What to Do if You Have Been a Victim of Violence

• Seek medical attention to be examined and treated for injuries.
• Seek medical attention to be protected against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; and to have forensic evidence collected.
• You do not have to make a police report to get the forensic exam. Evidence can be collected anonymously and stored for up to two years. The Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) pays for the cost of the exam.
• Emergency department staff at local hospitals can call us to have a medical advocate speak with you to provide you with support, options, safety planning, and resources during this difficult time. There is no charge for this service.

HOUSING OPTIONS

Located in York City, Bridge is a one-year transitional housing program for victims who are homeless as a result of domestic violence. Residents live in individual apartments with their dependent children.  Residents are responsible for providing for their own food, clothing, and other living expenses, and will pay program fees and securities at no more than 30% of their income.

Bridge residents will work with a case manager and life skills advocate to develop goals and skills necessary for independent living. Additionally, residents will have access to the support they need to heal from their trauma, such as support groups and individual and group counseling.

Coming in early 2023 to York City is our complex trauma shelter:

Complex trauma often occurs as a result of exposure to multiple or sustained traumatic events. As a result, victims dealing with complex trauma often need additional time and treatment than can be provided through emergency shelters or traditional transitional housing programs. Still Waters will be a communal living setting where residents have private rooms and share common bathrooms, living areas, kitchen, and laundry facilities. All of the resident’s basic needs will be provided for no cost.

While residing at Still Waters, clients will meet with a therapist weekly who is trained in both trauma and addictions treatment as these issues often, but not always, present together. Healing from complex trauma is difficult work and individuals have to be ready to embark on this healing journey. Still Waters provides a safe place, both physically and emotionally, for victims to do this challenging work.

To apply for transitional housing information, please call 717-846-5400.

LEGAL ADVOCATES

YWCA York’s Legal Center is now open!

Legal advocates assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other violent crimes, navigate through the various processes of the court system. Although legal advocates are unable to provide legal advice, they can provide victims with options, resources, and advocacy. YWCA York recognizes that victims are the experts in their situation and are the only ones who can decide what is best for them and their families. Thus, after the legal advocate provides all options, the victim can choose the best route for them, and our advocates will support them through it, whichever route it may be.

Services that legal advocates provide include, but are not limited to, assistance in preparing and filing pro se (without an attorney) petitions for civil protection, preparing cease and desist letters, safety panning, and accompaniment of victims to interviews with law enforcement, criminal hearings, and civil protection hearings.

Legal Advocates are available Monday through Friday from 8:00AM-4:00PM at the Protection From Abuse office in the York County Judicial Center located at 45 N. George Street.

To speak with a Legal Advocate, please call 717-771-9662 or 717-846-5400.

If seeking an emergency PFA after hours and on weekends, you must appear at the York County Judicial Center at 45 N. George St, York.

Review our legal services: Click here

Legal Representation

YWCA York recognizes that obtaining skilled representation in the areas of support, custody, divorce and other civil law is a key to establishing independence and self-sufficiency. Thus, we also have an attorney and a paralegal to provide civil legal advice and representation to victims of domestic violence, or sexual violence, at no cost to the victim.

A referral to our attorney may be obtained by speaking to any victim services advocate, who can assist in filling out a referral form. If interested, please call our hotline, or the courthouse.

COUNSELING

YWCA York’s Victim Assistance Center (VAC) offers free counseling services to child, adolescent, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other violence crime. We provide counseling services in York and Hanover.

Our counselors are all master’s level clinicians with specialized training in the dynamics of trauma. Additionally, we recognize that trauma does not just impact the person to which the trauma occurred, but often also has an impact on family and friends of the individual. That is why we are committed to serving the significant others of those who have suffered a trauma.

Healing from Trauma

Trauma impacts each person in a variety of ways and our clinicians are experienced in an array of treatment modalities for both individual and group counseling. In addition to traditional modalities of talk therapy such as a cognitive behavioral approach, our clinicians also use art therapy, play therapy, and mindfulness. YWCA York offers Trauma Sensitive Yoga to work in conjunction with traditional treatment modalities.

The weight of trauma can be heavy. You don’t have to carry it alone. Please call 717-854-3131 to schedule an appointment.

Read our VAC brochure: Click here

VIOLENCE PREVENTION THROUGH EDUCATION

As recognized leaders in prevention and education, we provide training on a wide array of topics, tailored to an equally wide array of audiences. Trainings are currently being conducted both virtually and in person.

YWCA York’s Community Education department works to educate and connect the York County community in the shared goal of helping victims achieve safety and self reliance while empowering the community to prevent and respond effectively to domestic and sexual violence, and human trafficking.

We believe that domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking will end only when individuals, institutions, and every segment of society are educated and empowered to take a stand against abuse and to embrace healthy, safe, respectful, and peaceful interpersonal relationships. We recognize that a “one size fits all” approach to community education does not work, that diverse communities such as ours require diverse strategies, and that addressing diversity is all our responsibility.

Prevention and education presentations may be available FREE of charge. 

