BackgroundThe Victims Resource Center is a not-for-profit organization in northeastern Pennsylvania that provides services to victims of crime in Luzerne, Carbon and Wyoming counties. A group that is rich with history, the Victims Resource Center is responsible for educating, advocating, and counseling victims of crime by providing direct services for victims, education for the community and taking an active role when addressing the issue of violence and supporting the principles of nonviolence.

The Victims Resource Center began in 1974 as a grassroots organization called the Luzerne County Women Organized Against Rape. The organization was formed as a response to the nationwide rape crisis movement and provided many of the services still offered today. In 1979, due to the increasing number of victims seeking services, an office was opened in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

In 1982, the name was changed to the Victims Resource Center to better reflect current and future goals. Since that time, the Victims Resource Center has developed numerous direct service and educational programs to meet the needs of victims, their families, friends and the community as a whole.

Today, the organization focuses on direct services to clients, prevention education programs for the community and advocacy on behalf of crime victims in Luzerne, Carbon and Wyoming counties. The Victims Resource Center’s goal from its earliest beginnings to the present day has always been to help victims through the painful transition from victim to survivor.

The Victims Resource Center provides services to all victims of crime, regardless of age, race, orientation, or gender. They become an advocate for victims and provide many services, some of which include a 24-hour hotline, individual and group counseling, and court orientation to help the victims become better aware of the court process that many of them will have to go through.

In addition, the Victims Resource Center will become an advocate for the victim in the community. They support and are involved with many community awareness projects, including rallies, walks, and exhibits, with the purpose of educating the public about violence prevention. They also have various educational programs which can be tailored to any age group, from children to the elderly.

The Victims Resource Center provides their services for the victim confidentially and as an organization, they work hard to make the victim feel comfortable in an often uncomfortable situation. Their promise is to listen to the victim, to believe them, help them to stay safe, to inform them of their options, and to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The Victims Resource Center provides these services to every victim, every time.