Getting Other Help and Support
The Women’s Center and the Office of the Dean of Students stand ready to help both survivors and their friends and loved ones in any way we can through this difficult time. Services provided by our offices include:
Women’s Center
- Advocacy, assistance and accompaniment to University & community resources (such as police, Commonwealth’s Attorney, association deans, University adjudication processes) and help in making strategic decisions.
- Survivor Emergency Fund: The Survivor Emergency Fund can fill gaps in financial assistance that a UVA student might need, such as medical or counseling costs. Student in need of financial assistance may make their request directly to the Director of Sexual and Domestic Violence Services.
- Survivor Support Network: The Survivor Support Network is a web of University of Virginia faculty, staff, administrators, and students who have been trained in providing support to survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and child sexual abuse. You can recognize these individuals by the presence of this sticker on their office door.
- On-site counseling with counselor trained in trauma issues.
- Public events, speakers, and educational programs, and free publications: Handbook for Survivors, Planning for Your Safety, and Stalking Tracking Form, among others.
Office of the Dean of Students
- Dean-on-call: A member of the staff in the Office of the Dean of Students is on-call after the office closes at 5pm and on weekends. These deans are trained in crisis response and can provide information and resources to survivors on an emergent basis. To access the Dean on Call, contact the University Police at 434-924-7166 and ask to be put in contact with the Dean on Call. For crisis response during regular business hours, simply call the Office of the Dean of Students main line at 434-924-7133.
- Information and support: For both survivors and those looking to help survivors
- Resources:
- Counseling referrals
- Assistance with gaining academic support
- Deans in the Office of the Dean of Students work closely with academic deans across the University to assist students in dealing with academic concerns and issues that may arise as a result of an assault.
- Protective services:
- No contact order
- If the Office of the Dean of Students is notified of relationship abuse occurring between two University students, one of the deans will issue a “no contact order.” This is a mutually binding document that orders both students to have no in-person or electronic contact with one another and is enforceable through the University’s Standards of Conduct. As the order is mutually-binding, it can be issued without filing a formal complaint.
- Scheduling, room changes or emergency relocation
- The Office of the Dean of Students can assist with emergency relocation off-Grounds as well as room or scheduling changes on-Grounds in the event that a survivor and perpetrator live in close proximity or have classes in common.
- The Office of the Dean of Students can assist with emergency relocation off-Grounds as well as room or scheduling changes on-Grounds in the event that a survivor and perpetrator live in close proximity or have classes in common.
- No contact order
The survivor need not file a formal report or disclose the name of the perpetrator to receive support services. If the name of a student perpetrator is disclosed to a University official, the University is required under Federal law to investigate further and take any remedial actions deemed necessary. These actions will likely include, at minimum, a meeting with the perpetrator and the issuance of a no contact order as described above. The survivor, however, is not required to file formal charges.
The Shelter for Help in Emergency
The Shelter for Help in Emergency, often referred to as “SHE,” is the local community organization that seeks to raise awareness and educate people in the local area about the issue of relationship violence. In addition, they offer support services to victims, including University students. Their services include:
- Shelter: The Shelter for Help in Emergency offers emergency, temporary housing to victims of domestic violence in need of safety. There are 20 beds available and priority is given to residents of Planning District Ten, which encompasses the city of Charlottesville and the surrounding counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson. Maximum stays at the Shelter are six weeks, with each stay evaluated in terms of the client's danger level.
- 24-Hour Hotline: The Shelter for Help in Emergency operates a 24-hour hotline for victims and survivors who need a safe place to talk, and for families and friends of survivors who may seek information to help their loved one. The hotline number is 434-293-8509 V/TTY (collect calls accepted). Language interpretation is available.
- Counseling: The Shelter provides free individual and group counseling to residents of the Shelter and to any community member seeking assistance in dealing with domestic violence. Support groups, including a Women in Transition group, are offered to any community member periodically throughout the year.
- Case Management: Shelter staff work with victims and survivors to build a large and diverse safety net of support and to help them access community resources such as housing, employment, child care, substance abuse treatment, clothing, and food.
- Legal Advocacy: While the Shelter does not employ a lawyer, staff members are available to assist victims of domestic violence in navigating the legal system. Advocates can assist victims in obtaining protective orders and can provide court accompaniment. These services are offered to residents of the Shelter and to any community member.
For more information about SHE services, check their website at http://www.shelterforhelpinemergency.org/.