Gail Abarbanel

In 1974, a young woman was brought to the ER at Santa Monica Hospital after attempting suicide. She had been raped several days earlier and had told no one. She felt ashamed and feared censure by her family. She could not find a place to go for help. She saw suicide as the only way out of her pain. This was the last time that a rape victim in Los Angeles had no place to turn for help. The social worker who provided counseling for this patient in the hospital ER was determined to ensure that no victim in Los Angeles felt isolated and alone again. The Rape Treatment Center was created to provide expert and compassionate care for victims, and to work to change the conditions, practices, and attitudes that keep victims silent.

The Rape Treatment Center (RTC) at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center is nationally recognized for its exemplary treatment, education, and prevention programs. The RTC provides comprehensive, free treatment for sexual assault victims, including 24-hour emergency medical care and forensic services, counseling and psychotherapy, advocacy, and accompaniment services; training for police, prosecutors, judges, medical and mental health personnel, and other providers of rape victim services; prevention/education programs for children, adolescents, and college students; community education; consultation for schools, the media, government agencies, and other organizations; and educational films and publications that are distributed nationwide.

The RTC has received many honors, including commendations from Congress, the Governor of California, and the California state legislature, and awards from the YWCA, American Association of University Women, National Association of Social Workers, Coro Foundation, and the National Organization for Victim Assistance.