ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Regional Victim Crisis Center (RVCC) commemorated 45 years of operation in Abilene and the Big Country during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, October. To toast to the last 45 years and hope for many more, the RVCC wanted to thank its partnering organizations and services by feeding those who help make its work in the community possible.
With much appreciation, the RVCC is holding a special luncheon on Tuesday, October 11 from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m., hosted outside its offices at 310 North Willis Street.
Janey Wawerna, Executive Director for the RVCC, said she invites all of the following to stop by for a bite:
- First responders
- Those in the justice system
- City officials
- Anyone who works to help victims of violent crimes
“We want to feed their bodies because they have fed our souls,” Wawerna said.
Since its founding in 1977, the RVCC has worked with community services to provide a lifeline to survivors of sexual assault, violent crime and domestic abuse. Although, when the center first opened it was known as the Abilene Rape Crisis Hotline.
“A need was identified that rape victims needed proper care and support to navigate the justice system,” explained Wawerna.
That hotline is still in operation, but the RVCC has grown. Trauma counselors, courtroom advocates, crime scene response teams and community outreach now sit alongside its offered services. Wawerna told KTAB/KRBC these resources work together to give survivors a more stable shot at life again.
“We never charge a fee. But you have to remember, being a crime victim; they’ve paid the ultimate price and it cost a lot,” Wawerna detailed. “And that’s why we depend on our partners in the community to make sure they get the care they need.”
