The Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children began in 1976 as the Waco Rape Crisis Center after several women’s groups strongly encouraged the City of Waco to initiate a programmatic response to the need for rape awareness and prevention services.

In March 1982 services were expanded to include Bosque, Hill, Falls, Freestone, and Limestone counties.

In 1987 the Center expanded its services to provide counseling to its clients and expanded its client group to include children and was renamed the Center for Action Against Sexual Assault.

In 1993 the Center added the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program began.

In 1994 the center added two new programs – first the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Crime Victim’s Assistance Program (which was later shifted to the Waco Police Department). In addition to these new programs, that same year, the Center expanded its rape crisis program to include a crisis hotline, individual and group counseling services as well as educational programs to all victims of crime.

The expanding programs resulted in another name change, and in September 1995 the Center became the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children.

In 1996, the Children's Advocacy Center program was established.

In 1997 through the generous support of the Junior League, Cooper Foundation, Meadows Foundation, Waco Foundation, and Rapoport Foundation, the agency purchased a new facility at 2323 Columbus Avenue in Waco.

In 2011, the Prevention and Education program was added to offer community education and prevention services.

In 2018, after outgrowing the building on Columbus Avenue, the Advocacy Center moved to 3312 Hillcrest Drive in Waco.

The Advocacy Center currently is an umbrella structure with three client-facing programs:

The Advocacy Center continues to serve Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties and has established satellite offices in each rural counties.