Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, National Sexual Violence Resource Center celebrate 40th and 15th anniversaries

ENOLA, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center celebrated their 40th and 15th anniversaries July 16 with an open house celebration at its Enola headquarters.

 

PCAR and NSVRC were honored to host approximately 150 guests including Dr. Rachel Levine, state physician general; Clare Graff, social responsibility director for the NFL; Bea Hanson, principal deputy director of the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women; and Mary Phan-Gruber, president of PCAR's board of directors.

 

PCAR also honored rape crisis center staff members who have served 20 or more years in the field with an afternoon commemoration at the Governor’s Mansion Residence in Harrisburg.

 

As the oldest rape crisis coalition in the country, PCAR is a leader both in the Commonwealth and throughout the nation, assuring communities have access to quality victim services, resources to help prevent sexual violence and advocating for public policies that protect victim rights, fund services and promote community safety.

 

“This is really an honor to be here – when I took this position more than 20 years ago, I had no idea what an amazing journey it would be,” PCAR CEO Delilah Rumburg said. “I have been just awestruck over the past month as we’ve been preparing for this event, looking over the accomplishments of the past 40 years – the amazing people who have had a key hand in so many things that have changed the landscape of how our culture understands and responds to sexual assault.”

 

PCAR founded the NSVRC in 2000 with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recently, the NSVRC formed a multiyear partnership with the NFL enhance prevention of and response to sexual violence.

 

“We applaud the NSVRC on its fifteenth year of national leadership in combatting sexual violence and driving real change for good in our culture,” said Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner. “We chose to partner with NSVRC because of the organization’s dedication, resources and influence around this complex but incredibly important issue. We are pleased to participate in this week’s anniversary celebration and look forward to working with the NSVRC on making a lasting impact in reducing sexual violence nationwide.”

 

To learn more about PCAR and the NSVRC, visit www.pcar.org or www.nsvrc.org.

 

For photos from the event, email akulikowski@pcar.org.