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SERV Sexual Violence Services

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SERV (Services Empowering Rights of Victims) provides:

  • Sexual violence services in Camden, Gloucester, and Cumberland Counties. Additional info below.
  • Domestic Violence services in Gloucester and Cumberland Counties.  Click here for more info.
  • Emergency safe housing for female victims of domestic violence. Click here for more info.

NJ State Certified Sexual Violence and Domestic Violence Response Advocates can be reached through the 24/7 toll-free hotlines:

Camden & Gloucester Counties: 1-866-295-SERV (7378)

Cumberland County:  1-800-225-0196

SERV (Services Empowering Rights of Victims) is the New Jersey State Designated Sexual Violence Program for Camden, Gloucester, and Cumberland counties. Services include 24/7 crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling for female and male victims of sexual violence age 12 and older. Advocates are available to accompany victims to hospitals, law enforcement agencies and court. Short-term, crisis counseling is available for victims/survivors of sexual violence and their significant others.  Adult and teen support groups are available for survivors. SERV promotes prevention across the community providing outreach and education on sexual violence.  

SERV protects the rights of survivors to ensure they are treated with compassion and dignity. All services are provided free of charge, strictly confidential, culturally sensitive and bilingual.

Services include:

  • 24/7 toll free hotline for crisis-intervention, phone counseling and information and referrals
  • accompaniments to hospitals, law enforcement agencies and court
  • individual and group counseling for victims/survivors and their significant others, friends and family members
  • sexual violence prevention for schools and community groups
  • awareness presentations to promote prevention of sexual violence across the community 
  • sensitivity and awareness training for service providers on sexual violence  

Education & Training

SERV promotes prevention programs across the community providing educational programs to schools, community groups, social service providers, health care professionals, and law enforcement.  All presentations are provided free of charge.  Please contact serv@centerffs.org for more information or to schedule a training.  

View the Dating Violence and  Bystander Intervention PSA.  This public service announcement on dating violence was created by SERV and Quixote Quest through a grant from the Verizon Foundation.

View the S.T.O.P. video.

Denim Day
The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Denim Day is a month long awareness campaign for the prevention of sexual violence in our communities.  Get involved by wearing denim as a visible sign of protest against sexual violence.

View the Denim Day video.

Volunteer Opportunities

SERV values volunteers as an integral part of providing services to victims of sexual violence. Sexual Violence Response Team Advocate volunteers are needed within the SERV program. Click here for more information. 


Information on Sexual Violence

What is sexual violence?

Sexual violence is comes in many forms, it can be defined as any unwanted sexual  activity that is forced, threatened, coerced, or manipulated  onto an individual. Sexual violence is motivated by the need to control, dominate, humiliate, and harm another individual. It violates a persons feeling of trust and safety and impacts individuals, families and communities as a whole.  Sexual violence can include:

  • sexual assault/rape
  • child sexual abuse
  • incest
  • criminal sexual contact/unwanted touching
  • internet stalking to obtain sex
  • drug-facilitated sexual assault
  • sexual harassment
  • voyeurism
  • exhibitionism

How to protect youself

  • Avoid isolated places
  • Be aware of your surroundings
  • Vary you daily routine
  • Leave a breadcrumb trail: let someone know where you are going or where you are going to be and who you will be with
  • Pay attention to people's attitudes
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Never leave your drink unattended or accept a drink from someone you don't know/trust
  • Make your limits clear
  • Arrange your own transportation to places
  • Trust your instincts, if something doesn't feel right, remove yourself from that situation

For more safety tips go to http://rainn.org/get-information/sexual-assault-prevention

 

What to do if you have been sexually assaulted

  • Go to a safe place, away from the perpetrator
  • Call for help, dial 911 or the SERV hotline:  1-866-295-SERV (7378)
  • For a recent assault, within 5 days, go to your loccal hospital emergency department for a sexual assault forensic exam
  • Do not shower, change your clothes, brush your teeth, eat, drink, smoke or comb your hair
  • If after the 5 day window, seek medical attention from your doctor and contact SERV to speak with an advocate

Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) SERV is an active member of Camden, Gloucester and Cumberland County SART. SART is comprised of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), local law enforcement and the County Prosecutor’s Office. The purpose of SART is to provide efficient and compassionate coordination of services for victims and survivors age 13 and older. SART uses a victim-centered approach, by working together to assist victims through reporting and evidence collection.

 

SERV Funders:

NJ State Department of Community Affairs, Division on Women

NJ State Department of Criminal Justice, Office of Victim Witness Advocacy

NJ Department of Children and Families,

          Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS)

Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders,

          Camden County Department of Human Services

Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders,

          Gloucester County Department of Human Services

SERV is a program member of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA)  


Related Links:

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Family Violence Prevention Fund

Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project

Manavi

Men Can Stop Rape

National Center for Victims of Crime

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

National Crime Prevention Center

The National Organization for Women

National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center

New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women

New Jersey State Legislature

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

Rutgers University Sexual Assault Services and Crime Victim Assistance

U.S. Department of Justice
- Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Office for Victims of Crime
- Violence Against Women Office