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Only 39% of UT students know where to receive help when they've experienced rape, unwanted sexual contact or harassment, according to data cited in the 2017 CLASE survey. Whether or not to report is a decision best left to the individual, but we as a campus community have a responsibility to offer the best support system for survivors that we can.
This coming Fall semester, UT Voices Against Violence will launch its new Interpersonal Violence Peer Support (IVPS) program. 
The IVPS program will consist of a volunteer group of confidential student peers trained to assist student survivors of interpersonal violence who request support, options, resources, or information on University policies, procedures, and reporting. These critical areas include sexual assaults, attempted assaults, dating, domestic, and family violence, stalking, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and gender discrimination.
This program will equip students with knowledge of tangible resources on campus and in the Austin area. Through the ever-present support of peer counselors, there is a greater chance that a survivor will know of someone who can offer them the tools needed to make their own reporting choices going forward. After experiencing violence, it's not uncommon for a person to feel a loss of control, and those trained through the program will be able to help restore a survivor's sense of agency. Talking about interpersonal violence is inherently uncomfortable for many people, and we are rarely made to think about what we might do after experiencing it; however, speaking with someone their own age can help reduce the anxiety a survivor might be feeling. The importance of this program is proven by its breadth - as each new class is trained, there will be more and more students with the ability to support, inform, and empower their friends and colleagues if they encounter interpersonal violence during their time at UT.
The funds needed to launch this project total $8,210. Of these funds, $5,020 will be allocated to a retreat and training session for the fifteen peer supporters. These instructional workshops will provide these individuals with the skills necessary to support student survivors and direct them toward available resources. Another $2,600 will go toward stipends for three external trainers and a student coordinator. The remaining $1,190 will be used for promotional materials to spread the word about this program on campus.
Voices Against Violence: an organization that transforms the campus community and addresses interpersonal violence through dynamic programming that creates safety, cultivates support and promotes growth.
Texas Roundtable: a representative body made up of the presidents of all spirit organizations on UT's campus. This group of student leaders unites to promote initiatives that improve life for all longhorns and members of the Austin community.
University Panhellenic Council: the governing body of the 14 Panhellenic sororities that makes and enforces the rules for sororities pertaining to the areas of academics, scholarship, membership, and sisterhood.
Interfraternity Council: acts as the governing body for all Greek Letter Social Fraternities. In conjunction with this purpose the IFC also operates as the liason for the fraternities and provides services to its member fraternities.
To accomplish the implementation of this program, Voices Against Violence (VAV) is partnering with student leaders from Texas Roundtable, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), and University Panhellenic Council (UPC) to raise funds for the startup costs of their new initiative. As this is an issue that affects students across campus, this fundraising effort involves the collaboration of two of UT’s largest communities: Spirit and Greek. This fundraising initiative is one part of a larger fundraising effort that will span several weeks and reach students, alumni, and members of the greater Austin community.
Fifteen longhorns will be chosen for the program's inaugural class of peer supporters. Each of these students will be among UT's most passionate advocates for restoring a sense of control to survivors.
Every peer supporter will undergo 50 hours of intensive training. This will prepare them to assist fellow students who request support, options, and/or resources due to an instance of interpersonal violence.
Only 6% of survivors disclosed information surrounding their incident to UT. This means that 94% of these students did not know how to report/did not feel comfortable reporting to the institution they attend. (CLASE Survey, 2017)
As of the beginning of this project, there are around 300 unresolved investigations of US colleges failing to provide adequate support for student survivors.
In order to ensure that peer supporters receive the best and most qualified training available, $600 will be put towards hiring professional trainers who are specialists in this field.
These funds will be allocated toward increasing program visibility on campus for survivors and longhorns who wish to become future peer supporters.
With a donation of $8,210, you can launch this project in its entirety. These funds will go toward promotional materials, a retreat and training for fifteen students, trainers, and one student coordinator. With your support, we can make UT a more supportive environment!
