Division of Student Affairs Annual Report 2018-19

Survivor Advocacy Program

Mission

Provide confidential support and advocacy services to student survivors of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking. We work to increase student survivors’ access to support and resources through trauma-informed advocacy and empowerment.

Highlights

1,200

interactions with survivors and co-survivors

147

survivors or co-survivors impacted

$286,845

in budget

$286,022

in expenses

 

SAP office space

During the 2018-2019 academic year, the Survivor Advocacy Program (SAP) had over 1,200 documented interactions with 147 student survivors or co-survivors.

 

Speaker at Take Back the Night

In February 2019, SAP underwent its first-ever departmental external review to identify programmatic strengths and areas for growth as well as to direct our vision moving forward.

SAP marketing materials

Alongside the Women’s Center and Health Promotion, SAP provided training to all transportation services staff on rape culture, bystander intervention, and empathic response and survivor support to assist in their work in transporting students on their shuttles and the increase in calls for service they experienced during the academic year. 

Clothing hanging on the wall at the exhibit

OHIO’s SAP served as project leader for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Culture of Respect collaborative, a 2-year higher education program that leads to the creation of policies and programs that support survivors, prevent sexual violence and communicate that violence is unacceptable. 

Still of Start by Believing documentary; people walking on dark sidewalk

In partnership with the Ohio University Police Department and an OHIO student survivor, SAP developed “Start by Believing: A Collaborative Discussion Between a Survivor & the Detective Who Helped Her on the Journey to Regain Power.” The group presented to 400 attendees at the 2019 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence and Increasing Access Conference.

Sticky note that says "You are stronger than you think you are"

SAP worked alongside Counseling and Psychological Services to provide separate confidential skills-based workshop series for female-identified, male-identified and gender-expansive survivors. The partnership also created and hosted “Coping for the Break” events prior to winter and summer breaks to engage students in learning necessary coping skills to use during their time away from campus.

"We support survivors" banner

All department staff participated in Anti-Oppression Informed Practitioner certification training through the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.  

Kim Castor speaking

The Athens Sexual Assault Resource Collaborative (SARC), which SAP is a part of, received the American Red Cross of Southeastern Ohio Hometown Heroes Group Award.