24-Hour Hotline

1-888-832-2272

Speak with a counselor any time.

All of Blackburn Center’s client services are

FREE of charge, and can be ANONYMOUS.

Serving Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Exit This Site
0
  • Home

  • Get Help

    • Contact Blackburn Center
    • BlackburnCenterLegal
    • How We Can Help
    • Community Services
    • If It Happens to You
    • For Your Safety
    • Legal Advocacy
    • Protection Orders
  • Take Action

    • Community Projects
    • Educational Videos
    • Events
    • For Parents
    • Future Advocates of Blackburn
    • How to Be an Ally
    • Media Advocacy
    • Fearless Advocacy for Men's Engagement
    • Prior Events
    • Walk A Mile
    • School Programs
    • Take the Pledge
    • Training and Education
    • Volunteer
  • Learn

    • Social Transformation
    • Root Causes of Gender-Based Violence
    • Glossary
    • How to Help a Friend
    • Types of Abuse
    • Children and Abuse
    • Domestic Violence
    • Elder Abuse
    • Human Trafficking
    • LGBTQ
    • Sexual Assault
    • Sexual Harassment
    • Stalking
    • Teen Issues
    • Victims of Violence & Crime
    • Resources
  • About Blackburn Center

    • Publications
    • Board of Directors
    • Achievements
  • Blog

  • Donate

    • Shelter Items Needed
    • Financial Support
  • Cards

  • Jobs

  • Portal

    • Board Member Portal
    • Volunteer Portal
  • More

    Use tab to navigate through the menu items.
    • All Posts
    • Walk a Mile
    Search
    Pushing Back Against the #MeToo Backlash
    • Sep 4, 2019

    Pushing Back Against the #MeToo Backlash

    In fall 2017, a movement began that would send ripple effects throughout the country. With a simple hashtag, #MeToo, women (and men) began sharing their stories of sexual assault and harassment. As a result, many powerful people — mostly men — faced consequences for their inappropriate and sometimes criminal actions. The accused men included Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Al Franken, Garrison Keller, Josh Besh, Mark Halperin, Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Glenn Thrush, Matt L
    0 comments
    Men and #MeToo in Southwestern PA: What the Numbers Show
    • Oct 31, 2018

    Men and #MeToo in Southwestern PA: What the Numbers Show

    Over the past year, the #MeToo movement has swept the nation. While #MeToo began with Tarana Burke, it exploded in prominence after Hollywood actresses began calling out predators in the industry in fall 2017. Yet sexual harassment and abuse are not limited to the film industry or power players in politics, sports or business. In southwestern Pennsylvania, we know that gender-based violence is a real problem for thousands of women right here in our community. The #MeToo mo
    0 comments
    How We Can Create Thriving Workplaces
    • Jul 25, 2018

    How We Can Create Thriving Workplaces

    What are the values of your workplace? How do you know? Are they formally communicated, or demonstrated through what is given attention and praise? Is your workplace somewhere you feel safe, valued, respected and heard? Or are there currents of oppression and unspoken rules about who is more valuable? Who is responsible for creating that organizational culture? If you are an employer, how do the employees feel? How does the community view your company? A company’s cultur
    0 comments
    Has the #MeToo Movement Affected Workplace Sexual Harassment Policies?
    • Jul 11, 2018

    Has the #MeToo Movement Affected Workplace Sexual Harassment Policies?

    Last fall, the phrase “Me Too” echoed across the country and around the world. Although the phrase originated with activist Tarana Burke, it was popularized in October 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano asked her followers on Twitter to reply me too if they had been sexually harassed or assaulted. Much of the conversation around #MeToo centered on sexual assault, particularly as it was revealed that a number of famous men — including director Harvey Weinstein — had sexually ass
    0 comments
    Why We Need to Acknowledge the True Founder of the #MeToo Movement, Tarana Burke
    • Feb 6, 2018

    Why We Need to Acknowledge the True Founder of the #MeToo Movement, Tarana Burke

    For most Americans, the #MeToo movement started in the fall of 2017, with the bombshell New York Times story that Harvey Weinstein had been sexually harassing and assaulting employees and actresses for decades. On October 15, 2017, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted, “if you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” With that, the #MeToo movement took off, with Milano and actress Rose McGowan typically receiving the credit for it. Yet in re
    0 comments
    One Way to End Sexual Harassment? Transparency
    • Jan 31, 2018

    One Way to End Sexual Harassment? Transparency

    For most Americans, the Red Cross is a trusted institution, a nonprofit organization that can be relied on during disasters to provide aid. Indeed, here in Western Pennsylvania, the Red Cross has done an incredible amount of good for our community. Yet even the Red Cross is not immune from scandal. Most recently, it was discovered that the national Red Cross not only shielded a top employee from repercussions from sexually harassing one subordinate and allegedly raping anot
    0 comments
    Believing Victims When Someone You Know or Admire Is Accused of Sexual Violence
    • Dec 13, 2017

    Believing Victims When Someone You Know or Admire Is Accused of Sexual Violence

    We are at a critical moment in American history. Time Magazine just named “The Silence Breakers” as its person of the year for 2017, honoring all those who spoke out against sexual abusers. While we believe that no victim of sexual violence should ever feel compelled or pressured to talk about her or his experience in any way, we acknowledge that those who have chosen to do so, including Tarana Burke who started the #metoo movement more than a decade ago, have created an op
    0 comments
    Why Some Women Defend Abusive Men
    • Dec 6, 2017

    Why Some Women Defend Abusive Men

    This fall, we have experienced what seems to be a turning point in our national conversation about sexual violence. Powerful men are being held responsible for sexual assaulting and harassing women, and for what feels like the first time, the majority of our society believes the female and male victims who come forward with stories of abuse. Yet one troubling aspect that has risen to the surface during this period of great progress is the number of women who will step forwar
    0 comments
    The Many Paths Forward for Victims of Sexual Violence
    • Nov 29, 2017

    The Many Paths Forward for Victims of Sexual Violence

    The news has been full of stories recently of women and men alike coming forward to tell their stories of being sexual assaulted or harassed. Many of the perpetrators are famous or powerful men, while still others are unnamed or unknown abusers. We have reached a moment where there seems to be a possibility of real change, where men and women who sexually harass and assault others are being held accountable — and where the majority of our society is believing victims who co
    0 comments
    Have We Reached a Moment of Truth?
    • Nov 15, 2017

    Have We Reached a Moment of Truth?

