Resources
The following resources were written and compiled by influence of other UVSA region policies and various online resources. This is NOT a professional recommendation. please seek professional advice through experts for the most accurate information.
UVSA-Midwest staff are not trained professionals in mental health and healing. These are ways we can do our best to help our members, without causing any potential harm.
Affected Individuals
The resources provided are catered towards individuals who have been directly affected by an incident.
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Psychology Today Find Therapist
What it is: A search engine to help individuals find a therapist
How it can help: Help them find a professional to help with their well-being and possible traumas
What it is: An online service that provides licensed professionals virtually and can be used more casually than psychology today search engine
How it can help: Provides accessible therapy virtually even on a day to day request
API on Gender-Based Violence Library of Resource
What it is: Library of information that can provide resources specifically for Gender-Based violence within the APIDA community including domestic and sexual violence.
How it can help: Those identifying within the LGBTQA+ community or helping someone within it as it’s geared towards this specific community whether accused/accuser
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What it is: Information that breaks down the policy of Title IX and procedures that follow it within the scope of college.
How it can help: Understanding their rights within the scope of Title IX of the university
What it is: Legal information informing about how to apply for various protection orders on different forms of harassment.
How it can help: Gives information on how to get legal protection
What it is: Understanding the rights and expectations universities must uphold when a harassment is made
How it can help: Can help them hold the university accountable if they want to proceed to tell university
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College Judicial Consultants (professional consult)
What it is: General information that can also link to specific information to help provide legal counsel for parties involved in a harassment case.
How it can help: Can provide legal counsel to help support if legal action wants to be taken
Small Claims Court Filing (on a state/local level)
What it is: A link to something that can guide individuals on knowing how to file a legal complaint. OR define what small claims court/court magistrate complaint is and how they should check on their state/local county level for more information
How it can help: Provide legal definitions and actions they can take
Accused Individuals
The resources provided are catered towards individuals who have been accused of causing an incident that may have negatively affected other individual(s).
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Psychology Today Find Therapist
What it is: A search engine to help individuals find a therapist
How it can help:Help them find a professional to help with their well being
What it is: An online service that provides licensed professionals virtually and can be used more casually than psychology today search engine
How it can help: Help them find a professional to help even on a day-to-day request
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What it is: Information that breaks down the policy of Title IX and procedures that follow it within the scope of college.
How it can help: Understanding their rights within the scope of Title IX of the university
Small Claims Court Filing
What it is: Small claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civic cases between individuals. It is also known as a magistrate's court. Wikipedia) Every state has a different process for small claims court; thus you must look up your state’s process or in the state you are filing.
How it can help: Provide legal definitions and actions you can take on a local level.
College Judicial Consultants (professional consult)
What it is: General information that can also link to specific information to help provide legal counsel for parties involved in a harassment case.
How it can help: Can provide legal counsel to help support if legal action has been taken or wants to be taken
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Is Change Possible?
What it is: Gives a list of ways you know you’re changing you’re behavior
How it can help: Help them with a guide / ‘checklist’ to see if they are improving themselves
Supporters
Supporters are individuals who choose to aid in helping individuals involved in an incident.
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Interrupt the situation
Interrupt the situation if you believe the individual(s) feel uncomfortable. This could mean calmly disrupting or distracting either the person uncomfortable or the person causing the discomfort. This gives the person who is uncomfortable an opportunity to walk away or find safety.
E.g.: “Hey I need your help” or “We should get going.”
Contact a person of authority
If you are not comfortable confronting the situation head on, contact a person of authority to help or an individual who is comfortable with confrontation. Remember, even if you contact a third person, it might take some time before anyone shows up. Be prepared to interrupt the situation, whether directly or indirectly.
E.g.: Hotel staff, another conference staff member, 911.
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Control your emotions
As obvious as this sound, people often go into these situations panicking, flustered, or emotionally distressed. This does not help the affected. If you are not calm or nervous, it is perhaps best to ask someone else to step in. This does not mean that you cannot have an emotional reaction to the crime. It means you have to control it.
Having a calm voice and composure will be vital to helping the victim calm down.
Control the environment
Ensuring the safety of the survivor is the number one priority. Do not escalate the situation by drawing attention to the situation. This includes clearing the area of anyone who is not calm or anyone who is not involved in the situation.
Gather information.
If the incident was reported to you, gather all the information you can about the incident (who, what, when, where).
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If the affected is having a panic attack, **DO NOT** tell them to calm down.
“Panic is experiencing an intense rush of fear or anxiety, which often leads to physical symptoms, such as a racing heart or sweating. If a person doesn’t realise that these physical symptoms are a result of their anxiety, they can become even more anxious because they’re not sure why they're experiencing these symptoms.”
Be prepared for any kind of reaction.
* Everyone reacts differently. Be prepared for any reaction and any change of reaction. Even no emotional reaction can be a sign of shock.
Make the environment comfortable for the affected.
Ask if they are comfortable with you there (i.e. if they would like a person of a different gender).
Ask if they are comfortable in that environment (i.e. moving to a more private location or a place where it is more comfortable to sit).
Continually check the affected is comfortable in the environment.
The affected might start to feel uncomfortable sitting or standing in the current environment and may need a change of pace.
Let the affected set the pace.
Do not focus on finding out the details and figuring out what happened. They may be too traumatized at the moment, not comfortable or do not remember.
Avoiding opening the conversation with questions such as “what happened?” or “do you remember what happened?”
Actively listening.
In order to be fully present with the affected you must have your full attention on them. Pay careful attention to the affected when they are speaking to understand the complete message. Show that you are listening and then provide feedback by reflecting what has been said and asking questions.
Do not let the affected believe it was their fault.
It is never the affected fault.
People who experience sexual harassment and/or violence might say “it was my fault” “I shouldn’t have done this” or “if only I had____.” Let this person know that their actions were not the cause.
Refer to other resources.
The affected may not know what to do right away. Refer the affected to professionals who can help.
See our resources on helping the Affected and Accused above.