Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation

What Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation does

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2007 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The organization addresses sexual assault, sex trafficking, and the commercial sex trade through four integrated programs: free Legal Services for survivors (criminal and civil matters, Title IX, protective orders, record clearing), evidence-based Prevention Education workshops delivered in Chicago schools, Community Engagement programs serving survivor communities, and Public Policy & Advocacy for legislative reform. CAASE's core technology is a trauma-informed prevention education curriculum aligned with National Sexuality Education Standards, Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards, and Common Core State Standards, supported by specialized programs such as the Criminalized Survivors Project and the Pro Bono Attorney Program that connects survivors with trained volunteer lawyers.

The organization operates as a donor-funded nonprofit with no fee-for-service revenue; all legal services, prevention workshops, and community programs are provided free of charge. Revenue is generated through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and event-based fundraising including A CAASE of Empowerment, Provenance, Race for CAASE, and annual Giving Tuesday campaigns. Distribution is regional: legal services are delivered directly at CAASE's Michigan Avenue office and remotely, prevention education is delivered in Chicago-area schools, and community engagement is conducted through events and partnerships with 60+ community organizations annually. The customer base is survivor populations across multiple segments — student survivors, criminalized and incarcerated survivors, immigrant survivors, and Black women and girls — alongside Chicago schools as institutional partners and corporate/foundation donors as funding counterparties.

CAASE engages in active policy advocacy and has co-authored legislation including the Ensuring Success in School Law (ESSL, 2021) and the Prostitution Investigation Act (2025), and operates within a coalition-based ecosystem that includes Mayer Brown, the Legal Assistance Foundation, Resilience, Life Span, and the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. The Criminalized Survivors Project has scaled rapidly since its 2024 launch, and Legal Services handled a record 408 matters for 244 clients in 2025, while Prevention Education reached the 40,000-student cumulative milestone during the 2024-2025 school year.

Name

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation

Legal name

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation

Website

https://caase.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides free legal services, evidence-based prevention education, community engagement, and policy advocacy to survivors of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and exploitation in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Survivor Advocacy and Anti-Sexual Exploitation Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Survivor legal services
• Prevention education programs
• Anti-trafficking services
• Policy advocacy nonprofit
• Community outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: CAASE operates as a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization relying on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to fund operations and programs.
2. Event-Based Fundraising: Annual and seasonal fundraising events including A CAASE of Empowerment (prevention education fundraiser), Provenance (wine and hospitality fundraiser), Race for CAASE, and Giving Tuesday campaigns.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support for events and programs. Sponsors receive marketing exposure through CAASE's promotional materials and social media channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

CAASE is a Chicago-based 501c3 nonprofit that delivers free, survivor-centered services to address sexual exploitation. Its four core program areas are: (1) Prevention Education workshops in schools, (2) Legal Services for survivors of sexual harm (criminal, civil, Title IX, protective orders, record-clearing), (3) Public Policy & Advocacy for survivor-protective legislation, and (4) Community Engagement to center impacted communities. Specialized offerings include the Pro Bono Project (volunteer attorney network), the Criminalized Survivors Project, and the Survivor Voices content initiative.

