In the early 1970s, women in Champaign-Urbana formed a feminist coalition called Champaign County Women Against Rape. They founded the Rape Crisis Center – a resource for women who had been raped to get help and receive counseling – and had set up a 24-hour hotline by February 1974.

The organization has seen many changes throughout the decades, but always maintained the core purpose of serving survivors of sexual assault. Rape Advocacy Counseling and Education Services was founded in 2009, the daughter of that original Rape Crisis Center.

RACES provides compassionate comprehensive support to those affected by sexual trauma. We care for our communities through prevention education programs that promote consent. RACES envisions a world free of sexual violence in our lifetime.

Learn more about our work by visiting us at www.cu-races.org or following us on Instagram at @raceshelps.

Thank you to our event sponsors:

Gold Level: Busey Bank, Thrivent, Aspen Tap House, Faraci for State Senate

Silver Level: Harrington Law, First Federal Bank, University of Illinois Credit Union, Joel Ward Homes

In Community 2026

An Evening Supporting RACES (Rape Advocacy, Counseling, and Education Services)