A message from Yolanda Edrington, CEO of Respect Together
Progress happens when commitment is matched with action. It looks like investing in the services survivors rely on, speaking out when institutions fall short of their responsibilities, and working together to create meaningful change. While there is still much work ahead, this quarter brought important examples of what we can accomplish through advocacy, collaboration, and a shared commitment to ending sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.
One of the most significant milestones this quarter was Pennsylvania’s historic $12 million increase in state funding for rape crisis services, nearly doubling the funding available to support survivors across the Commonwealth. This achievement reflects years of persistent advocacy by rape crisis centers across Pennsylvania, supported and championed by the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR), Respect Together’s statewide division. Survivors, advocates, center staff, volunteers, and community partners shared their experiences, engaged policymakers, and continued making the case for sustainable investment, even as centers faced years of stagnant funding, rising costs, increasing demand, and reductions in federal support. This investment will help strengthen the network of rape crisis centers serving all 67 counties and sustain essential services, including crisis hotlines, counseling, prevention education, medical and legal advocacy, and accompaniment for survivors.
Progress also means bringing greater attention to the ways institutions respond to sexual assault and demanding accountability when they fail survivors. Across the country, public outrage over institutional responses to campus sexual assault has renewed urgent conversations about prevention, supporting survivors, and the responsibility of colleges and universities to create safer environments. In this edition, we highlight NSVRC’s collaboration with The Alliance Against Sexual Violence to share five critical lessons from a high-profile case, Pennsylvania’s Enough Is Enough rally, and Respect Together’s Survivors Speak. Institutions Must Act. statement. Each reflects our continued commitment to ensuring survivors are heard and supported and that institutions are held accountable for their response to sexual violence.
We also reflect on the connections and inspiration fostered at the 2026 National Sexual Assault Conference, where more than 1,300 advocates and allies from across the country came together to learn, share, and strengthen our collective work. Other articles highlight our continued advocacy for the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, the broader meaning of justice for survivors, and the tensions and possibilities of reflecting on America’s 250th anniversary.
Each of these stories highlights a different aspect of Respect Together’s work, but all are connected by a shared purpose building communities and institutions where safety, respect, and accountability are more than aspirations.
Thank you for being part of this work. We hope this newsletter informs, inspires, and reminds you that progress is possible when we move forward together.
Warmly,
Yolanda Edrington
CEO, Respect Together
