Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR)

Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) Respond, Educate and Advocate to end sexual violence.

08/27/2026

PAAR @ PITT
Campus Office Hours
Cathedral of Learning | 31st Floor
Free. Confidential. Here for you.

Looking for PAAR on Pitt’s campus? 🦋

Head to the Cathedral of Learning and take the elevator up to the 31st floor.

When you get off the elevator, make a right and look for the Office of Institutional Wellbeing.

Ring the doorbell and let them know you’re here for PAAR Office Hours.

From there, Pitt Prevention staff will show you exactly where to go.

That’s it — you found us!
PAAR is right here on campus. ❤️

Cultivating Strength is PAAR’s psychoeducational support group for adult survivors of sexual trauma — a space to learn, ...
08/24/2026

Cultivating Strength is PAAR’s psychoeducational support group for adult survivors of sexual trauma — a space to learn, reflect, connect and build skills that can support healing beyond the group.

This fall, we’re focusing on Emotional Intelligence — recognizing and understanding our emotions, learning how to manage them, and becoming more aware of the emotions of those around us.

Over four virtual sessions, participants will explore self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills and how each can support personal well-being and healthier relationships.

💛 WHO: Adults ages 18+ who have experienced any type of sexual trauma
💻 WHERE: Virtual
📅 WHEN: Mondays at 6 PM
September 14, 21 & 28 + October 5

Registration closes September 11, 2026. Because this group builds across the four sessions, registrations cannot be accepted after the first session begins.

Scan the QR code to register and learn more. 💛

We are here if you need us.
PAAR’s confidential Helpline is available 24/7.
📞 1-866-END-RAPE (1-866-363-7273)

Whether Pittsburgh has always been home or you just unpacked your bags here for the first time, PAAR is here for you. 🦋P...
08/21/2026

Whether Pittsburgh has always been home or you just unpacked your bags here for the first time, PAAR is here for you. 🦋

PAAR works directly with students across the Pittsburgh region and has a presence on most college and university campuses throughout the area. Our team provides prevention education, training, resources and support because students should know where to turn before they ever need us.

If you experience sexual violence while you’re in college, or if something happened before you ever arrived on campus, you can ALWAYS reach out to PAAR.

You don’t have to know exactly how to name what happened.
You don’t have to make a report to your school or the police to access support from PAAR.
You don’t have to be ready to make a report now, or ever.
It doesn’t have to have happened recently.
And you don’t have to know what you want to do next.

You can simply start by talking to someone.🦋

If something happened last night, last semester or years ago, PAAR is here to listen, help you understand your options and support whatever comes next.

College may be a new chapter, but you don't have to navigate the hard parts alone.
PAAR is here for Pittsburgh’s community . . . and that includes you!!

PAAR’s confidential Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
📞 1-866-END-RAPE (1-866-363-7273)

Bystander intervention doesn’t always mean confronting someone or putting yourself in an uncomfortable or unsafe situati...
08/20/2026

Bystander intervention doesn’t always mean confronting someone or putting yourself in an uncomfortable or unsafe situation. Sometimes it’s as simple as noticing when something feels off and finding a way to interrupt it.

At a party, in a dorm, at a bar, walking across campus . . . there are different ways you can step in:

🫶DIRECT: Check in with the person.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Do you know this person?”
“Do you want me to stay with you?”
“Do you want to get out of here?”

🫶DISTRACT: Create an interruption that gives someone an easy way out.
“Hey! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Come to the bathroom with me.”
“We’re getting food! Please come with us!!”
“Your roommate is looking for you. I told them I would come get you, come on."

🫶DELEGATE: You don’t have to handle it alone. Ask someone else to step in.
Tell an RA. Grab another friend. Talk to the bartender, security, campus staff or someone you trust and say, “I’m worried about that person. Can you help me check on them?”

You don’t have to know for sure that something is wrong before checking in.
You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room.
And you don’t have to put yourself in danger to make a difference.
Sometimes preventing harm starts with simply paying attention to the people around you.

We are here if you need us.
PAAR’s confidential Helpline is available 24/7.
📞 1-866-END-RAPE (1-866-363-7273)

📢REMEMBER📢Alcohol or Drugs never make you responsible for another person’s decision to harm. EVER!What someone drank, sm...
08/19/2026

📢REMEMBER📢
Alcohol or Drugs never make you responsible for another person’s decision to harm. EVER!

