On October 8, 2026, advocates, allies, and survivors from across Pennsylvania gathered on the steps of the Harrisburg Capitol for the Enough Is Enough rally, hosted by Respect Together’s statewide division, the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR). Held in solidarity with the nationwide Stop Sexual Violence Day of Action, the rally highlighted growing concerns about how colleges and universities respond to sexual assault, support survivors who come forward, and hold those responsible accountable. Against the backdrop of national attention surrounding sexual assault allegations and institutional responses at Cornell University, Louisiana State University, and other colleges, speakers called for stronger protections for survivors in Pennsylvania and greater accountability for institutions responsible for their safety and well-being.
The rally was emceed by Gabriella Romeo, PCAR’s public policy director, and featured remarks from Respect Together CEO Yolanda Edrington; Kat Gastineau of YWCA Lancaster; Thai McZorn of YWCA Greater Harrisburg; Pennie Hockenberry of the Pennsylvania Office of the Victim Advocate; Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo; and State Rep. Maureen Madden. The speakers emphasized that survivors deserve to be heard, supported, and treated with dignity, and that everyone has a role to play in turning public concern and calls for accountability into meaningful change.
Respect Together CEO Yolanda Edrington delivered a strong message to rally attendees: “No frat house should be a site for sexual abuse. No brotherhood is worth more than a woman’s safety. And no school administration should diminish the severity of these acts by holding such a low standard for accountability.”
The speakers brought that message to life by highlighting the barriers survivors face and the responsibility of institutions and communities to do better.
Survivors deserve to be heard, not blamed
Kat Gastineau, director of education and advocacy at YWCA Lancaster, described accompanying a college student to the hospital after an assault. The student was afraid to tell her family and friends, reflecting the scrutiny survivors often face about what they drank, what they wore, where they went, and how long they waited to report. Gastineau challenged that culture of victim-blaming, asking why people don’t instead ask the most important question: “Why did someone choose to hurt you?”
Support must be accessible
Thai McZorn, director of violence intervention and prevention at YWCA Greater Harrisburg, highlighted the practical challenges survivors face, including returning to places connected to their assaults and navigating systems designed to provide support. Survivors may need counseling, legal assistance, transportation, child care, and health care. As McZorn emphasized, “Survivors should not have to navigate a maze of bureaucracy or fight the very systems designed to protect them.”
Community-based rape crisis centers provide critical, confidential services to campus sexual assault survivors and others in our communities. Advocates help survivors understand their legal rights and options, navigate systems such as Title IX, make a report to law enforcement, and access the support and resources they need. Yet too many survivors and community members are unaware of these resources or how to access them. Adequate funding is essential to ensuring these centers can respond when survivors reach out for help and educate communities about the critical services they provide.
Institutions must be accountable
Pennie Hockenberry of Pennsylvania’s Office of the Victim Advocate called for meaningful choices, protection from retaliation, and access to advocacy for survivors. “Due process and survivor rights are not competing values,” she said. “We can protect the rights of everyone involved while still ensuring that survivors are heard, supported, respected and treated with dignity.”
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo emphasized the importance of treating survivors with compassion and keeping them informed on their cases. He also called for greater accountability: “And we must seek accountability for responsible offenders, institutions and organizations.”
Turning calls for change into action
State Rep. Maureen Madden shared her experiences of childhood sexual abuse and workplace sexual harassment and called for stronger protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Her remarks underscored the importance of creating environments where survivors can speak openly about their experiences and access the protections they deserve.
The rally also called on Pennsylvania lawmakers to close the so-called voluntary intoxication loophole and strengthen protections for survivors. Speakers urged improvements to campus reporting and response standards and greater support for the services survivors rely on.
The message of the rally extended beyond the Capitol steps. Speakers encouraged attendees to contact their legislators and continue supporting survivors in their campuses, workplaces, and communities.
Pennsylvania Must Act for Survivors
At the Capitol, we called on lawmakers to close gaps in Pennsylvania law and on institutions to answer for how they respond to sexual violence. Survivors deserve to be heard without blame, to find support when they need it, and to have their rights protected. For more than 50 years, PCAR has strengthened Pennsylvania’s rape crisis centers and fought for survivors’ rights. We will keep pressing for laws that protect survivors, demanding accountability from institutions, and working toward a Pennsylvania where everyone can live free from sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.