Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS)

What Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS) does

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, providing free advocacy, crisis support, and education to survivors of sexualized violence in Lane County. Its core service portfolio consists of a 24/7 telephone crisis and support hotline, the SASS Chatline (text and web chat powered by the Izzy Platform with Google Translate integration, launched 2024), in-person medical advocacy at hospital emergency departments, legal advocacy with referrals to Oregon Law Center/Legal Aid and the U of O Domestic Violence Clinic, and a portfolio of virtual support groups via Zoom (Women's, Queer, All-Gender, Secondary Survivor, and Spanish-language Mujeres). The organization also runs a Latine Community Program, community education and prevention outreach, and a 40-hour state-mandated Core Advocacy Training program that certifies volunteers and interns as Privileged Advocates under Oregon Revised Statutes § 40.264.

SASS does not develop proprietary technology. Its operating stack is composed of third-party tools: the Izzy Platform (Ripple Group Inc.) for crisis chat with encrypted transcript storage, Zoom (capped at 15 participants per virtual group for privacy), Google Translate for multilingual chat support, TicketWeb for event ticketing, and JustGiving.org for sustaining donations. The underlying technology is therefore a services-delivery model rather than a product or platform play.

The revenue model is non-commercial. All services are free to survivors and their families; SASS does not bill insurance or charge fees. Operating revenue is derived from tax-deductible individual donations (channeled through JustGiving.org) and federal/state grants, including a U.S. Department of Justice STOP Formula Grant Program subgrant (Joint-2023-SASS-00048) administered by the Oregon Department of Justice Crime Victim and Survivor Services Division. A February 2025 federal funding pause introduced funding uncertainty, though SASS affirmed continuity of survivor services. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Board President Dr. Lauren Buse and managed by Executive Director Martina Shabram, PhD, with nine named program coordinators across Emergency Services, Community Programs, Latine Community, Support Groups, Prevention & Outreach, Survivor Access, and Stability Services.

Name

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS)

Legal name

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County

Website

https://sass-lane.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that provides free 24/7 crisis hotline, chat, medical and legal advocacy, and support groups to survivors of sexual violence and their families in Lane County, Oregon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crisis Intervention and Survivor Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Sexual violence advocacy
• Crisis intervention services
• Survivor support services
• Nonprofit advocacy organization
• Community education outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Eugene

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: SASS accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals. Donations help fund empowerment-based, survivor-centered services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. EIN: 93-1064520. Monthly and annual sustaining donations can be set up through JustGiving.org.
2. Federal and State Grants: SASS receives federal funding including grants from the Oregon Department of Justice, Crime Victim and Survivor Services Division, and U.S. Department of Justice's STOP Formula Grant Program (Subgrant No. Joint-2023-SASS-00048). Funding was subject to a federal funding pause in early 2025.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS) provides free, confidential, survivor-centered advocacy and crisis support to survivors of sexual violence and their families in Lane County, Oregon. Core services include a 24/7 telephone crisis and support hotline, text/web chat crisis support, medical advocacy in emergency departments, legal advocacy and referrals, virtual peer support groups, and community outreach and education programs. All services are provided at no cost to clients through a 501(c)(3) nonprofit model funded by donations and grants.

