Center for Victims (CV) is a community-based nonprofit organization and the largest, most comprehensive, and inclusive provider of services, advocacy, and education for victims of all crimes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Serving Allegheny County and the Greater Pittsburgh region, CV’s mission is to break the cycle of violence in communities by supporting victims, healing trauma, and creating more peaceful environments. For more than 45 years, they have provided effective and quality services to hundreds of thousands of victims of all crimes, including domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault; child sexual assault and physical abuse; elder abuse; homicide; burglary; and incidents of mass violence.
CV provides critical programs and services as a:
- Domestic violence emergency shelter, housing, and counseling center
- Rape crisis/sexual assault center
- Comprehensive crime victim and witness assistance center
- Community crisis response team
- Professional development, training, education, mediation, and advocacy center
In fiscal year 2019-2020, CV provided direct services to over 15,000 clients and prevention education and training programs to over 35,000 individuals. In addition, each year, CV reaches 100,000 individuals through outreach and awareness activities across Allegheny County. CV’s staff provides critical crime victim support and training and education that meet the diverse needs of people of all ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, physical disabilities, and socioeconomic statuses.
CV is a one-stop-shop with one message, one number to call, and one door for people to walk through to get the best combination of services to meet their needs. CV’s trauma informed care is evident in all aspects of service delivery, incorporating an understanding of the prevalence and impacts of trauma and the multifaceted and individualized paths to healing. CV ensures that any and all victims in need of services can easily and readily access quality, seamless, and comprehensive services that allows for reduced confusion for victims in their time of trauma; increases CV’s effectiveness, influence, and presence; avoids duplication of services; ensures sustainability for the organization; and creates a consistent and improved quality of service for clients.