Philosophy/Mission:
- Philosophy
Educate –Support
The Gender Violence Education and Support Services (GVESS) office believes that everyone has the right to live without abuse, fear, and violence. We recognize that gender violence is a community problem and that women and men must work together to eradicate it from our society. The GVESS office believes that by providing educational resources, endorsing healthy relationships, promoting bystander interventions, and advocating for victim and survivor rights, we can help change the societal conditions that cause gender violence. .
- Mission
Educate –Support
The Gender Violence Education and Support Services (GVESS) office educates the University of Denver campus community about gender violence related issues and provides support services to victims and survivors of gender violence.
Educate
GVESS believes in the need to change the societal attitudes that encourage the abuse of power to control others. Therefore, we provide education that confronts social dynamics that foster gender violence in an effort to create a violence-free campus community.
- Programming
GVESS uses evidence-based practices to design programs that promote prevention strategies, risk reduction, awareness, and bystander interventions. - Resource Center
GVESS oversees the Gender Violence Resource Center, which houses a collection of books, journal articles, and videos about gender violence. These materials range from prevention strategies, causes of, and self-help workbooks for victims and survivors.
Support
GVESS works with people whose lives are affected by gender violence and the multifaceted problems they face. We understand that every victim and survivor responds to a traumatic experience in a different way. All services are confidential and free of charge.
- Advocacy
GVESS oversees the DU Sexual Assault Survivor Advocate Network (The SASA Network), which exists to assist DU students, staff, faculty, or visitors who have been sexually assaulted. Victim Advocates are trained to provide emotional support and referral information for victims and survivors of sexual assault. - Client Centered & Directed
We assist victims and survivors, their friends, and family by providing support during all stages of reporting and recovery. GVESS is committed to treating victims and survivors with dignity and respect and supports their autonomy in decisions when working toward self-identified goals. - Collaborative
GVESS provides victims and survivors information about gender violence, available options, and referrals when services needed are beyond the scope of the office. Referrals are made to additional DU campus resources and community resources in Denver and the surrounding areas. - Inclusiveness
GVESS serves individuals who have had their lives impacted by gender violence in a culturally-competent, non-judgmental, and empathic way. We serve women and men of all racial, ethnic, religious, class backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender and social identities.
