Columbia University Health Services

We believe that sexual violence works in conjunction with racism, homophobia, and classism. We know that sexual assault is not confined to any group or community and that the popular stereotypes lie. We know that both women and men can be survivors of sexual violence and that women are disproportionately victimized. We believe that the silencing of survivors is detrimental to the healing of individual survivors and that the silence masks an alarming frequency of sexual violence. We envision the Center as a safe place for survivors of sexual violence to speak about their experience and to break the silence and the censorship which are tacitly and explicitly encouraged by our media and culture.

We choose to use the word survivor, rather than victim, to honor the strength and courage of the women and men who survive sexual, physical, and emotional violence. We understand survival as a physical, emotional, and psychological process. Just as everyone experiences sexual violence in different forms, so every survivor's experience with its effects will differ. We believe that the healing process is difficult and highly individual. We acknowledge that there is no right way to heal. We see ourselves as facilitators and helpers rather than experts. We believe that speaking our truths about sexual violence can be an important part of the healing process, both for the individual survivor and for the larger community of survivors. We believe that healing is possible, that victims of sexual violence can feel themselves as survivors.

We are here for all members of the Columbia/Barnard community, separate from political beliefs. The RC/AVSC provides services to survivors and to their supporters, women, and men. We educate, inform, and explain. We believe in the right of survivors to define their own needs and we are here to support survivors at various times and throughout their healing process. The women of the RC/AVSC are committed to having the volunteers, peer counselors, peer advocates, and staff at the Center reflect the diversity of our larger community with respect to ethnic and racial identity, cultural background, national origin, sexual orientation, and economic circumstances. We are here to support, acknowledge, and validate survivors and their differing perspectives around sexual violence. Our counseling services are provided by peers, not by professional therapist. Peer Counselors are trained and supervised by professional clinicians. We work together as counselors and rely on one another through the counseling process.

We see the RC/AVSC as a healing place whose focus, organization, and services will grow and expand with the needs, expectations and resources of our community.

We work for the day when we are not needed.

The Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center (RC/AVSC) was founded in 1991 as a joint program between Barnard College and Columbia University. Motivated by growing national awareness about sexual assault on college campuses, student activists and administrative allies collaborated to open this on-campus resource. Over the years, the services of the RC/AVSC have expanded with the needs and resources of the community. The RC/AVSC is a part of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program and offers services to the entire University community.

Staffed by graduate and undergraduate women, a professional Program Coordinator, and advisors from Columbia University and Barnard College, the RC/AVSC offers emotional support, accompaniment, and referrals to survivors and their supporters.

Sexual violence affects all of us. Every year, 1 in 36 college women and an untold number of men will experience rape or attempted rape, and many more will experience another form of sexual violence. Each survivor has friends, partners, roommates, and family members who are affected as they try to respond and help.

Peer Counseling
Peer Counselors offer emotional support and information to survivors and co-survivors, on the phone and in-person. They are available to help students address the immediate and long-term reactions that someone might have after a violent experience, such as fear, guilt, sadness, anger, shame, or embarrassment. Peer Counselors receive 50 hours of training and are supervised by CPS clinicians. 
212 854 HELP, 7-11pm, 7 days a week.

Peer Advocacy
Peer Advocates assist survivors by accompanying them to the hospital, health services, the police, security, court, campus disciplinary proceedings and other resources. They also help survivors make informed decisions about reporting and disciplinary options.
212 854 WALK, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Peer Education
Peer Educators lead interactive workshops and provide the campus community with information about sexual assault and relationship abuse, campus services, positive ways to communicate about sex, and ways we can all get involved to create an environment in which survivors are supported and sexual violence is not tolerated.

Workshops about a variety of issues, including:

• Consent
• Sexual assault
• Relationship violence
• Intersecting oppressions
• How to help a friend

Referrals for on-campus and off-campus services are available.

The RC/AVSC is located at 100 Hewitt in Barnard Quad, and provides peer counseling, advocacy, and education to the entire University community. We are staffed by graduate and undergraduate women, a professional Program Coordinator, and Advisors from Columbia University and Barnard College. The RC/AVSC offers emotional support, accompaniment, and referrals to survivors and their supporters. We help survivors of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, relationship violence, childhood abuse, hate crimes, stalking, and sexual harassment. We educate students, administrators, and faculty around the dynamics and effects of sexual violence and relationship violence, and organize the University community against violence.

What about men? Men can be survivors of sexual violence and harassment as children and as adults. They may also be friends, relatives, and partners of survivors. Male survivors and co-survivors are encouraged to use any of the services available through the center. The Men’s Peer Education Program provides opportunities for men on campus to be involved in the work to address sexual and relationship violence.
 
Is it just for rape survivors? Not at all. Peer Counselors and Advocates are trained to deal with effects of all kinds of violence. In addition to stranger, acquaintance, and date rape, they are able to discuss relationship violence, childhood sexual abuse, anti-lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender bias crime, and stalking. The RC/AVSC is also a place for friends and partners of survivors. We can help you deal with the anger, sadness, frustration, fear, and/or guilt that can affect somebody who is close to a survivor of any sort of violence.
 
What about the Sexual Misconduct Policy? All of the Peer Counselors and Advocates receive extensive training on the University’s Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct . Deciding to make a complaint can be complicated. Peer Counselors and Advocates can support you in making an informed choice about adjudication. The Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct is an option to students wishing to file a complaint of sexual misconduct against another student.