To support survivors of sexual trauma, improve systems response, and create social change to end sexual violence and to build a healthy community free from oppression and sexual trauma. Since our inception, we have served thousands of survivors and families by offering a non-judgmental, confidential source of support to help them move past the trauma of sexual assault. Today, STAR's services continue to expand as community need grows. We now provide confidential advocacy, counseling, and legal services to individuals and families affected by sexual trauma at no cost. We are also engaging in institutional and social change work to build our community's capacity to prevent and respond responsibly to sexual violence.
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Services Offered
Supporting Survivors - Our advocacy, counseling and legal services are available to youth and adult survivors of sexual violence at no cost, and are intended to assist you at any stage of your healing. Our staff creates a safe, supportive, confidential environment where survivors are welcomed and supported. At STAR, we believe that every survivor has the right to services, regardless of their background, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or decision to report. You are eligible for services no matter how much time has passed since the assault.
Creating Social Change - Our social change work is guided by our vision of building a community free from oppression and sexual trauma. With positive social change, it is possible to make sexual trauma a relic of the past. To accomplish this, STAR informs, engages, and partners with youth and adults to envision and establish community solutions to the problem of sexual trauma.
* Addressing sexual violence as a public health problem, not simply a concern of an individual who experiences sexual trauma * Challenging attitudes, beliefs and behaviors within our culture that normalize, excuse, condone and perpetuate violence and oppression * Preventing sexual violence through a multi-level approach including primary prevention, therapeutic intervention and trauma-informed supportive response * Protecting survivors' rights * Ensuring that every survivor of sexual violence has the right to confidential and competent services, regardless of their age, background, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or decision to report * Increasing survivors' power and visibility in the community * Building community capacity to address sexual violence by creating meaningful partnerships with individuals, organizations and institutions that believe in our mission and want to help us fulfill our vision * Revolutionary change to fundamentally transform ourselves, our clients and our communities
Fees and Payment
We are a private, not-for-profit agency, for more information check our ABOUT US page.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Pro-bono
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A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.