Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for Respect Together’s Open House in Harrisburg. The event was a wonderful opportunity to connect with partners, supporters, and community members while sharing more about our work to respond to and prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.
Guests enjoyed refreshments, networking opportunities, and conversations with staff from across Respect Together’s divisions, projects, and teams. We were excited to welcome local and regional partners, board members, former staff, and even one guest who traveled from out of state to spend the afternoon with us.
Throughout the event, guests were invited to take guided tours of our building and learn more about the programs and resources that support our mission. Tour participants explored Respect Together’s library, which houses more than 60,000 resources related to sexual violence prevention and response.
Along the way, they met with ambassadors from the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR), Respect Together’s statewide division. Staff shared updates on Pennsylvania’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which is working to eliminate backlogs and improve evidence tracking throughout the Commonwealth. Guests also learned about PCAR’s human trafficking prevention and response resources, various other training opportunities, and other resources that support the network of 47 rape crisis centers serving survivors across the state.
Representatives from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), Respect Together’s national division, highlighted the recent 25th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), resources to improve services for male survivors, and how staff support Rape Prevention Education (RPE) grant recipients and other professionals working to bring prevention strategies to life in communities nationwide.
Guests also had the opportunity to meet members of PCAR’s Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Project, which has provided free, trauma-informed legal services to more than 1,400 survivors in 65 counties across Pennsylvania.
In addition to learning about our programs, attendees explored ways to stay connected and support our work. This includes the upcoming National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC), which Respect Together will host in Washington, D.C., August 19–21. Guests were encouraged to follow Respect Together, PCAR, and NSVRC on social media.
We are grateful to everyone who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and shared their support for our mission. Thank you for helping us build safer communities and advance a future free from sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. We look forward to welcoming even more community members and partners to future events.
