Across the country, female students are most likely to be sexually assaulted during their first semester on a college campus. National statistics indicate one out of every six American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime www.rain.org. Georgia Tech works to prevent sexual violence on campus and offers strong response services to support any students who may be a victim of stalking, harassment or rape/attempted rape.

Among the portfolio of services designed to empower women in the Georgia Tech community, the Women's Resource Center has specially trained advocates who can provide confidential guidance and support to Georgia Tech students who have directly experienced sexual violence or who want to support a friend in need. The Women’s Resource Center is sponsoring a series of advocacy training this fall. To learn more about these classes, please visit our Fall 2008 Events page. Students can register for these training classes by emailing Colleen Riggle at colleen@gatech.edu.

Ally Training on Friday, Sept. 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. will provide an introduction to the problem of sexual violence, a brief overview of advocacy and response at Georgia Tech, and a foundation of basic information needed to assist survivors with resources/referrals on campus.

Safe Sister Training on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. will provide the essentials of the Ally Training with a focus on issues specific to sorority members.

Advocate Training on Friday, Oct. 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. will offer an advanced phase of advocacy training by providing an in-depth review of the agencies and organizations that provide support to victim-survivors of sexual assault and violence. Trainees will practice the skills to work with survivors through scenarios and role-play.

An advocate can assist students in identifying resources to cope with the devastating aftermath of sexual violence. These resources include counseling services, medical attention and concerns with housing or classes. An advocate can also provide support to a student who chooses to report the assault to the police or the Office of Student Integrity. In these cases, an advocate can provide information about the campus policy on sexual assault, including the judicial process, as well as accompany students to meetings and provide support during hearings.

A student is not required to report a sexual assault to receive support services. If students are unsure if they want to report the assault, they may make an appointment with the Women's Resource Center to discuss their options.

For assistance, please contact Colleen Riggle directly at 404-385-4501 or the Women's Resource Center at 404-385-0230. The Women's Resource Center is located in Suite 131 Student Services (Flag) Building.

Sexual violence can be a traumatic, confusing experience; students don't have to go through this alone. Please visit our Women's Resource Center Web site for more information on sexual assault support services.