Bawar
BAWAR (Bay Area Women Against Rape / BRAVE Bay Area) provided free crisis hotline, counseling, and victim-witness advocacy to sexual violence survivors in Alameda County. Founded in 1971 as the nation's first rape crisis center, the Oakland nonprofit closed permanently in 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bawar does
BAWAR (Bay Area Women Against Rape), also operating as BRAVE Bay Area, was an Oakland, California-based nonprofit organization founded in 1971 that delivered crisis support services to sexual violence survivors. Its core service offering comprised four integrated programs: a 24-hour telephone crisis hotline (the first of its kind in the United States); ongoing counseling and therapy; victim-witness advocacy including court accompaniment; and a prison education program in which survivors spoke with incarcerated individuals about the lasting impact of sexual violence. The organization received more than 1,000 emergency calls per year and, over a 50+ year operating history, supported hundreds of thousands of survivors across Alameda County.
BAWAR's operating model was direct service delivery with no technology platform — survivor access flowed through the hotline, hospital referrals (notably Highland Hospital), law enforcement referrals, and the Alameda County district attorney's office. Volunteer advocates and a small paid staff (11–50 total) provided services in person and by phone. As a nonprofit, the organization funded operations through community grants, donations, and partnerships rather than charging for service, and all services were provided free of charge to survivors. Its service model was replicated internationally in Croatia and Japan, positioning BAWAR as the founder-category organization in the U.S. sexual violence response field.
BAWAR announced a permanent closure of operations on September 30 (2024), with the organization directing survivors to Alameda Health Systems' Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Program (SARRT) at Highland Hospital in Oakland for continued support. Co-founder Oleta Abrams (died January 8, at age 77) and longtime Executive Director Marcia Blackstock (died January 14, 2022; retired 2017) were both deceased prior to the wind-down.
Bawar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bawar
- Legal name
- Bay Area Women Against Rape
- Website
- https://bawar.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BAWAR (Bay Area Women Against Rape / BRAVE Bay Area) provided free crisis hotline, counseling, and victim-witness advocacy to sexual violence survivors in Alameda County. Founded in 1971 as the nation's first rape crisis center, the Oakland nonprofit closed permanently in 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bawar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Crisis Support Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)
Keywords
Where Bawar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Bawar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Bawar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR / BRAVE Bay Area) is a nonprofit rape crisis center that provides free, direct crisis support services to survivors of sexual violence. Its core offerings include a 24-hour crisis hotline, ongoing counseling programs, victim-witness advocacy with court accompaniment, and a prison education program in which survivors speak with convicted rapists about the lasting impact of their crimes. Founded in 1971, it was the first rape crisis center in the United States and trained volunteer advocates to deliver services across Alameda County, California.
Product overview
BAWAR/BRAVE Bay Area was a nonprofit rape crisis center offering a suite of survivor support services centered around crisis intervention and advocacy. The organization operated as a single unified service model comprising a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling programs, victim-witness advocacy (including court accompaniment), and a prison education program. These services were delivered by trained staff and volunteer advocates, with the organization closing permanently on September 30th.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 24-Hour Crisis Hotline
Quantifiable outcome
- Received 1,000+ emergency calls per year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bawar
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Bawar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Bawar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Bawar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Bawar social profiles
Digital presenceBawar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bawar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Bawar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bawar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bawar
What does Bawar do?
Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR / BRAVE Bay Area) is a nonprofit rape crisis center that provides free, direct crisis support services to survivors of sexual violence. Its core offerings include a 24-hour crisis hotline, ongoing counseling programs, victim-witness advocacy with court accompaniment, and a prison education program in which survivors speak with convicted rapists about the lasting impact of their crimes. Founded in 1971, it was the first rape crisis center in the United States and trained volunteer advocates to deliver services across Alameda County, California.
Is Bawar a public or private company?
Bawar is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently closed.
When was Bawar founded?
Bawar was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bawar based?
Bawar is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
Does Bawar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bawar.
What industry is Bawar in?
Bawar's product category is Crisis Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAD, Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAAAG, Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.