About Us

Our Vision

Our vision is the elimination of sexual violence.

Our Mission

The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is dedicated to serving survivors of sexual violence and those who support them with free comprehensive healing and advocacy services, and to creating social change in the community through education, training, and activism.

Our Guiding Principles

In support of the vision and mission of the organization, the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is committed to:

Ø        Serving all survivors and those supportive of them at any time, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, income, ability, religion, or geography.

Ø        Providing timely access to services and programs.

Ø        Creating a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment where survivors and their families can heal and grow.

Ø        Working to end the silence surrounding sexual violence and the stigma found within our community, including outreach to our legal, medical, and educational institutions.

Ø        Raising awareness about how societal acceptance of oppression relates to the incidence of sexual violence.

Ø        Promoting a work environment that empowers each person to do their work to their fullest capacity that supports each person in their efforts, and that inspires teamwork in order to provide the best service to the community.

Our Logo

The logo for the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is a nightingale. The nightingale was chosen because it is symbolic of our need to talk about rape, both as a healing process after it has happened and as an educational process to decrease its frequency.

The story comes from a Greek myth about Procne and Philomena. Procne's husband, Tereus, is sent to bring his sister-in-law, Philomena, to visit. The two sisters had been separated for many years. On the journey back, Tereus rapes Philomena and cuts out her tongue so she cannot tell anyone what happened.

Left alone to suffer in silence, Philomena weaves tapestry which tells the story of her experience. When she dies she is turned into a nightingale so that all victims and survivors of sexual assault have a voice. It is a place where they can tell their stories and feel safe and strong.