Our Story
A little bit about where we came from and where we are going in our efforts to educate our communities, empower others, and envision a world free from violence.
Our Beginnings
In 1982, a group of concerned citizens starting talking about the need for domestic violence and sexual assault services in rural Wayne County. In 1984, town meetings were held to discuss this need. To get emergency services started, a sister program from Lackawanna County provided immediate crisis services to Wayne County residents in 1985. In 1988, Victims’ Intervention Program (VIP) was established.
VIP’s mission statement is Educate~Empower~Envision. We educate the community on the issues of domestic and sexual violence-we empower victims and survivors to make the best choices for their individual situations-and we invite the community to envision a world free from violence.
VIP started as a crisis center serving victims of sexual and domestic violence only. Very quickly we realized that crisis services were not enough. We added individual and group counseling services as well as prevention education. As time went on, we knew that helping with the crisis was only the beginning. We needed to do more. The question on the table for VIP’s team was “What happens after the crisis?” As a result of this question, many post-crisis programs and services were born.
Our Philosophy
The philosophy of Victims’ Intervention Program is that all people have the right to live in a nonviolent environment. VIP staff, volunteers and board of directors endeavor to promote an atmosphere in which all persons, particularly women, can strive for equality and for respect of themselves and their families. We believe in enhancing a person’s sense of dignity. By receiving peer encouragement and practical support, victims of crime can work toward regaining a positive self-image. It is our belief that this positive self-image will give victims the strength necessary to make a better life for themselves and their families.