What someone drank, smoked, what they wore, where they went, who they flirted with, whether they went home with someone or what they agreed to earlier does not erase the need for consent.

And someone who is incapacitated cannot consent.
Parties can be part of college life. Sexual violence never has to be.

A new semester can mean meeting a lot of people, finding your place, trying things you’ve never tried before and figurin...
08/18/2026

A new semester can mean meeting a lot of people, finding your place, trying things you’ve never tried before and figuring out what you actually want.

✅You’re allowed to take your time.
✅You’re allowed to change your mind.
✅You’re allowed to set a boundary even if you didn’t have that boundary yesterday.

And you deserve relationships and experiences where those boundaries are respected.🦋

College is a time to figure yourself out . . .not a time to be pressured into anything.
We are here if you need us.
PAAR’s confidential Helpline is available 24/7.
📞 1-866-END-RAPE (1-866-363-7273)

08/17/2026

Rep. Emily Kinkead this video is a true representation of what we accomplished with your help. We are forever grateful and will never forget this moment. Thank you for never giving up on survivors 💙🦋💙

College can be complicated. Consent shouldn’t be.As students head back to campus, we’re talking about The Red Zone. Thi...
08/17/2026

College can be complicated. Consent shouldn’t be.

As students head back to campus, we’re talking about The Red Zone. This is the period from the beginning of the fall semester through Thanksgiving when college students, especially first-year students, can face an increased risk of sexual violence.

New independence, relationships, parties, dating, roommates, expectations… there can be a lot to navigate all at once.

Through all of it, one thing stays the same: consent matters. Every person. Every relationship. Every time.

We are here if you need us.
PAAR’s confidential Helpline is available 24/7.
📞 1-866-END-RAPE (1-866-363-7273) TEXT or CALL

WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS! This weekend marks the beginning of college move-in season across Pittsburgh. Over the next two ...
08/14/2026

WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS!

This weekend marks the beginning of college move-in season across Pittsburgh.

Over the next two weeks, thousands of students will be arriving on campuses across our region — some returning to familiar places and others beginning an entirely new chapter.

College can be an amazing time in your life. A time for growing independence, building relationships, finding your people, learning who you are and figuring out what you want.

Knowledge is power … not something to fear!! And there’s something we want every college student, parent, friend and member of our community to know about: The Red Zone.

The Red Zone is the period from the beginning of the fall semester through Thanksgiving Break when the risk of sexual violence on college campuses is especially high.

What we know is that more than 50% of college sexual assaults occur during August, September, October and November.

Why?

The beginning of college can mean a lot happening all at once:
unfamiliar environments, greater independence, parties and alcohol, Greek life recruitment, changing relationships, navigating consent and boundaries, and building new support systems.

None of those things cause sexual violence. The responsibility for sexual violence always belongs to the person who chooses to cause harm.

But understanding the risks gives all of us an opportunity to create safer campus communities.

So as Pittsburgh welcomes students back, we’re talking about it. ❌🦋

All next week, PAAR will be sharing information about The Red Zone, consent, alcohol, bystander intervention, looking out for one another, and the resources available to students right here in Pittsburgh.

Be excited. Meet people. Go to the game. Join the club. Go to the party. Find your people. Make memories.

And be aware, prepared and informed as you step into this next chapter…
PAAR is here for you, no matter what you need.

Join PAAR at Library in the Park!We're excited to spend the afternoon with our friends at the Penn Hills Library for Lib...
08/13/2026

Join PAAR at Library in the Park!

We're excited to spend the afternoon with our friends at the Penn Hills Library for Library in the Park on Sunday, August 16, from 12–2 PM at the Penn Hills Multipurpose Center in Lincoln Park.

Stop by the PAAR table to:
💙 Meet our team
📚 Learn about our free services and programs
🧸 Pick up resources for children, teens, and adults
🤝 Connect with community partners

The event will also feature free books, activities for all ages, local organizations, free food, and more!

We hope to see you there as we celebrate literacy, community, and the resources that help our neighbors thrive.

📍 Penn Hills Multipurpose Center
2025 Lincoln Road
Verona, PA 15147

Address

81 S 19th Street
Pittsburgh, PA
15203

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14124315665

Website

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