Center for Victims (CV) is a community based nonprofit organization and the largest, most comprehensive provider of services, advocacy, and education for victims of all crime in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Our Mission.
Supporting victims, healing trauma, creating more peaceful communities
Center for Victims is a one-stop-shop with one message, one number to call, and one door for people to walk through to get the best combination of services to meet their needs.
Center for Victims ensures that any and all victims in need of services can easily and readily access quality, seamless, and comprehensive services that allows for reduced confusion for victims in their time of trauma; increases effectiveness, influence, and presence; avoids duplication of services; ensures sustainability for our organization; and creates a consistent and improved quality of service for their clients.
Our Vision.
Is to work to promote the following values
- Break the cycle of violence in our community
- Establish a complete continuum of care for children and adults who are victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, homicide and other types of violence and crime
- Remain a visible domestic violence, rape crisis, sexual assault, homicide and other victims of violence and crimes’ provider to ensure that victims of all crimes have immediate access to services
- Ensure that the criminal justice system supports and protects victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and all forms of violence and crime
- Remain the trusted source for information about the rights and needs of all victims of crime, and the services available
- Continue to be a valuable resource and partner to those institutions where children, teens and adults are present and support and educate them on the prevalence of and issues surrounding bullying, teen dating violence, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault
- Remain the trusted community resource for imparting non-violent approaches to resolving conflict and establishing conflict competency among individuals and groups
- Remain a regional and national leader among victim service agencies
Center for Victims provides critical programs and services to the Allegheny County, Greater Pittsburgh Community as a:
- Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter, Housing & Counseling Center
- Rape Crisis/Sexual Assault Center
- Comprehensive Crime Victim & Witness Assistance Center
- Community Crisis Response Team
- Professional Development, Training, Education, Mediation & Advocacy Center
For more than 47 years, CV has provided effective and quality services to hundreds of thousands of victims of all crimes including: domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, child sexual assault and physical abuse, elder abuse, homicide, burglary and incidents of mass violence. In fiscal year 2018-2019, CV provided direct services to 17,000 clients and prevention education and training programs to over 35,000 individuals. In addition, each year, CV reaches 100,000 individuals through outreach and awareness activities across Allegheny County. CV’s staff provides critical crime victim support and training and education that meet the diverse needs of people of all ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, physical disabilities and socio-economic statuses.
CV provides immediate access to its experienced and trained professionals through its 24-Hour Hotline 1-866-644-2882 (toll-free). Caring, professional staff is available to respond to emergency needs of crime victims and witnesses, answer questions, and provide crisis counseling and support. The hotline, which serves as a gateway to all services, can be utilized by anyone, including victims, witnesses, and their families or friends, law enforcement, hospitals, social workers, or mental health professionals. Staff helps callers to identify their needs and connects them to resources. In addition, professional staff provides in-person crisis response to hospitals, police departments, and communities in all of Allegheny County.
As leaders in the human services sector, CV’s professional, highly trained staff includes more than 70 advocates, counselors, therapists, mediators and trainers. CV staff implements innovative practices and methodologies to ensure that the needs of individuals and families, who, through no fault of their own, have found themselves victims of crime, are met. These practices offer individuals the opportunity to garner the strength and tools they need to be safe, feel empowered, and recover from the trauma they have experienced.
All individuals, families, and communities shall have equal access to services. Center for Victims does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, age, or any other factor.
