San Francisco

Anjana Kumar accepts the award on behalf of Bay Area Women Against Rape.
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The San Francisco Division honors Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) for its ongoing efforts to stop child prostitution and human trafficking. Accepting the award on behalf of the organization is Anjana Kumar.

Founded in 1971, BAWAR is a non-profit organization focused on communicating with victims of child prostitution and human trafficking in hopes of furthering their recovery and rehabilitation. This concerted effort, coupled with BAWAR’s core services of aiding trauma victims 24 hours a day, makes BAWAR a safe haven and resource in the field of crimes against children. The organization addresses the problem of sexual assault with two basic goals: to establish a place where rape and incest survivors can receive counseling and to provide community education regarding sexual assault issues.

In 2012, BAWAR provided 960 clients with crisis intervention services, provided 143 clients with a free hospital visit or police accompaniment, and provided 203 educational programs to more than 11,900 children and adults. BAWAR has played an intricate role in supporting the FBI’s cyber and criminal programs throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area. BAWAR is a partner of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and Alameda County Vice Enforcement Team (ACVET) prostitution operations.