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Click here for the 2006 Annual Report
The Haifa Rape Crisis Center (HRCC) is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to opposing sexual violence. HRCC is apolitical and provides services regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Established in 1979, the HRCC is responsible for providing services to the region in northern Israel from Hadera to the Upper Galilee that includes over one million people.
HRCC’s goals are to support survivors of sexual violence and their families, to raise the awareness of community members and professionals on the subject of sexual violence and survivors’ trauma, and to protect survivors’ rights. The HRCC operates a 24-hour crisis intervention hotline for survivors of rape, sexual assault, incest and sexual harassment. The HRCC provides survivors with on-going support, face-to-face counseling, and accompaniment to the police, hospital and courts, and facilitates support groups with Spanish, French and English.
The HRCC works to end sexual violence through extensive community outreach and educational programs. In addition, the Center is active in training professionals to respond to sexual violence survivors and address sexual assault in a knowledgeable and sensitive manner. The HRCC is involved in the national advocacy efforts and campaigns of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel to influence legislation and advance the cause of eliminating sexual violence.
In July 2000, the Haifa Rape Crisis Center, along with the other nine national rape crisis centers, received the Volunteer Award presented by the President of Israel. The award is in recognition of the Centers’ “important pioneering contribution to Israeli Society” and their “contribution to the uprooting of the epidemic of sexual violence from Israeli Society and on the support given to survivors.”
The Haifa Rape Crisis Center’s activities include:
In the area of supporting survivors of sexual violence:
· A 24 hour a day volunteer crisis hotline in Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, French and English
· Face-to-face meetings with survivors
· Accompanying survivors to hospitals, police, courts and the district attorney
· Facilitating support groups for survivors of incest and sexual violence
· Training volunteers to provide crisis intervention services
In the area of social change and preventing sexual violence:
· Raising the awareness of sexual violence in the general public
· Lectures to the public on the subject of preventing sexual violence
· Outreach to the new immigrant communities from the former Soviet Union and South America
· Outreach to people with disabilities
· Empowerment groups to youth at risk
· Training of professionals to respond to survivors and address sexual assault in a knowledgeable and sensitive manner
· Educational programs with soldiers and officers in the military on preventing sexual violence
· Educational programs on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace
· Educational prevention programs in elementary, middle and high schools with students, teachers and guidance counselors
· Educational prevention programs with youth at risk
· Assisting students in the preparation of research in the area of sexual violence