As the stigma around speaking out about sexual violence grows, University of Arizona Survivors Support Services continue to advocate for students, faculty and staff who are survivors of sexual violence, assault and trauma.
Survivor Support Services offers a network of resources to provide safety, validation and confidentiality to survivors. Through numerous community partnerships, the organization connects individuals with counseling options, court representation and police and medical involvement if requested.
The organization is committed to making sure survivors feel safe whether this be at home, on campus or at work and assists survivors in filing no contact orders and safety planning.
“We are here to represent the survivor in whatever they need,” Jess Glass Walsh, the lead advocate at UA Survivor Support Services, said.
Survivor Support works as an avenue for individuals to seek resources to help them through traumatic experiences without question or doubt, differing from other reporting systems.
“When engaging in reporting systems, it’s not a matter of not believing them,” Walsh said. “It’s that sometimes folks have to be neutral and it’s a different relationship.”
According to Walsh, when subjected to trauma, memories cannot be recalled in the same way. This causes survivors to often have trouble remembering exactly what happened during traumatic instances as the brain’s form of protection.
Dealing with trauma often leads to higher levels of stress, preventing people from being able to complete day-to-day tasks. Walsh highlighted that this is especially true while balancing trauma as a student.
“We often see folks impacted academically and we do our very best to normalize that because it can be very isolating that you cannot perform in the way you could before,” Walsh said. “I think a huge impact on our survivors is loneliness and isolation.”
Relationships and friendships can also be impacted by the weight of trauma survivors’ experience. Walsh emphasized the importance of first disclosures and that survivors are more likely to seek out resources after having a positive first experience sharing their trauma.
In cooperation with UA Counseling and Psychological Services, Survivor Support is able to provide access to long term resources and therapy for students, faculty and staff experiencing trauma through ongoing counseling sessions over the entire semester.
“The purpose of therapy is to be flexible and provide a lot of choice, control and stability for people,” Emily Viola, a trauma specialist with Survivor Support Services and CAPS, said.
“I really like to leave it up to people to decide where they want to start and where they want to go.” Viola said. “Students can decide how long they want to work with me and if they feel one session is enough, that’s awesome.”
Survivor Support also works with the Ripple Advocacy club, a student organization providing a safe space for survivors to talk with other people who have experienced trauma and can relate to their struggles.
“These are spaces where student survivors can come together and understand each other just on the basis of ‘we’ve all been through it,’” Walsh said.
Ripple Advocacy is in its first year of operation and is a free and confidential service for survivors on campus. The club works to connect survivors with professional resources and other survivors as well as fundraise to support survivors in difficult financial situations.
“We’re just a community on campus who’s ready to serve and equip the needs of survivors of interpersonal violence with the professional support that they need,” Kiki Vandenbrook, one of the founders of the Ripple Advocacy Club, said. “It’s focused on outreach, creating a safer environment on campus and also fundraising for survivors, to cover any costs that they might have.”
Ripple Advocacy encourages survivors to disclose their experience with peers who can offer support, which may feel easier than reaching out to professionals. Ripple Advocacy equips club members with resources to then connect their peers to professional guidance.
“It’s more about giving people a choice to use our resources,” Vandenbrook said. “I just don’t want people to feel like they are alone and it’s building a community to destigmatize survivorship and create awareness about what’s available.”
The Ripple Advocacy club encourages students to join the organization and continue to support survivors through upcoming fundraisers. More resources and information about UA Survivor Support Services can be found on their website.
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