Community To Call Out Sexual Violence At Doylestown Rally

DOYLESTOWN, PA — A rally against sexual violence will take place on Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. in the courtyard of the Bucks County Administration building in Doylestown Borough.

Organized by the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) and Bucks County, the rally is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend.

According to NOVA, the Bucks County Rally Against Sexual Violence will bring together county leaders, law enforcement officials, victim advocates, community partners and residents in a shared show of support for survivors and a call for prevention, justice and accountability.

“Survivors should never have to wonder whether their community will stand with them,” said Penelope Ettinger, the executive director of NOVA. “This rally is about making that support visible. It is about listening to survivors, believing them, ensuring they have access to services and continuing the work necessary to prevent sexual violence before it happens.”

Ettinger is among the speakers who will be addressing the rally. She will be joined at the microphone by Bucks County Commissioner Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW; Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan; and representatives from law enforcement and community partner organizations.

The event is being held in partnership with a broader movement calling attention to survivor justice and the need for meaningful action to prevent sexual violence and support those impacted by it, organizers said.

Sexual violence affects individuals, families, and entire communities. The rally will provide an opportunity for Bucks County to stand together, elevate the voices of survivors and reinforce the community's shared responsibility to create safer communities, said NOVA.

“All of us know somebody who has experienced or been impacted by sexual violence,” said Ellis-Marseglia. “Counted among the survivors are our friends, our neighbors and relatives, and standing with them means more than just offering words of support. It means creating systems that respond with compassion, ensuring survivors can access the help they need to feel safe, and working together as a community to prevent violence and hold offenders accountable.”

NOVA supports and empowers victims of crime in Bucks County and works to prevent violence through training, advocacy, and prevention education. Founded in 1974, NOVA is a non-profit, community-based organization operating out of three offices in Fairless Hills, Jamison and Perkasie.

Services are made possible through the financial support of federal, state and local government grants and contracts, corporations, foundations and private donations. All contributions are tax-deductible. For more information, visit NOVABucks.org.