OUR MISSION

CVTC's Mission

CVTC IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO HELPING PEOPLE HEAL FROM VIOLENT CRIME.

We respect that healing comes in many forms and recognize the importance of a holistic approach.  CVTC provides a wide range of therapeutic services free of charge to anyone impacted by violence.  We are dedicated to advocacy on behalf of survivors, collaboration with partners across a multitude of disciplines, and training for those who work with survivors.  We are committed to changing cultural norms around violence and promoting social justice through progressive legislation and community mobilization.

History

In the middle of a bright summer day in 1977 a violent rape occurred on the campus of Columbia University in Morningside Heights.  Witnesses called an ambulance, which took the young woman to the Emergency Department of St. Luke’s Hospital. When she got there, the medical staff was at a loss; her physical injuries were manageable, but she had just survived a horrific attack and was in an acute state of crisis. The doctors transferred her to the Psychiatric Emergency Department, not knowing what else to do. Soon after her medical treatment was completed, she was discharged. She left Columbia, and was not connected to any support.

The community was outraged.

Within a day, an Emergency Department social worker, an ED administrator, a doctor, and several members of the Upper West Side community sat down to figure out how the hospital could better support survivors of sexual assault. A steering committee was formed, protocols were developed, and a promise was made that never again would a survivor of sexual assault be treated that way at St. Luke’s Hospital. 

The Crime Victims Treatment Center was born.

Impact

Clinical

Since January, our Clinical team has provided life-changing services to 1,600 survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, trafficking, community violence and other interpersonal violence. Our clinical team supports survivors through individual and group therapy sessions, crisis intervention, and complementary services like art therapy, narrative writing, and acupuncture. 

Prevention

This year, our Prevention Team engaged over 10,000 people through education, training, awareness events, and campaigns to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence at the community level. Our team has partnerships with bars, venues, nightlife spaces, charter schools, colleges, and universities across the city to train them on affirmative consent, bystander intervention, creating safe spaces and building healthier relationships. 

Volunteer Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Advocates

We have a fleet of 400+ Volunteer Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Advocates who are on call at five partner hospital Emergency Departments - Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Morningside, Lenox Health Greenwich Village, Brookdale University Hospital, and new this year, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills. We also launched the legal advocate program and trained 20 of our current volunteers to provide emotional support for survivors who report at local precincts and NYPD’s Special Victims Division. 

Legal

Our Legal Team guided 430 clients through the legal system this year, supporting survivors as they navigate immigration relief, family court, orders of protection, filing police reports and so much more. Our specially trained volunteers also accompanied 25 clients to NYPD’s Special Victims Division and local precincts to serve as advocates while reporting crimes to the police.

PREA

Our PREA team served over 400 survivors this year at 15 facilities. This year, CVTC assumed the privilege and responsibility of state-wide coordination for New York’s PREA program, working with rape crisis programs across the state to coordinate services for incarcerated survivors of sexual violence at all NYSDOCCS facilities.

SAFE

This year, CVTC trained 107 new Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs). That’s 55 Registered Nurses, 43 Doctors, 6 Physicians Assistants, and 3 Nurse Practitioners who are now on call to provide compassionate care and best-practice forensic evidence collection to survivors of sexual assault across New York City.