The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime (CVVC) is one of the oldest and largest comprehensive crime victim assistance agencies in the region. Founded in 1974 by a group of dedicated volunteers, CVVC began as the Mon Yough/Allegheny County Rape Crisis Center in McKeesport, PA. While providing services to women who were victimized by sexual assault, staff members recognized the need to offer services to men and children. Therefore in 1975, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Center received a grant from the Governor's Justice Commission in 1976 to expand services to all victims of violent crimes. At that time, the newly named Allegheny County Center for Victims of Violent Crime moved to Pittsburgh and was one of very few comprehensive victim service agencies across the nation.
During the past 30 years, CVVC has continued to expand the type and amount of services offered to victims of violence in Allegheny County. Today, many services are mandated by the Pennsylvania Victim's Bill of Rights. However, it has not always been the case. CVVC has been an innovative agency since its inception, acknowledging and adjusting to meet the needs of crime victims before it was mandated. Beginning with crisis counseling and basic advocacy services, CVVC has grown to include a continuum of services.
The 1980's began a time of expansion for the agency that has continued into the present. Some of the highlights include:
- In the early 1980's, there were few places survivors of homicide could go where their unique needs were not only understood, but met. CVVC opened its doors and expanded services to include this group of survivors, providing advocacy and assistance at the request of Assistant District Attorneys. Individual counseling and group support services were started with volunteer help. Finally, in the mid to late 1980's, initial funding was provided by Staunton Farm Foundation to offer ongoing group and counseling services. Today, homicide survivors can heal, remember and honor their loved ones in many ways at CVVC.
- CVVC also recognized that needs of victims do not promptly end with the verdict of a criminal trial. During the mid 1980's CVVC began offering Post-Trial services, which included accompanying victims to sentencing hearings and tracking the whereabouts of offenders. Over the years, Post-Trial services have increased to include accompaniment and assistance when an appeal is filed by a defendant; when writing Victim Impact Statements; with restitution issues; and with input statements through which victims can submit input into parole decisions. Today, CVVC has further expanded to administer the Jail Notification program for offenders sentenced to the Allegheny County Jail and can assist victims register for Pennsylvania State Notification. Funding for these services became consistent when the Rights and Services Act was passed in Pennsylvania.
- The adult criminal justice system is vastly different from the juvenile justice system. Victims of adult offenders face different challenges than victims of juvenile offenders. As such, in the late 1980's, CVVC placed volunteers in Allegheny County Juvenile Court to assist victims through that system. With funding from Allegheny County, a full-time CVVC branch opened in the Juvenile Court building with a staff of one and the support of many giving volunteers. Additional funding came with the passage of the federal Victim of Juvenile Offender Act. Today that program provides services to victims of juvenile offenders from pre-hearing to post-hearing with seven staff, multiple college-level student interns and volunteers.
- CVVC was the first agency to recognize the need to have a victim sensitive advocate stationed within police departments. The first CVVC employee was stationed within the City of Pittsburgh Police Department in the early 1990's. Today, CVVC has victim Counselor Advocates stationed within both the City and County Police departments to provide early intervention and support services to victims, witnesses and their families.
Staff members have played a vital role in advocating for victim rights over the years and as a result, CVVC has been influential in assuring the passage of many victim sensitive laws, including the Pennsylvania Victim's Bill of Rights, in 1984, and Megan's Law, in 1996. CVVC is a part of many collaborative efforts locally and on the state level and nationally. Currently, staff members participate in PA's Victim Service Advisory Committee, the Federal Crimes Against Children Task Force for Western PA Region, Coalition of PA Crime Victim Organizations, the Sexual Assault Response Team of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Keystone Crisis Intervention Team, and National Organization for Victim Assistance among others.
In the late 1990's, CVVC relocated its offices to the current location (900 Fifth Ave) in Uptown, Pittsburgh. Over the past 10 years, with victims' needs increasing, we found having just one office was not sufficient. In working toward our mission of meeting the needs of all victims, CVVC needed to connect with communities suffering from violence and crime. As a result, in 2002 a distinct Community Education and Outreach Department was formed to enhance the training and education that was previously done by all the staff. In 2003, that department was relocated to a satellite office in Turtle Creek, enabling CVVC to be more accessible to the communities of the Mon Valley. Then in 2004, to better reflect the experience of our clients and to encourage victims of all crimes, not just those categorized as violent to seek services, CVVC changed its name from "The Center for Victims of Violent Crime" to "The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime".
CVVC holds the unique status of being both a rape crisis center, as well as a comprehensive victim assistance center. Comprehensive denotes two unique aspects of CVVC:
- We are the only victim service agency in Allegheny County that services victims of all forms of crime and violence, including sexual assault, aggravated and simple assault, homicide, child abuse, elder abuse, robbery, burglary, and DUIs.
- We offer an extensive range of crime victim assistance services which include: crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy services, jail notification, victim compensation assistance, and community education and outreach programs that raise awareness of the impact of violence, promote victim's rights and services and encourage violence-free lifestyles.
- Early intervention and outreach to victims of crime and violence supports personal recovery and healing processes.
- Unattended and unresolved trauma, grief and loss caused by violence negatively impacts a person's health and worldview, inhibits coping skills, and reduces personal options which increase the likelihood of that person's exposure to victimization and violence.
- Violence must be viewed as a public health issue that requires further education of the public regarding intervention and prevention strategies.
CVVC's commitment to working closely with system-based entities such as the courts, the police and the District Attorney's Office, and it's willingness to respond immediately to individuals, families and communities impacted by crime has resulted in the provision of meaningful, life-altering services for crime victims for over 30 years. Its vision and passion for the work continues to be a catalyst for more victim-sensitive criminal and juvenile justice systems in Allegheny County.
