Program to Aid Victims of Sexual Assault, or PAVSA, is a nonprofit rape crisis center that helps to aid victims, survivors and second hand survivors of sexual assault. They first opened their doors in 1975 when a small group of women were determined to combat the issue of sexual assault in the greater Duluth community.

Since then, the non-profit has been making history for not only Duluth or even Minnesota but nationwide. PAVSA has created a name for themselves and their community partners would agree. To read more about how PAVSA’s team has made history, click here.

One of the non-profits goals in the community is to educate the public about sexual violence and the stigmas that surround the topic of sexual assault.

24-HOUR HELPLINE: 218-726-1931

UMD Director of Diversity and Inclusion Susana Pelayo-Woodward says that next month is Human Trafficking awareness month. As a partner of PAVSA, UMD along with other non-profits like CASDA AICHO, Safe Haven, First Witness and others will be putting on events each week in the month of January.

“The community will be invited to learn about the work that we are doing in the community and learn more about all the different programs,” she said.

Pelayo-Woodward says that people often have a perception around human trafficking that it does not happen to the everyday average person. “People are at risk of it happening at any time.”

She also adds that PAVSA’s work is extremely important for the UMD community as well as the St. Louis County area. PAVSA has helped to create a safer campus. UMD has PAVSA advocates on site Monday-Friday.

“It’s not just also the business of sexual assault, but also friends and family that I think sometimes people don’t know that they are there to assist everyone that is affected,” said Susana. These are what PAVSA calls “second-hand survivors.”

PAVSA has many resources and can be reached 24-hours a day and 7-days a week. Their 24-hour crisis line phone number is 218-726-1931.

You can donate to the non-profit anytime on PAVSA’s website.