• • Our Community Education Department envisions a diverse world in which people from all genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, ages, languages, locations, and every other demographic distinction live in a safe environment, free from oppression and with the opportunity to thrive within healthy relationships and communities of choice.
  • The Community Outreach Advocate is primarily responsible for outreach advocacy and education to the victims of domestic and sexual violence  as well as the ones supporting them through their healing.
  • Our Human Trafficking Advocate connects with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. We know that victims of human trafficking experience complex trauma. They often come from a background of sexual abuse, violence, and criminal activity. These victims struggle with the overwhelming stigma of involvement in commercial sex, and undocumented labor.
• Medical Advocacy
  • The Medical Advocacy Program is responsible for the coordination of YWCA York’s hospital-based Medical Advocacy Project,  working on behalf of victims of domestic and sexual violence in collaboration with interdisciplinary staff at healthcare facilities in York Country.
• Prevention
  • Violence is a public health epidemic that has no socio-economic or geographic boundaries, and has a devastating impact on individuals, families, and entire communities.
• Volunteer
  • Volunteers are vital to YWCA York’s programs and to our clients. Domestic and sexual violence are enormous social problems affecting women, men, and countless numbers of children. With the help of volunteers , our programs are more effectively able to meet the needs of our clients.

PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

We provide specialized, age-appropriate training on primary prevention of violence and abuse specifically designed for children and youth audiences in the school or community group settings.

We know from a wealth of research and experience that while violence is learned behavior, it can be unlearned, and even prevented altogether. Through our Primary Prevention Education Series, we offer programs for students from Pre-K to 12 that help develop emotional self-awareness and control, positive self-esteem and social skills, problem solving, conflict resolutions, and personal safety.

TASK FORCES ADDRESSING VIOLENCE

YWCA York recognizes that a unified and collaborative approach toward addressing interpersonal violence is the optimal way to manifest change.The ability of multiple community partners and systems to gather together to address these issues is a hallmark of York County.

York County has been exemplary in building and maintaining a coordinated community response to domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Each task force is made up of representatives of community members, social service agencies, law enforcement agencies, community mental health services, legislators, attorneys, medical providers, county offices, and more. The wealth of knowledge and expertise brought to these task forces by the various members is invaluable.

YWCA York is proud to provide leadership to each of these task forces:

• York County Task Force on Domestic Violence
• York County Alliance Against Sexual Violence
• York County Human Trafficking Task Force

GIVING BACK AS A VOLUNTEER

Working with victims of violence takes a special skill set and YWCA York is committed to providing the very best services to our clients. Our approach is both trauma informed and empowerment based in order to provide compassionate understanding of the dynamics of trauma and its impact on people.

We ensure that any volunteers working with clients have the training and resources they need to do this work. As such, volunteers are required to attend advocate training consisting of both in-person and online training components before ever working with clients. People who are not able to make this level of commitment are encouraged to sign up to support the special events that fund the work we do. See the Events section for current needs.

Please complete the below registration form and our professional development and training specialist will contact you to discuss volunteer opportunities.

WE ARE YORK COUNTY’S PROVIDER OF SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Housing Referrals
Participants are assessed for referrals to
local and out of county safe house program

Case Management
Participants are monitored by specialized
case management personnel
Transitional housing case management is
provided upon qualification

Supportive Counseling/Therapy
Participants have access to on-site and
off-site counseling referrals. Alternative therapeutic settings including equine therapy, art therapy and yoga.

Addiction Treatment/Services
AOD counseling
Celebrate Recovery sessions Workshops
Weekly courses and activities are provided for self-healing, growth, and life enrichment

Legal Advocacy
Court Accompaniment
T & U-Visa Application Assistance
Immigration Services
Family Law Legal Document Assistance
Cease and Desist Letters
Domestic Violence & Civil Harassment
Protection Orders

Education/Job Training
All participants are assisted with educational
and/or job assistance.

Volunteer Opportunities and Community Involvement

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

Human Trafficking is a form of modern day slavery that is widespread and occurs in the United States, Pennsylvania, and here in York County. As it is one of the largest criminal industries in the world and the fastest growing, we focus on victims.

We see human trafficking victims everyday as they are found in places familiar like city streets, strip clubs, massage businesses, hotels and motels. We also see trafficking in places we never expect like factories, construction, truck stops, domestic work, farming and landscape, and janitorial services.

Traffickers do not discriminate; they target the young and the old, men and women, and people from all social economic backgrounds. Homeless and foster care youth are among those at highest risk of being trafficked. Young girls are the most common victims.

YWCA York serves victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation through a trauma-informed approach, focusing on safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support collaboration and mutuality, empowerment voice and choice, and cultural historical and gender issues.

We work to ensure the needs of our clients are met. Immediate needs are assessed, and services vary but can include: emergency shelter, legal advocacy access to medical services, assistance with reconnecting clients with their family and connections to mental health treatment plans. YWCA York is working to stop Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania.

TYPES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Labor Trafficking

Recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of the person for labor or services through the use of force fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage debt bondage or slavery.

Sex Trafficking

Sex Trafficking is the force, fraud or coercion to cause a commercial sex act. The coercion can be subtle, overt and/or psychological.

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a range of crimes and activities involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child for the financial benefit of any person or in exchange for anything of value.