The Women’s Center of Jacksonville is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 as a hub for mental health support, education, advocacy, and empowerment. Since becoming the first certified rape crisis center for all ages and genders in Duval, Nassau, and Baker Counties in 2004, and launching our S.A.F.E. (Sexual Assault Forensic Exam) Program in 2014, we’ve remained committed to closing service gaps and supporting those most often left behind.
We provide free, wrap-around care for survivors of sexual assault—available 24/7 through our team of on-call victim advocates and sexual assault nurse examiners. Services include immediate emotional support, forensic exams, rights and options counseling (regardless of law enforcement involvement), and even court accompaniment.
Our trauma-informed counselors offer sensitive, gender-responsive mental health care to survivors and co-survivors age 12+, as well as general counseling for women and LGBTQ+ adults facing challenges like anxiety, grief, and life transitions.
We also invest in prevention and wellness through literacy programs, resiliency workshops, and support for women in active treatment for breast cancer—continuing to evolve as a trusted community resource dedicated to healing, equity, and systemic change.
Our history
The WCJ is a grassroots organization, that was first created to provide a limited information and referral service from a rented room in Riverside in 1995. Keep in mind, this was before the days of Google and finding the services that you needed in a search bar simply weren’t available.
Soon the organization grew to be the only gender-specific, trauma informed resource for information & referral, education and mental health support for women.
In 2004, the WCJ became the first certified rape crisis center in Duval, Nassau and Baker Counties.
Maintaining the integrity of the original vision – filling gaps in service provision for women, continues to be the priority.
Today, the WCJ is a valued, community-based resource center dedicated to improving the lives of women and supporting all survivors of sexual assault, serving thousands of people annually from our locations in Arlington, Southside, and our satellite locations in Nassau and Baker Counties.
Shirley Webb (right) is the founder of the WCJ, which was established by a group of forward-thinking women who brought together their lived experiences and resources to fill the gaps in services for women in Northeast Florida.
