I support survivors of sexual violence!

Every day in Chicago, women, children, and men are dealing with the immediate - and often life long - effects of sexual violence.  Since 1974, Rape Victim Advocates (RVA) has been here to help rape victims—free of charge—offering personal support, giving them accurate information about their rights, and providing experienced advocacy. From a hand to hold in the emergency room, to clothes to wear home, to an advocate to stand beside them in court, RVA gives survivors of sexual violence the individualized help they need to begin moving beyond the trauma to live healthy, whole lives.

Our dedicated, compassionate and well-trained staff and volunteers stand ready—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—to provide much needed crisis intervention in 12 hospitals across Chicago.  In addition to providing more medical advocacy services than any other rape crisis program in the city, RVA offers legal advocacy and counseling services, including specialized services for children and adolescents.  RVA then goes further, working to change attitudes through professional training workshops that reach hundreds of police officers, state’s attorneys, and medical personnel each year.  We also work to prevent future sexual violence by giving prevention education workshops to thousands of children and youth. 

We cannot do this work alone. With your help, RVA can continue to change lives.  In 2008, RVA impacted thousands of lives by providing crucial assistance including 4,714 advocacy, counseling, and referral services and 383 violence prevention workshops to children and youth.  RVA’s free services are: 

Ø   Immediate.  Around the clock, our staff and volunteers provide medical advocacy to sexual assault survivors. RVA serves more people in the emergency room than any other rape crisis center in Chicago.

Ø Necessary.  The quality of treatment a victim receives immediately following a sexual assault has a dramatic and beneficial impact on his or her recovery.  Despite this, neither the City of Chicago nor Cook County fund rape crisis services.

Ø Comprehensive.  RVA ensures sexual assault survivors are not alone immediately after the assault.  We provide continuous support as they struggle with the emotional aftermath and legal complexities.  RVA also cares for survivors’ loved ones through couples and family counseling.

Ø   Responsive. By serving many hospitals across the Chicago metropolitan area and by having multiple community-based sites, RVA reaches a diverse group of survivors in traditionally underserved communities.  All of our programs and services are informed by our direct involvement with survivors. 

Your support is tax-deductible (minus Eventbrite service fees). Please help us make a difference.  Your generous support ensures that survivors of sexual violence have compassionate and well–trained advocates who will be with them, step-by-step, through their journey of healing.  

With gratitude,                                                                                    

Sharmili Majmudar    

Executive Director

P.S.  RVA understands that this is a financially challenging time for many of our supporters.  It is during times like these that we need your support more than ever to ensure RVA’s comprehensive services can be given freely to all those in need.  Please make a gift today!