Advocating Justice, Empowering Minds, Strengthening Spirits, Training Leaders, Changing Lives
The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) provides the unifying vision and voice to all Californians speaking out against sexual violence. CALCASA’s leadership at both the state and national level brings support, justice, and hope to victim/survivors of sexual assault, and to those who work to eradicate this pervasive problem in our communities. The needs of sexual violence victim/survivors as well as the prevention approaches designed to stop sexual assault, guide CALCASA as it works to impact public policy, educate the public, and provide resources to all those working to end sexual violence
Founded in 1980, CALCASA is the only statewide organization in California whose sole purpose is to promote public policy, advocacy, training and technical assistance on the issue of sexual assault. CALCASA’s primary membership is the 92 rape crisis centers and rape prevention programs in the state. CALCASA affiliate membership category is for organizations, businesses, individuals and others committed to our mission and our vision of the elimination of sexual violence.
CALCASA works closely with rape crisis centers, government agencies, campuses, institutions, lawmakers, the criminal justice system, medical personnel, community-based organizations and business leaders providing a central resource for improving society's response to sexual violence by supplying knowledge and expertise on a wide range of issues.
In 1997, CALCASA established the Rape Prevention Resource Center (RPRC)—the largest center of its kind in the nation. The Center strengthens California's rape crisis and rape prevention programs by providing leadership, training, information, guidance and assistance. CALCASA convenes statewide training conferences and offers publications such as training curriculum, reports on sexual violence research, and organizational/resource development guides. As an added component of technical assistance, CALCASA sponsored self-defense instructor training for rape crisis center staff interest in learning to teach self-defense workshops in their communities (discontinued as of 2005). CALCASA is also called upon by individuals and organizations nationwide to provide direction on the issue of eradicating sexual assault. The RPRC includes a Library—one of the largest, most comprehensive specialized libraries on violence against women in the world. The collection includes more than 7,000 books, periodicals, curricula, resource guides, videos and audiotapes.
In 1999 CALCASA expanded even further, when it was selected to be Training and Technical Assistance Provider to the "Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program" provided through the Department of Justice, Office for Justice Programs, Office on Violence Against Women, ,. Through this program, CALCASA provides over 100 grantee campuses nationwide with conferences, and monthly teleconferences. CALCASA also works with a national campus advisory board, and provides technical assistance to assure that grantees succeed in their grant objectives to address domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campuses.
CALCASA was funded in 2001 by the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office on Violence Against Women to provide training and technical assistance provider to recipients of the “Grants to Reduce Violence Against Women with Disabilities.” Project Access is the comprehensive technical assistance provider to 22 grantees, representing 19 different states and provides technical assistance through a National Clearinghouse on Violence Against Women with Disabilities, an e-newsletter, video-teleconferences, in-person site visits, and grantee “Spotlight” meetings.
Prevention Connection: The Violence Against Women Prevention Partnership is CALCASA’s newest national project. In 2004, CALCASA was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to advance primary prevention against violence against women by conducting web conferences, moderating a listserv and lead on-line discussions which will explore issues and highlight efforts to stop violence against women before it starts, engage communities in preventing violence against women and build upon the strengths of the violence against women movement, public health and other prevention efforts to create social change.
