Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is excited to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $3,250,000 through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and a second grant through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office from the State Victim Assistance Act (SVAA) of $12,657.33, for a total of $3,262,657.33. This is the largest grant in Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s history.
The funds will allow Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to impact more than 44,000 people through its counseling, advocacy and outreach services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties.
“This past year, we were able to expand our services and create stand-alone locations in Westlake and Ashtabula, all with the goal to make sure survivors in all areas can receive compassionate response and access to high-quality services,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “Thanks to the funding from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, we will be able to continue to serve survivors of sexual abuse and rape so they can live healthy and productive lives.”
Thanks to funding from the VOCA program in 2016, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center impacted more than 36,729 people throughout Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties with survivor services, prevention program, outreach efforts and trainings. Specifically, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center:
“I am pleased to provide this grant to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center,” said Attorney General DeWine. “I appreciate the work of the Center, which provides comprehensive services and support to survivors of sexual assault, not only in Cuyahoga County, but to those living in neighboring counties as well.”
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is pleased to announce the opening of its new Ashtabula Office, located at 5021 State Road, Ashtabula, OH, 44004 to provide direct services to survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
The Ashtabula Office will offer survivors of rape and sexual abuse with an option to access specialized services including counseling, victim assistance and support groups close to home.
“Survivors of rape and sexual abuse live in every community in Northeast Ohio, and with the opening of the new Ashtabula Office, our goal is to help survivors access our premier services close to home,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “We’re proud to now offer counseling for adults and children, victim assistance and support groups in the new location.”
The Ashtabula Office provides convenient access to specialized services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, including
Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives[1]. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, with nearly two-thirds of rapes never reported, and only 12 percent of child sexual abuse reported to authorities[2].
“We welcome survivors of rape and sexual abuse to access our services no matter how long ago they were harmed,” said Miller. “Many of our clients come to us months, years, or even decades later. We want all survivors to know: you are not alone, and you can recover and lead a healthy and happy life.”
To make an appointment or learn more, call (440) 423-2020 or request an appointment online at clevelandrapecrisis.org.
The opening of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s Ashtabula Office has been made possible by funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
[1] Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S .G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf
[2] Hanson, R. F., Resnick, H. S., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Best, C. (1999). Factors related to the reporting of childhood rape. Child Abuse and Neglect, 23, 559–569. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00028-9
Dear friends of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center,
The issue of sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape continues to dominate the news headlines. Yesterday, survivors from Cleveland Rape Crisis Center joined the national conversation by telling their own stories and showing that sexual violence doesn’t just occur in Hollywood and D.C., unfortunately, it happens in every one of our neighborhoods.
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To watch the clip that aired yesterday on CBS Evening News with a group of local survivors, click here. For the extended version, click here. Thank you to the survivors for your strength and courage to share your stories.
We understand that increased coverage on this topic can be encouraging for some, inspiring them to share their own stories; and draining for others, reminding them constantly of their own trauma. Please know that you are not alone.
We want to remind you that whether you share your story or not, we’re here for you and we believe you. For help or a listening ear, our Crisis and Support Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – even on holidays.
Thank you for joining in this important conversation.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Dear friends,
As many of you have seen, over the past few weeks sexual harassment and abuse has risen to the headlines with recent news and campaigns such as #MeToo. As a result, we have experienced an increase in calls, texts and chats from survivors reaching out to start their healing process or people reaching out to get more information for a friend or family member.
While we’re encouraged that so many people are starting their healing process, we also understand that this may be hard for some people to see in their newsfeeds. I will tell you this though – you are not alone.
We are here for you and we believe you.
Please remember that sexual abuse or rape is never the fault of the survivor and it should not have happened to you. No matter if you experienced something last week or decades ago, trauma like this can stir up emotions at any time. If you need support, here are some ways you can reach out:
We hope that these national conversations grow the awareness of this issue and help make change happen. If you ever need immediate support, please reach out to our crisis and support hotline.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Like too many survivors of sexual assault, Kim couldn’t accept that she was not the cause of her abuse. “I thought it was my fault, that I was to blame for what had happened to me,” she explained.
