Who We Are
Our mission: "Dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault through intervention, prevention, education and safe shelter."
Women's Crisis Support Team (WCST) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence and sexual assault in Josephine County through intervention, prevention, and safe shelter. WCST was formed in 1977 as the Women's Coalition of Josephine County, and operated entirely as a volunteer program and hot line for rape victims. In 1980 the organization changed its name, expanded its scope, and incorporated as a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, dedicated to the struggle against both domestic violence and sexual assault.
WCST has evolved into one of the community's most active, recognized, and respected non-profit organizations. One thing will never change: WCST's commitment to helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and to mitigating the physical, emotional and societal damage caused by violence in the home.
Women's Crisis Support Team (WCST) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence and sexual assault in Josephine County through intervention, prevention, and safe shelter. WCST was formed in 1977 as the Women's Coalition of Josephine County, and operated entirely as a volunteer program and hot line for rape victims. In 1980 the organization changed its name, expanded its scope, and incorporated as a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, dedicated to the struggle against both domestic violence and sexual assault.
WCST has evolved into one of the community's most active, recognized, and respected non-profit organizations. One thing will never change: WCST's commitment to helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and to mitigating the physical, emotional and societal damage caused by violence in the home.
We believe in...
- Declaring freedom from fear of abuse, which is a basic human right.
- Empowering survivors of violence to make their own choices by exercising their right to self-determination.
- Respecting women, men, and children equally.
- Ending the cycle of violence through education.
- Offering a program that balances prevention, intervention and support.
- Endorsing public policy that makes violence unacceptable.
- Conducting our own affairs in an ethical and caring way.
- Establishing WCST's leadership role in the community in promoting a safe environment, and in making domestic violence and sexual assault unacceptable.
Our Core Values
To educate the community in order to effect social change and empower individuals to make positive life choices, we employ:
- Nonjudgmental attitudes - Acceptance without assumption.
- Respect - Consideration for differences of opinion. Nonjudgmental, equality, meeting a person where they are.
- Integrity - Individual and organizational honor, in doing the right thing. High standards and ethical.
- Empowerment - Ability to make choices. Humility, courage, self-determination and motivation through education and support.
- Teamwork - Working together for a common goal. Being part of a whole purpose to achieve a common goal.