    Over the past several weeks, women and men alike have come forward to speak out against powerful men who have sexually abused and harassed them. From Senate candidate Roy Moore to comedian Louis C.K. to actors George Takei, Richard Dreyfuss and Gary Goddard to director Brett Ratner, an ever-growing number of men have been accused of misconduct, abuse and assault. It seems as though this is the beginning of a movement of truth and accountability. While some of the accused ha
    0 comments
    Why It’s OK If You Don’t Say #MeToo
    • Oct 25, 2017

    Why It’s OK If You Don’t Say #MeToo

    In the wake of the revelation that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has sexually harassed and assaulted women for decades, a social media trend soon emerged, prompted by actress Alyssa Milano: asking women to say “me too” if they have suffered sexual abuse or harassment. The idea took off, with hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of women sharing that they, too, had been sexually harassed or assaulted with the hashtag #metoo. Notably, this campaign was originally
    0 comments
    On Harvey Weinstein, and Why We Must Believe Victims
    • Oct 11, 2017

    On Harvey Weinstein, and Why We Must Believe Victims

    Over the weekend, the New York Times published an exposé of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, which ultimately led to him being fired from The Weinstein Company. The article detailed decades of Weinstein sexually harassing and assaulting young female actresses and employees, often utilizing the same patterns and types of behavior. Mr. Weinstein paid at least eight settlements to women for his sexual harassment and assault, and yet he was not fired from his company until
    0 comments
    A New Study Proves What We Already Know
    • Jun 28, 2017

    A New Study Proves What We Already Know

    For many women and girls, street harassment is an unfortunate fact of life. Far too many men feel entitled to make sexual comments, follow women and girls and even grab or touch them inappropriately. This happens across the United States, every single day, to women and girls of all ages. And yet when a new study on street harassment by U.N. Women and Promundo was released recently, it received worldwide attention. The study surveyed 4,830 men in four countries in the Middl
    0 comments
    On Sexual Harassment And The Trumps
    • Aug 10, 2016

    On Sexual Harassment And The Trumps

    Last week, in response to the news that multiple female employees of Fox News had accused Roger Ailes of sexual harassment, Donald Trump told USA Today that if his daughter Ivanka were sexually harassed at work, she would “find another career or another company.” His son Eric then commented that Ivanka is “strong” and “powerful” and wouldn’t “allow herself” to be sexually harassed. These statements are both preposterous and offensive. As with all gender-based forms of ab
    0 comments
    Introducing….For Parents!
    • Apr 29, 2015

    Introducing….For Parents!

    If you’re a parent, chances are that you’ve wondered how to talk to your children about complicated topics like sexual abuse, dating violence, online safety and more. At Blackburn Center, we recognize that talking about these issues with your children can be challenging — and we are here to help! Through our school-based outreach programs, we educate thousands of school-aged children in Westmoreland County. These sessions cover a variety of topics, from bullying to harassme
    0 comments
    Blackburn 101: What Is Rape Culture?
    • Jan 14, 2015

    Blackburn 101: What Is Rape Culture?

    If you follow us on social media or read our blog, you’ve seen that phrase hundreds of times: “rape culture.” It’s become a shorthand term in modern culture for any number of societal issues involving violence against women…but what exactly does it mean? In the first of our Blackburn 101 series, we set out to define this term to help all of our readers better understand exactly what rape culture is ... because if you don’t know what rape culture is or how to recognize it, y
    0 comments
    • Nov 5, 2014

    It's Not A Compliment

    It’s Not A Compliment It’s an experience that almost all women have had at some point in their lives: walking down the street, minding their own business, and being subjected to whistles, catcalls, verbal commentary on their looks, or even assault. Street harassment has long been a part of life for many American women — but widespread attention to the issue may bring about a change by starting a dialogue about why it’s problematic. What exactly is street harassment? It’s a f
    0 comments

    About Blackburn  | Media Advocacy |  Privacy Policy  |  Internet Safety |   Volunteer  |  Our Blog   |  Contact Us    |   Get Help Now   |   Donate 

    Since 1976, Blackburn Center has been providing services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and other types of violence and crime in Westmoreland County, and presenting education programs across this community.  You can learn more about types of abuse, our services, or ways to get help if you are a victim of violence or crime.  All of our services are FREE of charge, and can be ANONYMOUS.

     

    The official registration and financial information of Blackburn Center  may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

    • Wix Facebook page
    • Wix Twitter page

    Blackburn Center

    PO Box 398

    Greensburg, PA 15601

    24-Hour Hotline:

    1-888-832-2272

    Exit This Site

    The information on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to take the place of professional services or medical or mental health treatment.

     

    Internet Safety: Your visit to our website can be traced by another user of your computer. If visiting this site could put you in danger, please take the necessary steps to erase the records of your visit. Click here to learn more about internet safety.

     

    © 2020 |  Blackburn Center Standing To End Violence | PO Box 398 | Greensburg, PA  | 15601  | 724-837-9540

    Serving Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

    Webmaster Login

    Site built by ieInteractive