Minnesota

Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center (CMSAC) is a 24-hour crisis intervention agency providing direct services to people affected by any form of sexual violence.  The Center’s purpose is to offer safe, non-judgmental, confidential, free, direct services to victims of sexual assault, their partners, families, coworkers, and friends.

Service area: All correctional facilities within Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright Counties
Work with: All survivors of sexual abuse and their partners, friends, family, and coworkers.
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline, by mail or by email; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; court accompaniment and legal accompaniment for sexual assault cases; in-person services such as one-to-one support counseling and support groups at local jails, youth detention centers, and prisons; and information and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All services offered while incarcerated are also available after release.
Services for loved ones include include: All services provided to survivors of sexual violence are also available for their partners, friends, family, and coworkers.
Fees:All services are free
Additional Information: Languages: English, Spanish, and Somali. Other languages may be available through outside interpretive agencies. We are unable to work with sex offenders.

Provide safety and healing to victims of domestic and sexual violence through support, education, advocacy and shelter.

Service area: Blue Earth County, Brown County, Faribault County, Le Sueur County, Nicollet County, Sibley County, Waseca County, and Watonwan County
Work with: All survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Mail correspondence; accompaniment to courts and during law enforcement interviews; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal and medical advocacy; in-person counseling; crisis intervention and counseling via hotline; information, referrals, and references
Services for survivors after release include: Mail correspondence; accompaniment to courts and during law enforcement interviews; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal and medical advocacy; in-person counseling; group counseling/support groups; crisis intervention and counseling via hotline; information, referrals, and references
Services for loved ones include: Mail correspondence; accompaniment to courts and during law enforcement interviews; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal and medical advocacy; in-person counseling; crisis intervention and counseling via hotline; information, referrals, and references
Fees: Free
Additional Information: English and Spanish

The Crisis Resource Center of Steele County provides comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence, survivors of sexual assault, and to abused children who have witnessed or experienced violence.

Service area: Steele County
Work with: All survivors of abuse
Services for survivors during incarceration include: 24-hour crisis intervention via the hotline or by mail; personal advocacy; hospital accompaniment at the emergency room; short-term crisis counseling; court accompaniment and advocacy; and information on sexual assault.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as referrals for counseling services and support groups for women and child survivors of sexual abuse.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention, short-term counseling, information, and referrals.
Fees: None
Additional Information: The Crisis Resource Center of Steele County conducts weekly educational groups for male and female detainees on issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse at the Steele County Detention Center. Contact Johanna Woodside, Sexual Assault Program Coordinator, for more information.

Dodge, Fillmore, and Olmsted Counties Victim Services, a department of the Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted Community Corrections Office of Victim Services, provides a range of support services to survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones.

Service area: Dodge, Fillmore, and Olmsted Counties
Work with: All survivors of sexual abuse, including children, teens and their loved ones Services for survivors during incarceration include: 24-hour crisis intervention via the hotline or by mail; emergency room accompaniment and advocacy; advocacy and information throughout the criminal justice process for survivors who chose to report; short-term individual counseling; and information and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as support groups for women survivors of sexual abuse.
Services for loved ones include: 24-hour crisis intervention; short-term counseling; advocacy and accompaniment at the emergency room and throughout the court process; and information and referrals.
Fees: None
Additional Information: Dodge, Fillmore, and Olmsted Victim Services also provides training to law enforcement and administrators on victim notification and sexual assault at the local detention center.

HOPE Coalition provides comprehensive services to survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones.

Service area: Goodhue and Wabasha Counties
Work with: All survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, including men, women, and transgender people, regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, race or ability
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention and short-term counseling via the 24-hour hotline or by mail and hospital accompaniment following a sexual assault.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as civil-legal advocacy and court accompaniment for survivors who report the abuse; 10-week support groups; and referrals for long-term therapy and other services.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: None

The Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) is a statewide coalition of rape crisis centers and works with survivors, sexual assault programs, and allies committed to ending sexual violence. The services of MNCASA are designed to assist local programs in providing state of the art advocacy and prevention programming and to affect public perception and policy in relation to sexual assault.

Service area: Minnesota
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, sexual assault programs, and allied professional groups
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information and referrals to the nearest rape crisis center via phone or by mail and a directory of affiliated rape crisis centers on the MNCASA website.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: None
Additional Information: Other MNCASA services include: membership services and outreach, prevention education, training, and the Sexual Violence Justice Institute. Specific services in each program area include development of materials, technical assistance, and policy related activities.

We offer support and advocacy services to LGBTQA-identified survivors of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and hate/bias violence. We know that the healing journey begins when people feel listened to, supported and believed. We also believe that victim/survivors themselves belong at the center of their healing process and that, as advocates, our role is to support them in whatever shape that takes.  Our current services include a crisis line, individual counseling, court accompaniment and other forms of advocacy support, community based support groups, and community education/outreach.  All of our services are free and confidential.

Service Area: Statewide, however we often work with survivors relocating to the area from locations worldwide
Work with: LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence/domestic, sexual violence and hate/bias crimes, their friends, and families.
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information, resource/referrals, and support via the crisis line or by mail; short-term individual crisis counseling and support groups for incarcerated survivors (as allowed by the institution); advocacy services; and accompaniment to court, hospitals, and other related sites.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as referrals to other LGBTQ-friendly service providers, as needed.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: OutFront Minnesota’s Anti-Violence Program (AVP) is the only LGBTQ-specific anti-violence program in Minnesota.   The AVP is a broad-based effort to end violence and harassment against and within LGBTQA-identified communities in Minnesota. We work to build safety and power of survivors and community members as well as work to create opportunities for support and healing through the provision of crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, community education and outreach. To attain equity for LGBTQ people, we approach our work through an intersectional lens that honors survivors’ many layered identities. We believe that everyone has the right to be safe from harm regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) offers comprehensive services to all survivors of sexual abuse in correctional institutions and in the community, as well as to their family and friends.

