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YWCA Dayton Rape Crisis Center

YWCA Dayton is accredited as the only Rape Crisis Center in Montgomery and Preble counties and operates our region’s longest-running 24-hour, year-round crisis hotline. We support all survivors of sexual violence.

All services are free and confidential.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, our 24/7 crisis hotline is always available:

937-222-SAFE (7233)

If you are in immediate need of assistance, call 911.

ADVOCACY SERVICES

For advocacy services, call or text the YWCA Dayton Victim Advocate at 513-963-0551, or call our 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 937-222-SAFE.

Core Advocacy Services

  • Providing education on the impact of sexual violence and survivor rights and resources
  • Providing ongoing supportive listening and resource sharing.
  • Safety planning with survivors, including both physical and emotional safety planning
  • Accompaniment to the various systems a survivor may be engaged in, including, but not limited to:
    • Medical/hospital visits
      • Providing basic information regarding the SANE exam (forensic medical exam) and timeline, so that a survivor can make an informed decision about undergoing the exam or not.
    • Court proceedings and law enforcement interviews
      • Accompaniment and assistance through both the Civil and Criminal Justice systems
      • Filing for a Civil Protection Order
      • Arraignment, Grand Jury, Trial, interviews with court or law enforcement members
  • Title IX/academic proceedings
    • Student-survivor specific resources, connection to Title IX, support advocating for academic accommodations
  • Providing information and resources for assistance regarding administrative legal processes that may intersect with their victimization, such as academic, immigration, housing, medical, and employment issues.
  • Providing appropriate referrals based on a survivor’s individual wants, needs and goals
  • Assisting in applying for survivor resources, such as legal and housing assistance or Ohio Victim’s Crime Compensation.

PREVENTION EDUCATION

YWCA Dayton promotes social change and the elimination of sexual violence through prevention education, inclusive programming, community collaboration, and evidenced-based programs for community members, service providers, youth/teen/parents, small businesses, agencies, and schools.

Topics include:

  • Rape culture and consent
  • Bystander intervention
  • Accomplices and allies trainings
  • Community education workshops
  • Identifying and responding to sexual assault
  • Advocating for systemic change

Gem City Safe Bars

YWCA Dayton operates Gem City Safe Bars, a bystander intervention training program for bars and restaurants. Learn more HERE.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Trained crisis support staff from YWCA Dayton hold several different online community support rooms for anyone affected by sexual violence: survivors, family, friends, and/or loved ones.

Sessions are free and confidential and facilitated by trained, trauma-informed, confidential advocates.

Advance registration not required, but virtual options do require you to email for link. For virtual groups email rapecrisis@ywcadayton.org or call/text 513-963-0551.

Benefits of open support rooms include:

  • Realizing you are not alone
  • Expressing your feelings
  • Learning helpful information
  • Improved social skills
  • Gaining hope
  • Reducing stress
  • Increased self-understanding
  • Helping others
  • Affordability

Support Groups

  • Survivors of Sexual Assault (SOSA) Group
    • This group is held in partnership with Womanline. The virtual group is facilitated bimonthly on the 2nd and 4th week of each month by YW staff. Womanline staff facilitate on the 1st and 3rd facilitated by Womanline. The group is private. Please email rapecrisis@ywcadayton.org or call/text 513-963-0551 for the link.
  • Survivors Overcoming Abuse and Rape (SOAR) Group
    • Join us and co-facilitators from the Greater Dayton LGBT Center on the first Monday of each month. Open to anyone identifying as LGBTQIA+ who has been affected by sexual violence, including survivors, family, friends, and/or loved ones. Meets virtually (email rapecrisis@ywcadayton.org or call/text 513-963-0551 for link).
  • Body Talk trauma-informed yoga: Join us for a trauma informed yoga, free and open to everyone, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on Thursdays at YWCA Dayton Huber Heights Campus, 7650 Timbercrest Dr. Virtual option available. Yoga mats and group workbooks provided to participants.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION

YWCA Dayton’s sexual assault services are certified by the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. We are the first and only certified Rape Crisis Center in Montgomery and Preble counties. To earn this designation, our agency’s work is reviewed every four years according to the Core Standards for Rape Crisis Programs in Ohio:

  • 24-hour crisis hotline
  • Criminal justice/legal advocacy
  • Community awareness/outreach
  • Accessibility
  • Cultural competency
  • Ethics and accountability
  • Staff/volunteer training
  • Systems coordination/collaboration
  • Prevention education
  • Professional counseling/therapy
  • Support groups

Additionally, YWCA Dayton is a local affiliate of the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline and is a certified National Sexual Assault Hotline affiliate of RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

In partnership with our community, YWCA Dayton commits to building relationships based on mutual professional respect and inclusion to best serve survivors in the Miami Valley. Some of our community partners include:

  • Local law enforcement agencies
  • Women Helping Women
  • Dayton International Peace Museum
  • Greater Dayton LGBT Center
  • Abolition Ohio
  • RAINN
  • Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
  • Preble County Samaritan Behavioral Health
  • Womanline

74 CLIENTS

SERVED THIS YEAR

223 HOURS OF COUNSELING

PROVIDED THIS YEAR

1,880 HOURS OF TRAINING

PROVIDED THIS YEAR