that focus on underserved populations. As a project of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), the NSVRC provides resources and identifies emerging issues related to the difficult task of ending sexual violence, Harrisburg, PA.

Blogs

PCAR / NSVRC CEO Delilah Rumburg Announces Retirement After Two Decades of Transformative Leadership in Sexual Violence Prevention and Response, July 10, 2017.

State and Territory Coalitions

YouTube Channel

New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault – the mission is to provide leadership in creating a society in which rape and sexual assault are not tolerated, and in which survivors receive appropriate support and intervention. This is accomplished by uniting organizations, influencing policy and through advocacy, education and research, New York, NY.

pave – promoting awareness, victim empowerment (PAVE) is a multi-chapter national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that uses education and action to shatter the silence of sexual violence through targeted social, educational and legislative tactics, Alexandria, VA. See promotional flyer.

Peace Over Violence – a non-profit, feminist, multi-cultural, volunteer organization dedicated to building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence. To achieve this mission our agency manages five departments delivering the services of Emergency, Intervention, Prevention, Education and Advocacy. POV is formerly known as the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women, Los Angeles, CA.

2009-2010 and 2011-2012 Annual Reports

Sexual Harassment, It's Off Limits, March 14, 2017.

We Stand in Solidarity with the LGBTQ Community!, August 2, 2017. 

Every year since 1999, Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The campaign was originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. In this rape prevention education campaign we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault, Los Angeles, CA. See infographic of 2014 Denim Day.

 

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape – an organization working at the state and national levels to prevent sexual violence. Incepted in 1975, PCAR continues to use its voice to challenge public attitudes, raise public awareness, and effect critical changes in public policy, protocols, and responses to sexual violence, Harrisburg, PA.

PCAR / NSVRC CEO Delilah Rumburg Announces Retirement After Two Decades of Transformative Leadership in Sexual Violence Prevention and Response, July 10, 2017.

prevenTN.com, Tennessee Coalition To End Domestic & Sexual Violence – this site serves as a simple, valuable reference tool for advocates, professionals and other individuals working in Tennessee to prevent sexual violence, Nashville, TN.

Project GHB – a source of vital communication as more & more information about GHB comes to light and is also a forum for rape, overdose & addiction victims & their families, to share their stories and forewarn others, Mesa, AZ.

Raliance – a collaborative initiative dedicated to ending sexual violence in one generation. As the go-to resource for policymakers, advocates, service providers, prevention practitioners and the media, Raliance boldly and innovatively advances the field nationally. Raliance is comprised of three national sexual violence prevention organizations – National Sexual Violence Resource Center, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault-PreventConnect and National Alliance to End Sexual Violence – with over 70 years of anti sexual violence activism. Raliance – be the generation that ends sexual violence, Washington, DC.

Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. See RPE State Profiles.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) – the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice, Washington, DC.

Resource Sharing Project – created to help state sexual assault coalitions across the country access the resources they need in order to develop and thrive. The project is designed to provide technical assistance, support and to facilitate peer-driven resources for all statewide sexual assault coalitions. The project recognizes the needs of all coalitions, especially those designated as new or emerging regarding issues of organizational growth, professional development and policy development, Des Moines, IA.

Deepening Our Roots – training and technical assistance program targeted to Office on Violence Against Women Rural Grantee dual / multi-service agencies and state / territory sexual assault coalitions.

Refugees International – focuses on sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations peacekeeping missions, Washington, DC.

Russell, Dr. Diana E.H. – one of the foremost experts on sexual violence against women and girls in the world. For the past 25 years she has been deeply engaged in research on this topic and has produced numerous books and articles that have become authoritative sources on rape (including wife rape), incest, the misogynist murder of women, and pornography.

Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) – provides free counseling and support services for women, children of all ages, and men who have experienced sexual assault and/or abuse, Charlottesville, VA.

Sexual Assault Training & Investigations (organization of retired Sgt. Joanne Archambault) – provides effective, victim centered, multi-disciplinary training and expert consultation regarding crimes of sexual assault, Addy, WA.

Sexual Violence Center – provides more than 2,000 youth and adults with 24-hour crisis phone service, individual counseling, support groups, advocacy and legal clinics at no cost. They work with community systems, such as hospitals, law enforcement agencies, courts, schools, and other social services organizations, to assist sexual assault victims and prevent sexual violence. In addition, they educate over 20,000 people through community education and professional training efforts, Minneapolis, MN.

Sexual Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

Sexual Violence Prevention, Minnesota Department of Health – the exists to help people and organizations find effective ways to prevent sexual violence. We work to ensure that Minnesota's efforts are coordinated and represent best practices in prevention, St. Paul, MN.

Sexual Violence Research Initiative – an important contribution to eliminating sexual violence by simultaneously addressing the lack of research on the different aspects of sexual violence as well as drawing attention of a wide range of people including policy makers and the media, to this important public health issue, Pretoria, ZA.

Spikey® – the anti drink spiking stopper, Alfold, Surrey, UK.

Take Back the Night® – in the late 1960s, TBTN began holding events in the United States after coming stateside from Europe. The Foundation’s Board Members and supporters came together to unite the hundreds of events being held under the TBTN banner around the world. Many of our Board Members participated in our earliest Events and bring with them their unique experiences with TBTN to shape our focus and future. All of our Board Members stand together with passion for our cause. Sexual and domestic violence continues to occur in epidemic proportions. People across the world are taking back their voices by speaking out. Take Back The Night® is a beacon of hope for millions.

Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (English and Español) – is committed to ending sexual violence in Texas through education, prevention, and advocacy. In the meantime, we desire to support survivors on their paths to hope, healing and justice. TAASA is the voice of the sexual assault movement in Texas. We are a unifying force bringing together parties involved in and affected by sexual assault as a catalyst for change, Austin, TX.

85th Legislative Session Update, August 2017

Turn Texas Teal, 2016

Together for Girls – in partnership with national governments, civil society and the private sector, Together for Girls brings attention to the issue of sexual violence against girls in support of country driven efforts for change. Our approach builds on partner's diverse advocacy, policy and service delivery platforms to support a comprehensive response to this complex issue.

Victim Rights Law Center – provides sexual assault victims with free legal help. Our mission is to give sexual assault victims the legal information they need to reclaim their lives and to become survivors, Boston, MA and Portland, OR.

The Voices and Faces Project – a non-profit national survivor network created to give voice and face to survivors of sexual violence, offering a sense of solidarity and possibility to those who have lived through abuse, while raising awareness of how this human rights and public health issue impacts victims, families and communities, Chicago, IL.

Women's Justice Center (English / Español) – provides advocacy, free of charge, for victims of rape, domestic violence, and child abuse, particularly in the Latina and other under served communities of Sonoma County; provides advocacy training and community education; coordinates the Task Force on Women in Policing with the goal of increasing the number of women and minorities in our law enforcement agencies; and is committed to equal justice for all women and girls, Santa Rosa, CA.

News Round-Up (some in English and some in Español)

Newsletter, December 2013

WomensLaw.org (English / Español) – the mission is to provide easy-to-understand legal information and resources to women living with or escaping domestic violence. By reaching out through the Internet, we empower women and girls to lead independent and productive lives, free from abuse, New York, NY.

Sexual Assault / Rape (English / Español)

Marital / Partner Rape (English / Español)