Western PA Rape Crisis Centers plead for additional state funding
JACKSON TWP — As the demand for sexual assault services skyrocket and costs continue to surge, Western Pennsylvania’s Rape Crisis Centers are issuing a call to action.
Employees, volunteers and community members gathered at the Steamfitters Event Center in Jackson Township on Thursday, April 17, to demand an increase in state funding, citing five years of stagnant budgets that they say have weakened support for sexual assault survivors.
“In this day and age, a flat line of no increase over five years is basically a decrease,” said James Kirsch, who sits on the Pittsburgh Action Against Rape board of directors.
“They’re asking for a little bit of help and the money that they’re asking for will be spread out over all 47 rape crisis centers in the state, and it’ll help a lot of people.”
According to statewide numbers, 26,396 people, including 6,722 children, received some form of services from the nearly four dozen rape crisis centers in 2024.
But while the need for support has increased, the centers have received only $11.9 million in annual funding since 2020, according to Kelsey Leigh, director of external affairs and strategic leadership for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.
The centers are asking for an $8 million increase in funding that will better equip them to handle a rapid increase of survivors.
“To us, if the state believes in the statute that survivors of sexual violence deserve 24/7, 365 response, we need them to put their money where there mouth is and to fund appropriately,” Leigh said.
Leigh noted that operating costs for the centers have risen by nearly 30% over the past five years, forcing some to cut services, freeze hiring for extended periods, or shut down.
“You can only do so much more with less,” she said. “The other problem is centers can’t pay well enough to keep staff at the current funding levels. Most centers have not been able to increase pay, so they’re losing staff to Amazon and Sheetz because they pay more and there’s no vicarious drama.”
In Butler County, VOICe announced a plan earlier this year to move from Cranberry Township into a new office space at the old Institute Hill School in Butler to better serve clients.
Officials from the organization said they have seen an uptick in a need for services such as crisis response, legal and medical advocacy and therapy, but are now struggling to deal with the realities of the situation.
“We are now seeing more people coming like we’ve encouraged, so we need to have that funding to support the bigger impact that we’re trying to make,” said Nicole Hyatt, a prevention educator for VOICe.
Employees have begun to enhance the educational aspect of the center in hopes that it will bring about more optimal outcomes in the future.
“Prevention and outreach is very important for us,” said Jessica Wasson, another VOICe employee. “Talking to pre-schoolers at their level about bullying and keeping your hands to yourself — those are things that will hopefully prevent (sexual assault) in the future.”
The event featured a discussion panel that included the University of Pittsburgh’s director of sexual violence and prevention Carrie Benson; former PAAR client and volunteer Cory Hart; sexuall assault nurse examiner and forensic coordinator Amanda Ringold; and county juvenile probation supervisor Angela Wyman.
