Free, Confidential, 24/7 Sexual Violence Support Services 908-233-7273
Sexual Violence Support — Free, Confidential Help in Union County, NJ
Confidential, trauma-informed support for survivors in Union County and surrounding communities
The Peace of Mind Foundation Sexual Violence Support Program provides confidential, trauma-informed support for survivors of sexual violence in Union County and surrounding communities. Our advocates are here to support survivors with compassion, respect, and care.
Karolina’s Place is Union County’s confidential sexual violence resource and advocacy center. Whether it happened recently or long ago, you are believed and you are not alone. Free and confidential support, any time, day or night: 908-233-7273.
If You Need Help Right Now
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Confidential support is available through the Peace of Mind Foundation Sexual Violence Support Line:
908-233-7273 (24 hours a day)
Advocates can provide support with:
Crisis counseling
Emotional support
Non-acute accompaniment to medical and legal appointments
Police accompaniment
Court accompaniment
Information about survivor rights and options
Referrals to counseling and community resources
All services are free and confidential.
Prefer not to talk? You can chat online with the National Sexual Assault Hotline — free, confidential, and available 24/7.
A note about privacy: the Quick Exit button takes you off this page quickly, but it cannot erase your browser history. Browsing in a private or incognito window keeps your visit from being seen on your device.
Free Healing Tools, Whenever You're Ready
A private space for guided breathing, grounding exercises, and calming sound — free, available any time, day or night. There’s nothing to sign up for, and no one will know you used it.
What Happens When You Call?
Making the first call can feel like the hardest part. Here’s exactly what it looks like — so there are no unknowns.
You reach out — whenever you're ready
Call 908-233-7273, any hour, any day. A trained advocate answers — not a machine, not a script.
You share only what you want
You can stay anonymous. There's nothing you have to say, prove, or explain.
We listen, and explain your options
Emotional support, medical information, legal options, counseling — laid out gently, with no judgment and no pressure.
You decide what happens next
Every choice stays yours: what to do, when to do it, or whether to do anything at all.
We walk beside you
Whatever you choose — counseling, accompaniment, resources, or just someone to listen — we're with you for as long as you want us.
Coordinated, Compassionate Care
During the first days after an assault (the acute period, up to about 9 days), hospital sexual assault forensic exams in Union County are coordinated through the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), with hospital response advocates from the YWCA Union County Sexual Violence Program.
Downloadable Resources
Download and share information about sexual violence services in Union County.
You are not alone on this journey.
How to Refer Someone to the Sexual Violence Advocacy & Resource Center
If someone shares that they have experienced sexual violence, your response can make a meaningful difference. Here are a few simple steps to help connect them with support:
- Provide our brochure. Download and share the brochure above so they have information they can review at their own pace.
- Explain our services. Encourage them to explore this website to learn about our free, confidential services, including advocacy, counseling, crisis intervention, support groups, accompaniment, and additional resources.
- Share our contact information. Give the survivor or their significant other our phone number: 908-233-7273.
- Support their choices. Encourage choice, self-determination, and autonomy. Allow the survivor to decide if, when, and how they would like to seek support. Respect that healing looks different for everyone.
- Offer support without pressure. Let them know they are not alone and that help is available whenever they are ready. There is no right or wrong timeline for reaching out.
Understanding Sexual Violence
Learning about sexual violence can help survivors, loved ones, and communities recognize it, name it, and respond with compassion. Tap any topic to learn more.
While the legal definitions may vary, the general concept is always the same: Consent is an ongoing process of discussing boundaries and what you’re comfortable with.
What is consent?
Consent is an agreement between individuals to engage in sexual activity. Consent should be clearly and freely communicated.
How do you get consent?
You ask and you listen.
Ask:
- Can I kiss you?
- You good?
- Do you want to have sex?
- Do you like this?
- Is this ok?
- If there is a clear and unmistakable “Yes”, then there is consent.
- If the answer is not a clear “Yes”, then you STOP.
- If your partner says no, hesitates, or seems unsure… STOP.
- Pull away
- Look away
- Seem tense
- Lie still
- Be quiet
- Not kiss or touch you back
Consent CANNOT be given by individuals who are…
- Underage
- Intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol
- Asleep or unconscious
- Coerced
- Threatened or intimidated
What EVERYONE Should Know…
According to New Jersey law, sexual assault is defined as any sexual penetration, no matter how slight, without a person’s consent or with a person who is unable to consent. The law also defines sexual assault as sexual contact under specific circumstances, such as age difference.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone, anywhere. Knowing the facts can help keep you safe.
What is sexual assault?
- Unwanted fondling, kissing, or sexual touching.
- Forcing a person to look at pornography or pose for sexual pictures.
- Forcing a person to have oral sex.
- Rape or unwanted sexual intercourse.
- Having sex with someone who is unconscious.
- Coercing a person into unwanted fondling, kissing, sexual touching, or sexual intercourse.
