About
The Union County Rape Crisis Center (UCRCC) serves victims of sexual violence at least thirteen years of age who reside in, were assaulted in, or seek support services in Union County. The Center also serves secondary victims who experience the impact of sexual violence as a significant other of the primary (direct) victim.
24 Hour Hotline
Phone Number: 908-233-RAPE (7273)
TTY: 908-232-1435 (Business Hours Only)
The UCRCC operates a twenty-four hour sexual assault crisis response and informational hotline.
Specially trained Confidential Sexual Violence Advocates (CSVAs) provide emotional support, crisis counseling, advocacy, and information.
Brochure
Mission
The Union County Rape Crisis Center (UCRCC) is a program under the Division of Individual & Family Support Services in the Union County Department of Human Services. By engaging in direct service, primary prevention education, training, and consultation, the UCRCC aims to shift prevailing beliefs and attitudes toward intolerance of all forms of interpersonal violence.
Services
Advocacy for survivors of sexual assault has many dimensions, but is rooted in assisting each survivor in their healing process. Our advocates provide support in the following ways:
- Crisis Intervention
- Exploring coping mechanisms
- Normalizing and Validation
- Providing information, options, and resources
- Providing psychoeducation about sexual assault
- Identifying and responding to cognitive distortions
Our CSVAs do not make decisions for survivors, but rather serve as guides and provide information about the various ways survivors can interact with systems. Via the 24-hour hotline, our CSVAs provide emotional support, crisis counseling, advocacy, and in-person accompaniment through medical proceedings (i.e. sexual assault forensic examinations) as well as law enforcement interviews (i.e. filing a police report, making a statement with the police, and/or court proceedings including but not limited to civil protective/restraining order hearings).
All services provided by the Union County Rape Crisis Center are free of charge and are provided in a manner that preserves the victim’s privacy and safeguards the victim’s right to confidentiality pursuant to (N.J.S.A. 2A:84A-22.15). If you are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to contact us at (908) 233-7273.
To better serve our diverse community, we have several bi-lingual CSVAs and have access to a translation service. Within our current group of advocates, we can assist in English and Spanish.
Events and Training
Vision
Working together as members of a team, our goal is to excel in exhibiting compassion, respect, dependability, and integrity while serving and empowering victims of sexual violence.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement
The UCRCC is on mission to cultivate an environment that fosters empowerment, growth, meaningfulness, diversity, and unity through honoring the inherent dignity, value, identity, life experience, and contributions of everyone. It is through the expression of our shared humanity that we rise.
Core Values and Virtues
- Acting with Humility: We believe in the value of being open to different viewpoints and ideas while remaining fluid and unassuming in the process.
- Openness to Learning: We understand the necessity of on-going learning and adaptation.
- Demonstrating Resilience: We view obstacles as momentary detours that develop persistence and perseverance.
- Extending Kindness: We believe that everyone has within them an abundance of unique qualities, abilities, skills, traits, and gifts and that it is our responsibility to be on the lookout for such strengths and to honor them.
How We Help
Accompaniment – Our CSVAs provide in-person accompaniment to medical proceedings (i.e. sexual assault forensic examinations) and law enforcement interviews (i.e. filing a police report or making a statement with the police, legal meetings, and/or court proceedings, including but not limited to civil protective/ restraining order hearings).
Counseling – The UCRCC offers free, confidential, trauma informed short-term counseling to survivors of sexual violence as well as survivors’ non-offending significant others. Our goal is to help clients heal from the trauma of sexual violence, increase healthy coping strategies, and create support systems.
Advocacy – The UCRCC also trains volunteers in the community to serve as Confidential Sexual Violence Advocates (CSVAs). Volunteers answer calls via the UCRCC’s 24hour hotline and they provide in-person accompaniment during medical and legal proceedings. Once trained, opportunities can extend to helping with outreach events.
Primary Prevention Education – In addition to providing direct service, the UCRCC conducts primary prevention education through a curriculum entitled, Gender and Violence: How Media Shapes Our Culture. Such education is offered to the surrounding school systems and/or community organizations.
Privacy – All services provided by the Union County Rape Crisis Center are free of charge and are provided in a manner that preserves the victim’s privacy and safeguards the victim’s right to confidentiality pursuant to (N.J.S.A. 2A:84A-22.15).
Director
Tamara Adelman, Center Administrator
Phone: 908-233-7273
Email: tadelman@ucnj.org
Resources
Information for Survivors
- Am I being STALKED?
- I was raped, what do I do?
- Know Your Rights and Options
- Recovery & Self-Care
- Safety Planning & Risk Reduction
- Sexual Assault Response Team (S.A.R.T.)
- STD/HIV/Emergency Contraception Information
- Survivor Bill of Rights
- Victim’s Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (V.A.S.P.A.)
- Victims of Crime Compensation
General information
Volunteer with Us
The Union County Rape Crisis Center is always looking for dedicated individuals who are interested in helping survivors of sexual violence.
We are aiming to host two (2) Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate trainings per year, one in Spring and one in Fall with dates to be determined.
If you are interested, please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form and a staff member will follow-up within two (2) business days.
What are the requirements?
- Be a resident of Union County (or surrounding county)
- 18 years of age or older
- Valid U.S. driver’s license
- Personal (own) means of transportation (i.e. a car)
- Participation in an informal interview between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday
- Successful completion of Advocate training, which includes attendance at all sessions
- Commitment to volunteer for a period of at least one year
- Commitment to signing up for at least three hotline shifts per month; one of which must be overnight
- Regular attendance at monthly volunteer meetings (evenings)
If you have any questions, kindly phone us at 908-233-7273 or email rcc@ucnj.org.