Nightmares and flashbacks haunted Kim for years after she endured abuse at the hands of her stepfather as a teenager. Like so many other sexual assault survivors, she turned to drugs and alcohol to escape: “I medicated myself so I didn’t have to deal with the pain.” It was during Kim’s recovery process from addiction that the traumatic flashbacks began to overwhelm her. No longer numb, Kim didn’t know where to turn or how to deal with the emotions she was experiencing. That is when she found Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.
"I don’t know if it was just being at the Center, or my specific counselor…I just got such a warm welcome."
“I don’t know if it was just being at the Center, or my specific counselor…I just got such a warm welcome. It was like I had been going there for years. I was able to talk honestly to my counselor and really open up. She helped me realize that I was going to get through this, and that I was going to be okay,” Kim says. The counseling Cleveland Rape Crisis Center provided Kim allowed her to begin healing from the sexual abuse she had buried for years. Kim admits that it was often deeply painful to talk about the trauma she had endured, but the more Kim went, the more she realized she had the power to control her own life, and the healing followed.
Self-forgiveness was a major focus of Kim’s work. The next step was forgiving those who had harmed her. This included not only her stepfather, but also her mother, who she felt didn’t believe her when she told her what was happening. “I had always blamed myself for what had happened, and with the Center’s help, I was able to see that it wasn’t my fault. I was just a child. Forgiving myself helped me to forgive my mother and stepfather,” Kim remembers. While Kim shares that she is taking “baby steps” in her healing process with her family, she knows she has the full support of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center behind her.
Kim also credits her counselor at the Center with encouraging her to pursue a career in the mental health and substance abuse field. She realizes that she can make a difference in other people’s lives the same way Cleveland Rape Crisis Center did for her. “I would recommend the Center to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse or assault. The staff will help you overcome the trauma you went through in your life. They helped me to begin to heal, to recover, and to start on a new path in my life.”
You can start on a new path in your life today. Request an Appointment or contact our Crisis and Support Hotline via text, chat or phone to learn more.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is pleased to announce that it has earned a continued three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CRCC is the first and only CARF-accredited independent rape crisis center in the country.
The Center was first accredited by CARF in 2014. This three-year accreditation represents the highest level that can be awarded to an organization by CARF and shows CRCC’s commitment to providing services to its clients at the highest level of care.
“Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is proud to provide our clients with our counseling, advocacy, prevention and education services at the highest level of excellence,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO. “Survivors of rape and sexual abuse deserve compassionate and quality care, and we are proud to earn this recognition of our commitment to serving our clients with excellence.”
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body. Its accreditation demonstrates transparency and accountability to stakeholders and is evidence that an organization is committed to improving efficiency, fiscal health, and service delivery – distinguishing itself from competing organizations through quality.
The CARF accreditation report noted, “Cleveland Rape Crisis Center demonstrated substantial conformance to the standards. … The strengths of the organization are its leadership and its dedicated staff members who are committed to the organization and its mission. The organization is well managed and well respected in the community and by the persons served.”
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services, enhancing the lives of persons served worldwide. The accreditation process applies CARF’s internationally recognized standards during an on-site survey conducted by peer surveyors. Accreditation is an ongoing process that distinguishes a provider’s service delivery and signals to the public that the provider is committed to continuous performance improvement, responsive to feedback, and accountable to the community and its other stakeholders.
About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
It is the mission to support women and men who have been victims of rape and sexual assault. Cleveland Rape Crisis Center remains a safe place where survivors can talk about their experiences without judgement and in safety.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Plain Dealer. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution and Connection, just to name a few.
View The Plain Dealer’s full list of top workplaces:
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2017/06/northeast_ohios_150_top_workpl.html
“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits.” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s mission is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. Each year, the Center serves more than 36,000 people in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties, leveraging 50 full-time staff and more than 100 volunteers.
“Every day, our staff members go above and beyond to provide the level of excellent services that survivors of rape and sexual abuse in our community deserve,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “We’re proud to be recognized as one of the Top Workplaces in Northeast Ohio.”
View current employment opportunities at Cleveland Rape Crisis Center at www.clevelandrapecrisis.org/careers.
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
About Workplace Dynamics, LLC
Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces™ campaign—a program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.
