LANCASTER, Pa. — April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the YWCA in Lancaster is stepping up to let people know help is available.
During all of April, the YWCA Lancaster is hosting a Comfort & Clothing Drive to offer supplies to survivors in local hospitals to help them get back on their feet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of women in the United States, including one in three men, have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes.
"Last fiscal year, we served 611 victim-survivors, and we responded to over 179 hotline calls from people in this community looking for support, looking for resources and looking for accompaniments," said Mandy Billman, Director of Sexual Assault Prevention and Counselor Center at YWCA Lancaster.
When violence is reported, undergarments and clothing are collected as evidence. The Comfort & Clothing drive will help replace those items and provide resources to the survivors.
"We recognize that sexual violence is about power and control, and a lot of times victim-survivors are not having that control, so we do everything we can as a victim service agency to support choice," said Billman.
The organization is accepting monetary donations and new clothing or comfort items to support victim-survivors of sexual abuse receiving medical care at local hospitals. The drive kicks off this morning and will run through the end of the month.
The YWCA Lancaster is located on North Lime Street. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.