About Us

The mission of HOPE Center is to create zero tolerance for sexual and domestic violence through healing, outreach, prevention and education. Through innovative programming, we offer direct support to victims of violence in Rice County, collaborative support to other organizations that serve victims, and educational support to the entire community.

• Healing
  General victim support includes crisis intervention, 24-hour Safeline, information and referral, emergency safe housing, support groups, rape counseling, and accompaniment to medical exams. Legal services to victims include assistance with the criminal justice system, information about legal remedies and processes, help with orders for protection and harassment restraining orders, and accompaniment to court proceedings.
• Outreach
  Specialized trainings are provided to employers, professionals, educators, and criminal justice professionals. Two times each year, 40 hours of training are provided for people interested in becoming HOPE Center volunteers. General presentations about our services and/or the prevalence of sexual and domestic violence are made to church groups, service organizations, and any other interested forums. The general public is also educated through HOPE Center displays at community fairs and other events, submission of newspaper articles, appearances on local radio and television stations, and our website.
• Prevention
  With the goal of going beyond individual assistance toward community-wide solutions, HOPE Center regularly networks with such systems as social services, criminal justice, and the medical community, and provides them with screening and assessment tools. A volunteer Courtwatch program monitors the judicial system, and staff follows up with judges, law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys when necessary.
• Education
  We believe in raising awareness about the impact sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse has on victims/survivors, community providers and other networks.
  
  

HOPE Center spearheads a number of community collaborative efforts.
They include:

• Child Resiliency Project – engaged in building resiliency in children who have witnessed family violence and in breaking the generational cycle of abuse.
• Rice County SMART – coordination of a collaborative, county-wide effort to create and implement a victim-centered response to sexual assault.