PCAR Calls Flat Funding a Cut to Life-Saving Rape Crisis Services
HARRISBURG, Pa. — At the very moment survivors reach out for help, Pennsylvania’s Governor turns away. Following Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2026–27 budget address today, the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR) is expressing deep frustration and disappointment that the proposed budget does not include a $12.5 million increase to the Department of Human Services Rape Crisis line item, funding that is urgently needed to sustain sexual assault survivor services across the Commonwealth.
For survivors of sexual abuse, assault and harassment who turn to rape crisis centers in moments of crisis, and for the advocates who answer those calls, this omission carries real consequences.
“This budget moment mattered deeply to survivors and to the people who show up for them every day,” said Joyce Lukima, Coalition Director and COO of PCAR, “By not including this investment, we are once again asking survivors to wait, when healing cannot wait.”
Pennsylvania’s 47 rape crisis centers serve survivors in all 67 counties, operating 24/7 crisis hotlines and providing counseling, medical and legal accompaniment, and prevention education. These services are fundamental to safety, healing, and violence prevention — and they are being pushed to the brink.
In his budget address, Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized that “a safe community is a critical ingredient for economic growth” and that “government can be a productive force for good in people’s lives.” Rape crisis centers are exactly that force, yet funding for these services has remained flat for years.
For five consecutive years, the Department of Human Services Rape Crisis line item was funded at $11.92 million, even as demand for services increased, costs rose, and centers absorbed inflation and workforce shortages with no meaningful state investment. While the $250,000 increase in FY 2025–26 was appreciated, it does not come close to sustaining services statewide or meeting the needs of survivors seeking help.
By holding funding flat, the Commonwealth is undermining the safety and stability survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment depend on to heal and rebuild their lives.
Last year alone, Pennsylvania’s rape crisis centers:
- Served 25,214 people, including 5,852 children
- Provided 119,335 hours of counseling
- Answered more than 17,458 hotline calls. That’s one call for help every 30 minutes, around the clock.
“When survivors reach out for help, they are taking an incredibly brave step,” said Yolanda Edrington, CEO of Respect Together. “Our responsibility as a Commonwealth is to make sure someone is there to answer. This budget missed that moment.”
PCAR and its member centers have called for a $12.5 million increase to reflect the true cost of providing trauma-informed, survivor-centered care statewide. This investment would reduce wait times, ensure 24/7 hotline coverage, stabilize staffing, and expand prevention efforts that reduce harm before it occurs.
“Survivors are doing exactly what we ask of them, seeking support, choosing healing, asking for help,” said Alexis Fetzeck, Executive Director of A Safe Place, which provides services to Warren and Forest counties. “Without adequate funding, we are not holding up our end of that promise.”
While the Governor’s proposal did not include the requested increase, PCAR emphasized that the budget process is still underway and that the Pennsylvania General Assembly has an opportunity to act.
“This is not a request — it is a responsibility,” said Ali Perrotto, CEO of the Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center (SARCC). “Survivors reach out for help every single day, often in moments of crisis. When lawmakers fail to ensure that support is there, survivors are left waiting, alone, and without the care they deserve. That is unacceptable.”
PCAR will continue to work alongside rape crisis centers and legislators to secure the funding needed to meet the urgent and growing needs of Pennsylvanians impacted by sexual violence.
“Budgets are reflections of our values”, said Lukima. “Pennsylvania now faces a choice: continue underfunding the systems survivors rely on, or make a meaningful investment in safety, dignity, and healing. Survivors deserve more than reassurance—they deserve action.”
Organizations and community partners are encouraged to review and sign our open letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly at pcar.org/open-letter.