Violence Intervention and Prevention Services

The YWCA Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs (VIP) provide comprehensive crisis and counseling services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, including a crisis hotline, individual and group counseling and medical and court accompaniments. Services are available to victims and non-offending family members of all ages and genders and are free and confidential. One in three women and one in four men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, and nearly one in five women and one in seventy-one men have reported experiencing rape at some time in their lives.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking, call the YWCA’s 24-hour crisis hotline: 1-800-654-1211. A list of services provided to victims is available here.

What is Domestic Violence?

  • Physical abuse: throwing objects, hitting, using weapons, etc.
  • Verbal or emotional abuse: criticism, name calling, withholding affection, etc.
  • Sexual abuse: rape, unwanted touching or sexual practices, incest, child molestation, etc.
  • Economic abuse: withholding or lying about assets, preventing access to employment, etc.
  • Psychological: intimidation, threating, harassment, isolation from friends, etc.
  • WARNING: an abuser may try to track your internet activities. Follow these instructions to clear your computer history.

What is Sexual Assault?

  • One of the most dramatically underreported crimes in the United States with two-thirds of attacks not reported
  • Crime of power and control; anyone can be a victim of sexual assault no matter what age, gender, ethnicity, or economic class
  • Forcing sexual contact through physical or psychological means
  • Tricking or coercing one to expose body parts
  • Presenting pornographic materials to minors
  • Fondling, rape, incest
  • Child sexual molestation
  • Sexual harassment

What is Human Trafficking?

  • Modern day slavery
  • Industry generates more than $32 billion a year
  • Traffickers use force, fraud and coercion to control victims and use them for labor or servitude
  • Occurs in restaurants, hotels/motels, farms, factories, homes, strip clubs, brothels, etc.
  • Victims can be from other countries (international victims) or from the United States (domestic  victims)
  • Forms of human trafficking include labor trafficking, organ trafficking, and/or sex trafficking

Prevention Education Services

  • Are essential to the reduction and prevention of violence
  • YWCA staff provide free, age-appropriate workshops at preschools, elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, high schools, colleges, community groups, and to professional organizations and businesses  
  • Topics covered include dating violence, date rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, body rights, statutory rape, violence prevention, conflict resolution, anger management and personal safety

Violence/Sexual Assault Survivor Groups

  • Available to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and their significant others
  • Designed to provide safe, confidential space to promote healing from DV/SA through peer support and facilitated group interaction
  • All groups are free and confidential and are available to women adult survivors, male adult survivors, and for friends and loved ones who wish to learn how to provide support to victims
  • Drop-ins welcome, call 717-238-7273 for times and locations 
  • Children’s groups are specially scheduled; call 1-800-654-1211 for more information

PAATH to Success Mentor ProgramThe PAATH to Success Mentoring Program is designed to reduce anti-social behaviors and risk factors in youth while building in protective factors that decrease a child’s risk of participating in or becoming a victim to community violence and trauma.

  • 15-month mentoring program for youth age 12-17
  • Provides structured and informal activities and experiences
  • Develops life and social skills
  • Builds healthy relationships
  • Encourages positive lifestyle choices
  • If interested please contact a representative at 717-238-7273 or mentoring@ywcahbg.org. Mentor applications can be found here.

Volunteer Training

  • Individuals interested in volunteering with victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are required to complete victim advocate training
  • Opportunities include staffing the crisis hotline, providing medical and legal accompaniments, facilitating support groups, assisting staff in shelter, providing childcare, and assisting with clerical duties
  • Must be 18 years old and over, interested in working with victims, available to volunteer on evenings and weekends, be willing to obtain background clearances, and complete combined classroom and online training, as well as a field practicum
  • If interested please contact  Samantha Kocher: Director of Violence Intervention and Prevention Services, 717-238-7273 or skocher@ywcahbg.org

For more information, please contact Samantha Kocher: Director of Violence Intervention and Prevention Services, 717-238-7273 or skocher@ywcahbg.org

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