Respect Together team
It took a lot of searching before Amanda* found the help she needed as a sexual assault survivor.
She finally found it through Respect Together, comprising the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect, or PCAR, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, based in Harrisburg.
“Through googling, I found PCAR,” Amanda said “Trying to find the resources to help you is the most challenging. Navigating the system is really difficult. It was by the grace of God that I found them.”
She reached the organization just days before an initial 36-month protection order against her sexual abuser was set to expire. Three years later, she was at a loss about how to attain further protection. Through Respect Together, she was assigned to an attorney for PCAR’s Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Program.
“Respect Together helped me through a very difficult time when it seemed hopeless,” Amanda said. “[They] just helped me in court this week and got my protection order extended for another three years.”
This month, Respect Together celebrates its 50th anniversary in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). This year’s theme is “Together we act, united we change.”
Besides fundraiser events, the organization relies on private donations and local and federal funding to maintain operations.
“The goal behind SAAM is for everyone to have a better idea of what sexual assault is,” said Yolanda Edrington, Respect Together CEO. “It takes everyone to bring it up and talk about it at their table.”
A Union
The roots of Respect Together lie in the formation of PCAR, originally called the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, in 1975. PCAR’s mission is “to support and advocate for the collective needs of rape crisis centers throughout the Commonwealth,” according to the Respect Together website.
PCAR began as one of the first state sexual assault coalitions in the United States and one of few with a dedicated line item in its state’s annual budget. Today, PCAR supports more than 26,000 sexual abuse survivors through 48 rape crisis centers situated in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, according to Joyce Lukima, COO of PCAR.
“Sexual assault is a comprehensive term,” Lukima said. “It can mean violence, abuse and harassment.”
In 2023, PCAR was rebranded as Respect Together with the tagline, “united to end sexual abuse, assault and harassment.” The new name represented a union of its main divisions, providing resources and prevention strategies at a national level.
“The coalition was renamed in August 2023 to better reflect the work that we do,” Lukima stated.
Healing Journey
In July 2000, PCAR created a National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) with funding from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, the NSVRC continues as a “leading nationwide provider of information and tools” with the “largest resource library in the world” dedicated to sexual violence and prevention, according to Respect Together’s website.
In 2024, NSVRC provided information and resources to more than 1,300 clients and training to upwards of 11,000 individuals, according to Jennifer Grove, the director/COO.
The non-lending library at 2101 N. Front St. has a searchable online base with materials limited to online or onsite library access only. Appointments are required for onsite research.
Respect Together also shares partnership with the National Sexual Assault Conference, a 2½-day advocacy event offering advanced training with sexual violence intervention and prevention information. The annual event is organized on a rotating basis between Respect Together and Valor US, a national organization serving as California’s sexual assault coalition.
The organization also partners with RALIANCE, a multimillion-dollar seed investment by the National Football League started in 2015 with a stated mission of “ending sexual violence in one generation.” RALIANCE awards grants for advancing related research, policymaking and other pertinent causes.
Today, Amanda said she’s committed to helping other sexual assault survivors. She now volunteers for RISE, a domestic violence services firm, and Team America, with further plans to do more in the social services field. She agreed to share her story in this article as part of her “healing journey” and to help others.
She advises other sexual assault survivors to “turn to people to help you and to navigate the system.”
“One of the most difficult parts is feeling that there really isn’t anyone out there to help you,” she said.
*Amanda’s name was changed to protect her identity.
Respect Together’s 50th anniversary fundraiser gala is scheduled for April 30 at 6 p.m. at Hershey Country Club, 1000 E. Derry Road, Hershey. Tickets cost $195. To register and for more information about the event and the organization, visit www.respecttogether.org. For general inquiries, call 1-800-692-7445 or 717-728-9740. For victims of sexual assault in Pennsylvania, call 1-888-772-7227.
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