Product overview

Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS) is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of survivor-centered advocacy services. The core service portfolio includes: 24/7 Crisis & Support Hotline (telephone crisis support), SASS Chatline (text and web-based crisis support via the Izzy Platform), Medical Advocacy (hospital accompaniment), Legal Advocacy (court support and referrals), and Support Groups (virtual peer support groups via Zoom including Women's, Queer, All-Gender, and Secondary Survivor groups). Specialized programs include the Latine Community Program offering Spanish-language services, Outreach & Education Programs providing professional training and classroom presentations, and volunteer/internship training programs. SASS also provides extensive educational resources including trauma information, survivor resource guides for specific populations, and community guides. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors with an Executive Director leading staff across Emergency Services, Community Programs, Latine Community, Support Groups, Prevention & Outreach, Survivor Access, and Stability Services departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Crisis & Support Hotline 24-hour telephone crisis and support line available 365 days a year for survivors of sexual violence and their families, friends, and partners. Staffed by trained staff and volunteers who provide emotional support, information, referrals, safety planning, and connection to advocacy services.
• SASS Chatline Text and web-based crisis support service powered by the Izzy Platform, available 9am-5pm Tuesday-Friday. Provides emotional support, validation, and resources via text message to 541-343-7277 or through a website widget. Supports multiple languages via Google Translate integration, with secure and confidential chat transcripts.
• Medical Advocacy 24-hour in-person advocacy for survivors at medical settings, particularly emergency departments. Advocates are dispatched when hospital staff call to request support, providing emotional support, information about options including SAFE exams, and accompaniment through medical care.
• Legal Advocacy Support for survivors navigating criminal and civil legal systems, including obtaining protective orders, housing, workplace, and education legal matters. Includes court accompaniment and connection to pro bono legal representation through partner attorneys at Oregon Law Center/Legal Aid and the Domestic Violence Clinic at the University of Oregon School of Law.
• Support Groups Virtual peer support groups delivered via Zoom for survivors of sexual violence, including Women's Support Group (8-week closed cohort model), Queer Support Group, All-Gender Support Group, and Secondary Survivor Support Group. Facilitated by trained staff with confidentiality protections and capped at approximately 15 participants per meeting for privacy and safety.
• Outreach & Education Programs Community education programs including professional training for service providers on trauma-informed response, tabling events for awareness, survivor educational groups such as Healthy Sexuality for Survivors, and classroom presentations on consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships. Programs are available in Spanish.
• Latine Community Program Culturally and linguistically specific services for Latinx survivors of sexual violence, including crisis intervention, advocacy, and outreach. Includes the Mujeres Support Group (8-week Spanish-language group co-facilitated with Plaza de Nuestra Comunidad), Spanish-language counseling referrals, and support groups for Latine service providers.
• Understanding Trauma Resources Educational content explaining trauma causes, impacts, post-traumatic stress, and healing processes. Includes information on triggers, acute stages, outward adjustment, and integration stages of healing.
• Survivor Resource Guides Comprehensive resource guides for survivors, with population-specific editions including general survivors, BIPOC survivors, Indigenous survivors, LGBTQIA+ survivors, male survivors, military sexual trauma survivors, prison abuse survivors, religious abuse survivors, survivors with disabilities, and youth survivors. Also includes SASS Survivor Zines.
• Community Resources Resources for family, friends, and partners of survivors, including guides on how to support a survivor, information on trauma and secondary trauma, consent education, and resource guides for parents, families, and friends.
• Core Advocacy Training 40-hour state-mandated volunteer training program offered twice yearly that certifies volunteers to provide confidential, survivor-centered advocacy in accordance with Oregon state requirements. Includes live sessions and asynchronous coursework via Zoom or in-person.
• Internship Program Professional development program offering certification as a Privileged Advocate through 40 hours of training per Oregon Revised Statutes § 40.264. Includes trauma-informed care training, crisis intervention skills, and safety planning. Requires a minimum 9-month commitment.
• Counseling Resources Referral-based counseling services connecting survivors with external providers including White Bird, Options Counseling, Center for Community Counseling, and Eugene Center for Anxiety and Stress. SASS does not provide direct counseling services but coordinates warm handoffs to community providers.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Law Center/Legal Aid (OLC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSASS partners with Oregon Law Center/Legal Aid to connect survivors with legal representation for protective orders, housing issues, and other civil legal matters. Survivors are referred to OLC for free legal services that SASS advocates cannot provide.
• Domestic Violence Clinic (DVC) at University of Oregon School of LawcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSASS refers survivors to the Civil Justice Clinic (also called Domestic Violence Clinic) at U of O for legal representation. DVC provides free legal services through an online intake form and direct phone contact.
• Plaza de Nuestra Comunidad (Centro Latino Americano)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASS partners with Plaza de Nuestra Comunidad to provide the Mujeres Support Group for Latina survivors of sexual and domestic violence, facilitated jointly in Spanish. Also provides referral-based counseling services in Spanish through this partnership.
• Steinkopf StrategiesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic consulting firm that provided support during SASS's 6-month strategic planning process in 2024, working with an eight-member SASS committee to develop the organization's Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plan.
• Forge (Forward Movement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally recognized organization whose research on all-gender support groups informed SASS's decision to expand from gender-specific groups to inclusive all-gender programming. SASS references Forge's published support group guide.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network)minorOthersNational network that SASS refers people to for advocacy services located outside of Oregon. Serves as a backup resource for survivors not in Lane County, Oregon who need support.
• Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV)minorOthersOCADSV maintains a directory of advocacy services by county for survivors seeking help throughout Oregon. SASS refers out-of-county survivors to OCADSV's finder tool.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Womenspace: Womenspace is a Lane County-based nonprofit providing similar domestic and sexual violence advocacy, crisis intervention, and emergency shelter services in the same geographic market as SASS. It is the most direct functional peer in Eugene/Springfield.
• White Bird Clinic: White Bird is an Eugene-based nonprofit collective providing crisis intervention, counseling, and CAHOOTS mobile crisis response. It is a direct peer for crisis-line and counseling-referral services overlapping with SASS in Lane County.
• Centro Latino Americano: Centro Latino Americano is an Eugene-based nonprofit serving the Latinx community with culturally specific programs; SASS partners with it for the Mujeres Support Group. It is a direct peer and partner in delivering culturally specific survivor services in Lane County.

Broad incumbents

• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): NSVRC is a national resource hub providing research, training, and prevention resources for anti-sexual-violence organizations. It is a broad incumbent enabling peer that supports the broader ecosystem SASS operates in.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): RAINN is the largest national anti-sexual violence organization, operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline and serving as a national referral partner that SASS actively routes out-of-area survivors to. It is a broad incumbent peer in the same mission space.

Regional players

• Bradley Angle: Bradley Angle is an Oregon-based (Portland) nonprofit providing domestic and sexual violence survivor advocacy, emergency shelter, and culturally specific services. It is a regional peer serving the same survivor population in a different Oregon geography.
• Call to Safety: Call to Safety operates the Portland-based 24/7 sexual and domestic violence crisis line serving Multnomah County, Oregon. It is a regional peer with overlapping hotline, advocacy, and resource-referral functions.

Others

• Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV): OCADSV is an Oregon-wide coalition that maintains the county-by-county advocacy directory SASS uses for out-of-area referrals. It is an ecosystem peer (coalition/referral infrastructure) rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sass.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/sexualassaultsupportservices

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (SASS)