VPAS is the Violence Prevention, Victim Advocacy and Support Center, an office dedicated to creating a safe and respectful campus for all students! Any student can seek support in the center regardless of age, gender, sexual-orientation, religion, or race.
VPAS is responsible for helping and supporting students who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, bullying, or hazing. Located in Schwartz Hall, VPAS is an empowering space for all students at Southern Connecticut State University.
Our campus advocates, Melissa Kissi and Cathy Christy, empower survivors of sexual misconduct on campus. Advocates believe and support students who have experienced sexual violence. Every students’ needs are different, so advocates provide individualized support to students. Advocacy can include academic accommodations, on-campus living accommodations, finding other support services (counseling or health services), as well as emotional support through the reporting process (if a student chooses to report). Our advocates are friendly, supportive, and available 24/7 by phone.
Cathy Christy is also the coordinator of the University’s Sexual Assault Resource Team, SART, a program of VPAS. Many students confuse SART and VPAS, as they both provide support to survivors of sexual misconduct. The Sexual Assault Resource Team provides students with several staff and faculty members who can provide students with resources, remind students of their Title IX rights, and ensure that students feel safe on campus.
VPAS also works to create positive change on campus through educational programming and events! The student group P.E.A.C.E, Peer Educators Advocating for Campus Empowerment, promotes safety and respect through educational tabling and prevention programming. Peer Educators are Southern students who facilitate discussions about the forms of sexual misconduct, affirmative consent, and bystander intervention strategies. Peer Educators promote The Red Flag Campaign, “It’s On Us” Festivals, and Take Back the Night. If you or anyone you know are interested in becoming a member of P.E.A.C.E, please contact Melissa Kissi.
For further information about advocacy services, prevention, or to request a program by VPAS, go here.