Photo: Some of our Rape Crisis Program
staff
The Butler County Rape Crisis Program, a service of the Community Counseling
& Crisis Center, was established in 1989 to serve the needs of sexual assault
victims, their family members, and friends. We seek to reduce the trauma
of sexual assault by providing confidential immediate and long-term support for
sexual assault victims 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our goal is to
assist survivors of sexual assault and abuse in their process of recovery and
healing. Services include a 24-hour hotline and 24-hour assistance for
sexual assault victims at area hospital emergency departments and police
departments. The program also provides a
Law Enforcement Liaison
to assist
victims who choose to press charges against their assailants. All Rape
Crisis Program services for sexual assault victims are provided free of charge.
To access any of these services, please telephone our 24-hour hotline at 513-523-4146,
894-7002, or 424-5498, and ask to speak to the on-call Rape Crisis Program
Victim Advocate.
Support
groups
for sexual assault survivors are provided periodically--for an
updated list of currently offered groups, please click on this link.
Over the past decade, the Rape Crisis Program has also worked to reduce the
incidence of sexual assault in our community by providing developmentally
appropriate personal safety programs
for children and rape awareness and prevention programs for teens and adults.
Our Education Specialists are available to provide
presentations in your school,
workplace, or community group.
Consultation and technical assistance are also
available for educators and victim service professionals.
Results
In 2006, Rape Crisis Program staff and volunteers provided
1476 crisis
intervention
contacts for sexual assault victims and their loved ones. Two
specialized support
groups for abused teens and abused women in recovery from
addiction resulted in
774 client contacts. In-school prevention programs reached
an audience of 287
elementary school students and 2113 7th-12th grade students.
The Butler County Rape Crisis Program has been honored with numerous awards,
including the Ohio Court of Claims Award of Excellence, and the Ohio
Attorney General's 2000 Special Achievement Award in recognition of
outstanding service on behalf of crime victims in Ohio.
The Need for Community Volunteers
Without our volunteers, the Rape Crisis Program could not exist.
Volunteer Victim Advocates are trained to provide help, support, and
information for sexual assault victims and their family members.
Volunteers cover "on-call" shifts, during which they are available to assist
clients over the telephone, in our offices, and at area hospitals and police
departments. Training classes are held twice each year in October and May.
Prior to serving as Victim Advocates, all volunteers must complete an
application, interview, background check, and 40-hour training class.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, and must reside in or near
Butler County. Mature, responsible, caring individuals are always needed.
Retirees are welcome and valued! Undergraduate and graduate students
interested in gaining new skills and experience are also encouraged to apply. A
Summer Internship is also offered each year. For more information about
our volunteer program or the Summer Internship, please check out our
Rape Crisis Program Volunteer Opportunities page. To obtain an
application or learn more, please telephone Cassandra von Gerds, Rape Crisis Program
Assistant Director, at 513-523-4149, or email her at
admin@helpandhealing.org
Funding
The Rape Crisis Program is funded primarily through private donations and
grants administered by the
Ohio
Department of Health Rape Prevention Program,
Ohio
Attorney General's Victims of Crime Office,
Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services,
Butler County United Way, and
United Way and Community Chest of Greater Cincinnati. To learn how
you can help support the Rape Crisis Program, please see our
Make a Donation! page.
About our logo:
The butterfly is a symbol of hope,
growth, and transition in many cultures.
Employment Information Links
Volunteer
and Summer Intern Opportunities
Job Opportunities
