History of GaDuGi Safe Center

GaDuGi SafeCenter was established as the Lawrence Community/University of Kansas Rape Victim Support Service in the fall of 1972 as the first stand alone rape crisis center in the state of Kansas.

In the fall of 1975, the name of the group was changed from the Lawrence Community/University of Kansas Rape Victim Support Service to the Douglas County Rape Victim Support Service, in order to indicate the increased focus and to qualify for a grant from the Governor's Committee on Criminal Administration (GCCA) and the County Commissioners.

In 1993, the name of the group was changed to Douglas County Rape Victim/Survivor Service:  Advocacy, Support, Awareness, Prevention (RVSS/ASAP).  The name change reflected contemporary language regarding sexual assault, while retaining the acronym RVSS for practical purposes.  Victim/Survivor allows for one to identify as either a victim or a survivor – and it also reflected the journey one often takes in becoming a survivor.  The ASAP acronym reflected the urgency in our work and more fully describes the organization’s mission.

Beginning January 2004, RVSS became GaDuGi SafeCenter.  GaDuGi (gah-doo-ghee, hard g’s) translates from Cherokee to English as "working together as a community toward a common goal".  Our agency will be "working together as a community toward a common goal of ending sexual violence".

GaDuGi SafeCenter will serve as the umbrella name of the agency, while RVSS will remain as one of the services our agency provides (which is what you all do here). We requested and received permission to use this name by Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.  In recent years, educational programming in schools throughout Douglas County has expanded.  This expansion has been met with great success; however, there have been some challenges to establishing the educational programming in some of the schools because of the word “Rape” in the agency name.  The name change will broaden the scope of the agency and increase visibility of services currently provided.  Additionally, this name change will allow the agency to visibly honor the Native American community in Douglas County.

The GaDuGi SafeCenter's core areas of service are Sexual Violence Advocacy, Support, Prevention & Education, Community Awareness, and Social Change.. 

Currently, GaDuGi is the sole provider for community members to receive referrals, assistance, supportive listening, and limited counseling in the aftermath of sexual assault or any form of sexual violence.  Clients include survivors, friends of survivors, spouses, partners, children, guardians and parents.  GaDuGi advocates strive to offer only what is needed by each particular client.  Our work requires us to be flexible, committed, and concerned.