Agency Spotlight:

Rape Crisis Center

 

"Envisioning a world free of violence"

 The Rape Crisis Center began in Savannah in 1975 with a group of volunteers answering phones on a 24-hour crisis line. This crisis line was started as a response to the rape of a woman one year earlier. Over the next few years, the volunteers worked to receive funding and support from the community, and became an established organization in 1983. Over 2 decades later, the Rape Crisis Center is still working diligently to spread awareness of sexual abuse, provide support to individuals and work toward their goal of ending violence in the community.

 The mission of the Rape Crisis Center is to provide support and information to victims of rape and child sexual abuse and their families and to provide community education and sexual assault prevention programs for all ages. The Center provides support through a 24 hour crisis line, hospital advocacy, court assistance, counseling, support groups, education and other programs.

 Each year, the Rape Crisis Center reaches approximately 700 adult and child victims and family members of victims. The crisis intervention programs now include SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) and SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners), which makes the reporting process much more responsive to the victim. An additional 15,000 people are reached each year with the various prevention programs for all ages, such as Good Touch/Bad Touch, Bullying Prevention, Rape Awareness, and self defense classes.

 Volunteers are always needed at the Rape Crisis Center on an ongoing and one-time basis. Volunteers assist with the crisis line and hospital advocacy, as well as other tasks as needed. Anyone interested in volunteering must be interviewed and then complete 20 hours of Volunteer Training prior to their service. Please contact Cat Traywick at 912-233-3000 or rccvolunteers@hotmail.com for more information.