An Advocate is a Valparaiso University student volunteer for the Sexual Assault Awareness and Facilitative Education Office (SAAFE). They have special training that enables them to be nonjudgmental supporters to all affected by a traumatic event. Advocates can work with survivors, friends of survivors, and perpetrators. Some assault survivors find Advocates helpful in processing their experience in a nonthreatening way. All interactions are completely confidential.
What can a SAAFE Office Advocate do for me?
- Provide a peer’s perspective
- Provide information and referrals to campus and community resources
- Provide an informal, supportive, no-pressure relationship
- Keep all matters confidential
- Be available 24 hours a day to accompany and transport clients to counseling appointments and offer needed support
- Help friends of an assault survivor understand how they can be supportive
What types of issues do SAAFE Office Advocates help with?
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Dating violence
- Domestic violence
- Regretted sex
- Sexuality issues
- Substance use (alcohol, date rape drugs) and sexual assault
- Stalking
- Abusive relationships
- Healthy and unhealthy relationships
- Unplanned pregnancy
- Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s)
- Body image concerns and eating disorder issues
