Letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

We appreciate that Spectator chose to spotlight the Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center and Men’s Peer Education, programs of Columbia Health Service’s Sexual Violence Response, in your recent article (“20 Years In, Columbia’s Rape Crisis Center Still Only Takes Female Volunteers,” Nov. 28). We concur that shedding light on valuable resources, programs, and services is important for students to know in order to seek help when they are needed; with this in mind, we are writing to clarify and correct some important information reported in your article.

The Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center offers 24-hour advocacy and evening peer counseling services to male and female survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and childhood sexual abuse during the academic year. Peer Advocates are trained and certified student volunteers who assist survivors by accompanying them to the hospital, health services, the police, public safety, court, and other resources. Trained Peer Counselors offer emotional support and information to survivors and co-survivors, on the phone and in-person during the academic year. When relevant, these student volunteers also provide information to survivors regarding the Gender-Based and Sexual Misconduct Policy. These services are offered to all members of the community, regardless of whether survivors are male or female. Finally, the Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center is located in 112 Hewitt Hall and can be entered through Brooks Hall on the Barnard campus; not to be confused with “Barnard Hall.” We also remain connected with programs providing sexual assault and relationship violence resources at peer institutions, including Princeton University’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources, and Education, and Dartmouth College’s Sexual Abuse Awareness Program. Their programs provide services and resources to both female and male survivors, similar to our program, but they do not support or maintain rape crisis centers or student volunteer-based advocacy or helplines. For more information, please visit these programs' websites at (Princeton University) and (Dartmouth College).

We encourage students to contact the Sexual Violence Response office at (212) 854-3500 or email svprp@columbia.edu to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available for all students. For more information about services, programs, and resources from Sexual Violence Response, please visit.

Karen Singleton P.h.D.
Director, Sexual Violence Response
Dec. 6, 2011