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The Cottage is the only Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy Center in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, providing free and confidential support to survivors and their families. Our team of trauma-informed experts, trained advocates, and clinicians offers crisis intervention, forensic interviews, therapy, advocacy, and referrals, walking alongside each person with compassion, professionalism, and respect. Rooted in community and committed to empowering survivors with choices, we work to create a safer, more informed Athens for today and for future generations. Our Athens-area community is ever-changing, but everyone—long-time locals, newcomers, and short-term residents—has a place at The Cottage.
The Cottage raises awareness and facilitates the healing of individuals, families, and communities affected by sexual violence and child abuse.
We believe in the dignity of the individual, the ultimate right to make choices, advocacy for every person, and the ability to heal.
We create a culture of inclusiveness where every voice matters and is heard.
We are committed to personal and professional accountability and ethical practices in all we do at The Cottage and as ambassadors in the community.
We provide individuals with the tools to make choices and decisions that promote their own hope and healing.
We actively engage in partnerships with agencies and communities in order to better serve our clients and meet The Cottage’s mission.
We believe that individual wellness is essential to a healthy community. We work to provide communities with education, awareness, and training to understand and prevent sexual assault and child abuse.
The Cottage began in 1974 as the Athens Rape Crisis Line—founded by local activists who believed our community could and should show up for survivors. What started as neighbors volunteering to answer a crisis hotline around the clock became a lifeline for those impacted by sexual violence and the first anti-sexual assault organization in Georgia. The organization also helped establish what is now the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault (GNESA), strengthening advocacy across the state.
As the needs of the community grew, so did the work. The volunteer hotline evolved into the Rape Crisis Center of Northeast Georgia and later the Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia. In the 1990s, we added a Children’s Advocacy Center to our mission, expanding services to better support children, adults, and non-offending family members. Through ongoing collaboration—with partners like Athens-Clarke County Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (ACC-SANE) and the Family Protection Center—The Cottage deepened its commitment to providing trauma-informed care, advocacy, and access to healing.
In 2009, the organization became “The Cottage,” named for the small blue house that has come to represent safety, care, and community. It stands as more than a place—it is a reflection of what happens when a community chooses to believe and walk alongside survivors on their healing journey.
Today, The Cottage serves Clarke County with a 24/7 crisis hotline, survivor advocacy, child advocacy services, therapy, prevention education, and community training. What started as neighbors supporting neighbors continues today, with deeper roots, stronger partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to walking alongside survivors every step of the way.
Our staff is made up of compassionate, trauma-informed professionals dedicated to providing high-quality care, advocacy, and support to survivors and families in our community.
Our Board of Directors is a committed group of community leaders who provide strategic guidance, stewardship, and oversight to ensure The Cottage remains strong, accountable, and mission-focused.
Do you know someone who would make an excellent board member for The Cottage? Please Contact Us.
The Cottage is proud to hold Candid’s Platinum Transparency Seal and accreditation from both Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia and the National Children’s Alliance. We are also a member of the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault, demonstrating our commitment to trusted, high-quality, survivor-centered care.
210 adults of all backgrounds and identities received advocacy and services
Female
Male
Nonbinary
Transgender
Unknown
White
Black
Latinx
Multi-Racial
Asian
Native American
436 children of all backgrounds received support
Female
Male
Black
White
Latinx
Multi-Racial
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