HARRISBURG, PA. — On March 31, 2026, in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR) launched an updated statewide hotline designed to strengthen how survivors connect with support across Pennsylvania.
PCAR’s statewide hotline is an important point of access for survivors seeking information, support, and connection to their local rape crisis center. The updated hotline was implemented to advance key goals identified through PCAR’s hotline RFP process, including stronger statewide coverage, faster connection to local centers and advocates, improved language access, stronger privacy protections, and more responsive hotline operations.
The hotline supports PCAR’s network of 47 rape crisis centers serving all 67 counties across the Commonwealth. By improving how calls are routed and managed, the updated hotline is intended to help survivors reach the right local support more quickly and help local centers respond more consistently statewide.
As part of this effort, PCAR undertook a multi-year RFP process focused on making it easier for survivors across Pennsylvania to reach timely, local, trauma-informed support through the statewide hotline. Through that process, PCAR selected HelplineSoftware.com to support this transition.
“For decades, rape crisis hotlines have been a first point of contact for survivors looking for support, information, and a path forward,” said Lou Ann Williams, Grants & Contracts Director. “I’ve been answering rape crisis hotlines since 1983, and one thing has never changed: when someone reaches out in crisis, every barrier matters. This update is about making that first step easier and helping survivors reach the right local support as quickly as possible.”
In the weeks leading up to launch, PCAR staff worked closely with local centers to test and refine the hotline so it would better reflect real-world conditions and better support survivors seeking help. Throughout the process, PCAR remained focused on reducing barriers to support and making sure the hotline functions well for people reaching out under stress or in crisis.
“Survivors deserve access to support that is timely, respectful, and responsive to what they need in the moment,” said Joyce Lukima, Coalition Director/Chief Operating Officer. “This transition is about strengthening that first point of contact so survivors can be connected to local support more quickly and more smoothly, no matter where they are in Pennsylvania.”
The launch reflects PCAR’s continued commitment to survivor-centered services and to strengthening access to care across urban, suburban, and rural communities alike.
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