Product overview

CAASE is a nonprofit organization (501c3) offering a coordinated suite of survivor-centered programs. The core service portfolio includes Prevention Education (evidence-based school workshops), Legal Services (individualized legal advice and representation), Public Policy & Advocacy (legislative reform), Community Engagement (outreach and awareness), and the Pro Bono Project (connecting volunteer attorneys with survivors). Specialized programs include the Criminalized Survivors Project and Survivor Voices content initiative. The organization does not offer a technology product but provides direct services to survivors of sexual harm in the Chicago area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prevention Education Evidence-based workshops delivered in Chicago schools that empower students to become active allies in ending gender-based violence. The curriculum covers topics including consent, healthy relationships, sexual harm, and the commercial sex trade, and is aligned with National Sexuality Education Standards, Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards, and Common Core State Standards.
• Legal Services Individualized legal advice, consultation, and representation for survivors of sexual harm in criminal and civil matters, including Title IX matters, protective orders, civil lawsuits, victims' rights representation, cyber sexual abuse and revenge porn matters, and criminal record clearing.
• Public Policy & Advocacy Advocacy for local and statewide policies that expand options for survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, curtail criminalization of trauma behaviors, and prevent future violence, including work on the End Demand Illinois initiative and legislative priorities.
• Community Engagement Programs that center communities most impacted by sexual harm, focusing on listening to survivors and raising public awareness through events, partnerships, outreach, Let's Chat Over Lunch discussions, Virtually Together poetry events, and Survivors Supporting Survivors gatherings.
• Pro Bono Project Connects private attorneys with survivors of sexual assault and sex trafficking to provide pro bono legal representation through CAASE's network of trained volunteer lawyers. The Pro Bono Project took on 28 pro bono cases in 2025.
• Criminalized Survivors Project Legal representation and support for currently and formerly incarcerated survivors of sexual harm, including those who have been harmed in the sex trade, with work involving sealing/expungement of arrests and lawsuits against prison officials (e.g., at Logan Correctional Center).
• Survivor Voices A project that sources and spotlights writing by survivors, uplifting diverse perspectives, voices, and stories related to sexual harm and recovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 244 survivor clients and handled 408 legal matters in 2025 (record-breaking year)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Coalition member collaborating to address gender-based violence and improve lives of survivors in Illinois communities.
• Uptown People's Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnered with CAASE on lawsuits against prison officials at Logan Correctional Center for sexual abuse of women in custody.
• GrapsateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Black faith-based organization partner. CAASE created special programming including a personalized SAAM event and connected them with a local Rape Crisis Center.
• Bally's CasinominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New partnership in 2025 for community engagement and awareness building.
• Strugglebeard BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for community events including Teal & Tales open mic during SAAM 2026. Also in-kind sponsor for A CAASE of Empowerment.
• Tween EsteemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based partner organization whose mission is to empower kids to recapture authentic confidence. Hosted parent listening sessions for CAASE's Prevention Education program.
• Mayer BrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm ally hosting trainings and taking on complicated legal matters on behalf of survivors. Honored with CAASE's Pro Bono Project award.
• Legal Assistance FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on cases including representing survivors with developmental disabilities, providing guardianship attorney referrals.
• Chicago Legal CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on cases including representing survivors with developmental disabilities.
• Illinois Disability Pooled TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Special Needs Trust services for people with disabilities to protect settlements while maintaining government benefits eligibility.
• Surviving the MiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization producing Virtually Together creative outlet focused on poetry where survivors access healing and support.
• Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeader of Ensuring Success in School Law (ESSL) coalition effort. CAASE collaborated with this organization and others to support the law.
• Chicago Children's Advocacy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlly in supporting survivors and coalition partner for policy advocacy efforts.
• Resilience (formerly Rape Victim Advocates)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for policy advocacy and hosted Uprooting Power conference on anti-violence movement.
• Life SpancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for policy advocacy supporting survivors.
• A Long Walk HomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for policy advocacy supporting survivors.
• LAFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for policy advocacy supporting survivors.
• Strides for PeacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization hosting the Race Against Gun Violence event that includes CAASE's Race for CAASE team. CAASE is a Community Affiliate among 40+ organizations.
• Local Rape Crisis CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local rape crisis centers for training and referrals, including connecting faith-based partners like Grapsate with crisis center services.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• A21: International anti-human trafficking nonprofit operating survivor aftercare, prevention education programs (similar in structure to CAASE's school-based curriculum), and legislative advocacy across multiple countries.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): The largest US anti-sexual violence organization, operating a national sexual assault hotline, survivor services, and public policy advocacy. Directly comparable to CAASE in combining survivor services, prevention education, and legislative advocacy, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Equality Now: International legal advocacy organization using the law to end sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, and gender-based violence. Comparable to CAASE in combining survivor-centered legal advocacy with policy reform targeting the commercial sex trade.
• Polaris: National anti-human trafficking organization operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline and championing federal anti-trafficking policy. Closely comparable to CAASE in targeting the commercial sex trade, providing survivor support, and pursuing systemic policy reform.
• CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women): International feminist organization advocating for the abolition of prostitution and sex trafficking through policy advocacy and survivor-centered programs. Strongly comparable to CAASE's End Demand Illinois policy stance and anti-exploitation advocacy.
• GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services): New York-based nonprofit serving commercially sexually exploited and trafficked girls and young women through survivor leadership programs and policy advocacy. Closely comparable direct-service model for young survivors of the sex trade.
• ECPAT-USA: US member of the ECPAT International network focused on ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children through advocacy, education, and policy reform. Comparable mission alignment with CAASE's prevention education and anti-exploitation policy work.
• National Center for Victims of Crime: National advocacy organization providing victim resources, legal advocacy, and policy reform on behalf of crime survivors. Comparable to CAASE in blending direct survivor services with systemic advocacy on victim rights.
• Restore NYC: New York City-based organization serving foreign-born survivors of sex trafficking through holistic programs including legal services, education, and advocacy. Comparable in combining specialized legal representation for trafficking survivors with prevention and community engagement work.
• Sanctuary for Families: New York City-based nonprofit providing legal services, counseling, and advocacy for survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and related exploitation. Comparable service stack to CAASE including direct legal representation and policy advocacy in a single metropolitan market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheCAASE
• Facebookfacebook.com/thecaase
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caase-chicago-alliance-against-sexual-exploitation/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecaase

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation