303-871-3456
(On call 24/7*)

*The Network is not on call over the summer or Winter Break. Please contact the Gender Violence Education and Support Services Office instead 303-871-3853.

Please scroll to the bottom of the page for the application to become an advocate and participate in the Jan training!

The DU Sexual Assault Survivor Advocate Network (The SASA Network) exists to assist DU students who have been sexually assaulted on or off campus; and staff, faculty, or visitors who have been sexually assaulted on campus. Trained Victim Advocates provide emotional support and referral information for victims/survivors of sexual assault.

Trained advocates will assist female and male survivors, and any family or friends to cope with the physical, psychological, judicial and/or legal aftermath resulting from a sexual assault. Although the advocates will undergo an intense 30 hour training program, they are not trained or certified counselors and their role is to listen to the victim/survivor and to explain options rather than offer crisis counseling. Please contact the DU Health and Counseling Center at 303-871-2205 for counseling information.

Advocates can meet with a student in a residence hall room, at a designated spot on campus, or another agreed upon location.

NOTE: Calling for an advocate does not obligate reporting anything to the police, except when there is a significant public safety concern.

Who are the Advocates?:
Advocates are volunteers (students, staff, and faculty) who complete an extensive 30 hour training program. They understand the complexity of the aftermath of sexual assault and can assist individuals in making decisions and obtaining resources. They are educated about legal and medical systems, psychological ramifications of sexual assault, and can provide options and information about medical care. Advocates can provide emotional support as the survivor seeks resources.

Goals of the SASA Network:
1. To provide the DU campus and community with an ever increasing group of students, staff, and faculty who understand the complexity of sexual assault and the resources available to survivors.

2. To provide a seamless provision of service to survivors of sexual assault on DU's campus and to foster a safe environment for those survivors who choose to talk to someone about their experience.

3. To provide an ever increasing group of DU students, staff, and faculty who can assist the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Office with programming and educational events and presentations across DU’s campus.

How to contact an advocate:

Call 303-871-3456 and leave a message. An advocate will be paged and contact you within ONE hour of you leaving the message. The on call team in on call 24/7 during the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters. Please note, advocates are not currently on call over the summer months or winter break.

To talk to someone about your options during the breaks, please call the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program at 303-322-7273 (24 hours) or call the DU Counselor on Call by calling 303-871-3000 and ask for the counselor (also 24 hours).

How to become an advocate:

Training to become an advocate happens in the Fall and Winter quarters. Check back in the summer for information on the Fall 2008 training. Registration for the January 2008 trainin is now closed.

Remember, if you apply to train, you must be able to attend every session in its entirety to be eligible for this program

All staff, faculty, and students are eligible to apply except for first year undergraduate students. Please think about this committment carefully, the training is intense and covers sensitive material.

If you would like to apply to become an advocate, contact Lisa Ingarfield, Room 103 Nelson Residence Hall or email lingarfi@du.edu.

The training takes a comprehensive look at sexual assault, crisis intervention, and resource referral. A variety of speakers will assist with training on issues ranging from the Sexual Assault Exam to Denver Police Department's investigation techniques to the needs of male survivors.

By the conclusion of the training program, advocates will be able to provide information about the survivor's choices for getting medical care and accompany the survivor to the hospital if the survivor so chooses. They will be able to explain the process of reporting the assault to the police and go with the survivor to the police station if she or he decides to file a report. Additionally, advocates will be able to inform the survivor about the University's judicial process if the perpetrator is a student.