- Using physical strength or a weapon
- Getting a person high or drunk in order to have sex
- Not listening when the person says no
- Threats of harm to the person, to others, or to themselves
- Coercing a person into giving in to sexual acts
- They have been drinking
- They are dressed in sexy clothes
- Their date has spent a lot of money
- They said yes before
- They have been making out
- They have been dating for a long time
- Quid pro quo (or “this for that”): when someone, usually in a position of power, asks for sexual favors in exchange for some form of benefit (ex. a promotion, a better/passing grade).
- Hostile environment: a condition created when someone engages in unwelcome behavior that creates an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working or learning environment.
- Unwelcome sexual advances (physical or verbal)
- “Dirty” jokes or stories
- Comments about your body
- Obscene gestures
- Requests for sexual favors
- Inappropriate reference to gender or sexual orientation
- Document everything. Keep a small noteb0ok describing the harassment or keep an audio/video recording of yourself after each incident.
- Record the date, time, and location where the incident took place.
- Record exactly what the harasser said or did to you.
- Record how you felt after the incident took place and what actions you took, if any.
- Make a note of any witnesses (if possible, ask them to write down what they saw/heard).
- Keep any notes, photos, or e-mails the harasser sent you.
- Talk to someone about the harassment.
- Do not keep any documentation at work or at school, and keep copies for your records.
- Review workplace and/or school brochures, policies, and procedures regarding sexual harassment.
- Know your school/employer’s policy, your union’s procedures, and your legal options so you can make an informed decision.
- Find support from friends, family, co-workers, or give us a call @ 908.233.7273.
Going off to college should be an exciting time for students and
their families. University and college campuses can give a sense of security
with students knowing and looking out for each other. Unfortunately, sexual
assault on college campuses is a common problem that often goes unreported. Research
has found that 50% of campus sexual assaults occur during the “Red Zone” (the
beginning period of a new school year), especially for students who are new to
campus. One in five women and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted while
in college with their highest risk of sexual assault being in the first few
months of their first and second semesters.
Why is
sexual assault on college campuses so common?
Typically, this “Red Zone” is the time where students frequent
more social gatherings. During this time, many young adults use drugs and/or
alcohol for the first time, not knowing how they will be affected. Being
intoxicated can leave a person unaware of what is happening around them, or to
them, making it difficult to consent. Campus sexual assaults often involve
drugs and alcohol as one study showed, 15% of young women experienced
incapacitated rape during their first year of college. Peer pressure can also
play a part. Students may feel pressured to participate in activities such as
drinking, using drugs, or engaging in sexual activities that may make them feel
uncomfortable. Being “talked” into an unwanted sexual activity for social
acceptance is a type of sexual coercion and does not constitute consent.
What are
colleges and universities doing to keep campuses safe?
The Campus Sexual
Violence Elimination (Campus SaVE) Act was passed in 2013 as an
amendment to the Jeanne Clery Act of
1990. While the Clery Act required greater transparency and timely
warnings from colleges and universities about crimes that are committed on
campus, including crimes of sexual violence, the Campus SaVE Act requires that,
and more. Aside from being transparent with the frequency and types of crimes,
they are also being required to:
- Maintain statistics and provide explanations of their anti-sexual
violence policies and procedures in their annual safety reports.
- Inform survivors of their rights and provide reasonable
accommodations and protective measures while on campus and provide information
on existing services both on and off campus.
- Provide campus-wide sexual violence prevention and education
programs.
- Conduct impartial disciplinary proceedings.
While we cannot prevent sexual assault (REMEMBER: the fault always
lies with the assailant/perpetrator) we can incorporate some safety measures to
prevent any possible acts of sexual violence. To learn more, check out our “Safety Planning &
Risk Reduction” page or visit the links below.
Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault can happen to anyone, by anyone, and occurs when alcohol or drugs are used to compromise an individual’s ability to consent to sexual activity. These substances (also known as “date rape drugs”) can lower inhibitions, reduce a person’s ability to resist, and affect memory – making it easier for perpetrators to commit sexual assault.
Date Rape DrugsIt is important to note that any drug, in certain amounts, can leave you helpless.
- Alcohol remains the most commonly used substance in crimes of sexual assault.
- Prescription medications such as sleep aids, anxiety medication, muscle relaxers, and tranquilizers may also be used.
- GHB, Rohypnol (Roofies), Ecstasy, and Ketamine can be added to drinks without changing the color, flavor, or odor. Alcohol is also known to enhance the effects of these substances.
How will I know if I’ve been drugged?
- Difficulty breathing
- Feeling drunk when you have consumed little to no alcohol
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Nausea
- Sudden body temperature change that could be signaled by sweating or chattering teeth
- Sudden increase in dizziness, disorientation, or blurred vision
- Waking up with no memory, or missing large portions of memory
If you believe you, or someone you know, has ingested any of these substances, seek help immediately. You can contact 9-1-1, go to your nearest Emergency Room, or contact Karolina’s Place at 908.233.7273.