Service area: Southern St. Louis County
Work with: All survivors of sexual abuse, including men, women, and transgender individuals
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Advocacy; crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline, by mail, or in-person; hospital accompaniment during forensic medical examinations; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for survivors who report the abuse; individual counseling; and a support group for women at the county jail. Support groups for men may soon be available at the Northeast Regional Correctional Center.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as information and referrals.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention, support, and counseling.
Fees: None
Additional Information: To access PAVSA services, prisoners can request to speak with a counselor by notifying prison/jail staff or by contacting PAVSA directly by phone or by mail.

Rainbow Health Minnesota is a statewide, nonprofit agency committed to enhancing the lives of people living with HIV through prevention education for those at risk for HIV and advocacy for the rights of all affected by HIV. They operate the AIDSLine, a statewide toll-free information and referral service that can answer questions about HIV and connect callers to resources that can help.

Service area: Minnesota

Work with: Anyone seeking information about HIV/AIDS or in need of services

Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information about HIV/AIDS and referrals to needed services via the AIDSLine, by mail or through the HIV Resource Guide, a comprehensive directory of HIV services in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. The HIV Resource Guide contains information on programs to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, low or no cost HIV testing sites, and resources for people living with HIV. To order a free copy of the HIV Resource Guide, call the AIDSLine, or write to Rainbow Health at the address above.

Services for survivors after release include: A range of services for people living with HIV/AIDS including: case management; health education; advocacy; housing, transportation, and general financial assistance; legal services; and information and referrals for other services, such as support groups and clinics for people living with HIV/AIDS. Rainbow Health also provides HIV risk assessments and HIV prevention education through the hotline and chat services. Rainbow Health provides free anonymous HIV testing by appointment only and also makes referrals to other testing sites.

Services for loved ones include: Information and support.

Fees: None

Additional Information: Rainbow Health was formerly the Minnesota AIDS Project.

The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center (RACC) of Fargo-Moorhead is a non-profit agency whose mission is to provide crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, and education to all persons affected by sexual and domestic violence and to provide prevention programs to create a society free of personal abuse.

Service area: Clay and Wilkin Counties in Minnesota
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their family and friends
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention; information; and referrals via the 24-hour hotline.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above and individual and group counseling.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional information: RACC will provide immediate crisis intervention to any survivor who contacts them. For survivors convicted of sex crimes, RACC will provide appropriate referrals for ongoing support services.

Sexual Violence Center (SVC) is an independent non-profit organization that provides comprehensive services to survivors of sexual assault and concerned family and friends throughout the Twin Cities metro area.

Service area: Twin Cties metropolitan area, including Minneapolis and eastern Hennepin County suburbs as well as Carver, Scott and Western Hennepin Counties
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault of all genders, ages 12 and above, and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention, information, and support via the 24-hour hotline or by mail and hospital accompaniment and advocacy.
Services for survivors after release include: Individual counseling; support groups for female, male, teen, and GLBT survivors, among others; advocacy and accompaniment to police stations, court proceedings, and other locations where survivors might need help; free legal clinic; and information and referrals to other needed services.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: None

The HOPE Center offers direct support to survivors of violence in Rice County, collaborative support to other organizations that serve victims, and educational support to the entire community.

Service area: Rice County
Work with: All survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline or by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic examinations; accompaniment and advocacy throughout the court process; and information and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above, as well as individual counseling.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: None
Additional Information: The HOPE Center also conducts presentations at the local minimum security prison about domestic violence and sexual assault.

The mission of the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is to provide the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) with a variety of coordinated investigative services. Allegations of serious misconduct by DOC employees are investigated by the OSI to determine whether the allegations are substantiated. The goal of these services is to aid in accomplishing the department’s primary purpose – protection of the public. It is the responsibility of the department to manage its correctional facilities and community programs in an environment that respects and enforces lawful conduct by visitors, offenders, and staff. Criminal activity by institution visitors or offenders is vigorously investigated. Prisoners who have been sexually assaulted in a Minnesota DOC facility can contact the Office of Special Investigations by writing to the address above to report the assault and any concerns regarding the handling of investigations into such abuse.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota fights to protect the civil liberties of Minnesotans through litigation, public education, and lobbying related to legislation that impacts civil liberties and civil rights. ACLU of Minnesota works to reform the criminal justice system and make the promise of fair treatment a reality for all people. The ACLU of Minnesota handles various types of prisoner cases, including post-conviction, habeas corpus, and prison conditions, only if they present a Bill of Rights violation. Survivors of sexual abuse in detention can contact the ACLU of Minnesota by mail at the address above. All ACLU of Minnesota services are free.

The Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Lawyer Referral System operates mnfindalawyer.com, a free online lawyer search and referral service. Its purpose is to assist in finding a lawyer to provide advice on legal problems. All members of the Lawyer Referral System are licensed attorneys in Minnesota and are members in good standing of the Minnesota State Bar. Lawyers who are part of the mnfindalawyer.com program agree to provide a free 30-minute initial consultation, either by phone or in person. If your problem requires work beyond this time, and you decide to hire the lawyer, be sure to discuss any additional fees. An attorney bases his/her fee on the time and type of work involved, the difficulty in solving the problem and your needs as the client. LRS encourages you to ask for a written fee agreement before you proceed with any legal work beyond the first 30-minute consultation. All Lawyer Referral Services are free.