We are NOT a LINE ITEM – Sexual Assault Survivors Rally Day

“We Are NOT a Line Item” Rally Set for June 8 at Pennsylvania State Capitol

Harrisburg, PA — Survivors, advocates, community members, and concerned citizens from across Pennsylvania will gather at the State Capitol on June 8, 2026, for the “We Are NOT a Line Item” rally, calling on lawmakers to prioritize people over budget decisions and protect essential sexual assault services.

This event — “We Are NOT a LINE ITEM” — is planned and led by advocates, activists, and survivors. Organizers emphasize that the rally centers local voices to tell their stories and amplify the urgent message about the value of sexual assault services led by 47 rape crisis centers and the dire consequences of flat funding for the rape crisis line item. The rally will draw attention to the request for an additional $12.5 million in the rape crisis line item.

“This request for additional funding follows six years of flat state funding, steady cuts to federal victims services dollars, and increased demand for services,” shared Ali Perrotto, CEO of SARCC in Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties, “Survivors need support, needs are varied and complex, and victim services centers providing sexual assault support are cutting staff and programs. This is not the landscape for support that PA Survivors deserve.”

The rally will bring together individuals and organizations impacted by funding limitations to programs that support survivors of sexual violence and other vulnerable populations. Participants will share personal stories, highlight the real-world consequences of budget decisions, and urge elected officials to adopt a more equitable and responsive approach to state funding.

“This rally is about reminding decision-makers that behind every dollar figure is a human life,” said Jennifer Pencek, Executive Director of Centre Safe, “We are not abstract numbers in a spreadsheet—we are survivors, families, and communities who deserve dignity, safety, and support.”

Event Details:

• What: “We Are NOT a Line Item” Rally
• When: June 8, 2026, at 2 p.m.
• Where: Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA

Organizers emphasize that the rally is peaceful, inclusive, and open to all who support survivor-centered services and funding that reflects the true needs of communities.

For more information, to RSVP, or to get involved, please complete the Rally Day form.