Research shows that 2 percent of people who are stalked were also sexually assaulted by the perpetrator, and 31 percent of women who are stalked by an intimate partner were also sexually assaulted by that partner.
According to New Jersey statute N.J.S.A 2C:12-10, stalking is defined as “purposeful conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily injury or death to themselves or a family member.” This can be anything from following someone around, calling regularly, sending unsolicited letters, or making other contact that causes fear.
RAINN lists the various forms in which stalking behavior can manifest:
- Making threats against someone, or that person’s family or friends.
- Non-consensual communication, such as repeated phone calls, emails, text messages, and unwanted gifts.
- Repeated physical or visual closeness, like waiting for someone to arrive at certain locations, following someone, or watching someone from a distance.
- Any other behavior used to contact, harass, track, or threaten someone…including the use of cyberstalking.
Cyberstalking is defined as the use of technology, including photos, videos, social media, and dating apps, as a means to engage in harassing, unsolicited, or non-consensual sexual interactions.
Examples of cyberstalking:
- Continuously sending unsolicited communication via the internet, like spamming someone’s email or social media accounts.
- Posting threatening or personal details about an individual on public internet forums.
- Engaging in video-voyeurism by installing surveillance cameras to intrude into someone’s private life.
- Employing GPS or other tracking software to monitor someone without their awareness or permission.
- Illegally accessing someone’s computer and using spyware to monitor their online activities.
If
you, or someone you know, believes that they are being stalked, please know
there are now protections in place. In January, 2024, the Sexual Assault
Survivor Protection Act (S.A.S.P.A) was amended to include stalking and cyberstalking
– even if no sexual assault occurred. This change led them to change the name
to the Victims Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (V.A.S.P.A.). To learn
more, click HERE.
For additional support and resources, contact us at 908.233.7273.
Please visit the sites below for additional information on how to identify stalking behaviors, create safety plans, and help keep yourself safe:
Sexual violence affects survivors in many ways, including a poor body image. Some survivors may use food in an attempt to cope with trauma or compensate for feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem overwhelming. Controlling behaviors around food and exercise may suppress difficult emotions and provide a temporary sense of control. These coping mechanisms can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, binge eating, and bulimia nervosa.
- Victims of sexual abuse, particularly those who suffered at a younger age
- Victims or observers of domestic violence
- Those who suffer from PTSD
- Warning signs of an eating disorder:
- Preoccupation with food, calories, and dieting
- Creating rules and categories for foods they will and won’t eat
- Wearing excessively baggy clothing
- Yellowing teeth or bad breath
- Frequent trips to the bathroom around meal time
- Cold hands or lowered body temperature
- Refusing to go out to eat or visit during meal times
- Rituals during mealtime such as chewing excessively, cutting up small bites, pushing food around a plate
Connection between eating disorders and sexual violence
Building Bridges Between Eating Disorders and Sexual Violence
Sexual assault not only affects the survivor, but everyone around them. As a loved one, you may not always know how to provide the right type of support when it is needed most, and that is okay. Supporting someone after they have been sexually assaulted is a selfless act of kindness. You may not be able to erase their pain, but you can be a vital source of comfort as they heal.
If a friend or family member has been assaulted, here are some tips on how you can help:
1. Listen – It takes a lot of courage for a survivor to open up and share what they have experienced. Thank them for trusting you enough to share their story and assure them that they can trust you to keep it confidential, unless they ask otherwise. While they share their story, don’t try to change the subject to something less painful or act uncomfortable (if possible).
2. Believe and Validate – Many survivors feel a sense of guilt, shame, or have fears of not being believed. You can help ease those feelings by reminding them that sexual assault survivors are never at fault. Simply saying “I believe you, and I’m sorry this happened to you” can help them feel validated.
3. Ask How You Can Help – Making a survivor feel heard and validating their feelings can bring them a sense of relief, but they may still be dealing with emotions they are not ready to face. Gently ask them how you can help them. It is okay to make suggestions on steps to take, but it is important to respect their decisions. The healing process and time frame is different for everyone. Being forceful with them may cause them to withdraw or shutdown completely.
4. Offer Resources – Sexual assault is motivated by power and control. One of the best ways to help empower a survivor is to encourage them to make informed decisions regarding their care and treatment. It is okay to offer resources, like Karolina’s Place, but respect the way they accept them. If the survivor feels that they are ready to do so, remind them that you are there to support them while they take this next step.
5. Practice Self Care – While you may not have been the victim of the assault, providing support to your loved one can take a powerful toll. Hearing the details of their story may leave you feeling drained and like you can’t really handle much else. Take time off to do things that make you feel good; take a walk, read a book, watch your favorite t.v. show, etc. It is equally important for you to care for your own mental and emotional well being.
Test Yourself: Consent Myths vs. Facts
Eight quick true-or-false statements. No scores kept, no judgment — just clarity that makes everyone safer.
You Are Not Alone
Confidential support is available 24 hours a day. Reach out whenever you are ready.