Connect & Reflect 

This April, UHS Survivor Services and Violence Prevention will host ”Connect & Reflect”—a space for student survivors and allies to reclaim campus, build community, and break the stigma around survivorship. Preview upcoming Connect & Reflect events below and visit the webpage for more information.  

CONNECT 

Coffee & Consent | April 30th from 10 PM – 2 PM on East Campus Mall 

Stop by for a cup of coffee and learn about campus, student-led, and community resources available to survivors. 

Day of Connection | April 30th from 2 PM – 7 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center  

Connect with other student survivors through assorted art and crafts, movement, and violence prevention activities. View the full schedule.  

REFLECT  

Art & History Gallery | April 1st – 30th open daily from 10 AM – 8 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center 

View the past 50 years of campus sexual assault activism alongside art by student survivors in person and online.  

Closing Reception | April 30th from 4 PM – 5:30 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center 

Gather for refreshments and conversation with UHS and campus partners working on sexual violence research, prevention, and response. The reception will include brief remarks by Associate Director of Title IX Coordinator, Lauren Hasselbacher, and acknowledgement of this year’s student artists. 

Other ways you can get involved to support violence prevention on campus  

Join a student organization:  

• PAVE is dedicated to preventing sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through education and activism.  

• Sex Out Loud promotes healthy sexuality through sex-positive education and activism.  

• EmBark unites survivors of sexual assault and dating violence with the shelter animal of their choice.  

Build skills to prevent violence before it occurs: 

• GetWIse@Home offers four online violence prevention programs to choose from, including DatingWIse (healthy relationships and dating violence), SexWIse (healthy sex and sexual violence), ListenWIse (trauma and survivor support), and ActWIse (recognizing violence and bystander intervention).  

• “Find Your Role” is an interactive, 10-question personality-style quiz designed to help you explore what types of stepping in may feel safest and most comfortable to you by discovering how you are already practicing different types of intervention in your everyday life. At the end of the quiz, you will receive personal, actionable feedback that matches your “role” in stepping in to prevent harm.

Attend other events and programs for Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

• Keep an eye out for other events throughout the month hosted by student organizations and campus partners, including rallies, mindfulness sessions, and self-defense classes (all hosted by the RCC)

Year-Round Support for Student Survivors at UHS 

UHS Survivor Services supports you in whatever ways feel most helpful for you, including providing emotional care, reviewing your options, and affirming your decisions. If you’re unsure how to label your experience or what support you need, our Survivor Services team is here to listen, provide resources, and help you explore your options, including referrals, accommodations, and reporting. 

To connect with an advocate, email survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, call 608-265-5600 (option 3), or schedule online via MyUHS. 

Strength for Survivors: Wednesday, October 9 from 5:30 – 7 PM at the Red Gym, On Wisconsin Room

Join UHS Survivor Services and Rec Well for a transformative trauma embodiment workshop centered on strength training. This event is designed for student survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence and their allies. Led by Rec Well personal trainers, the workshop will guide participants through strength training exercises that emphasize personal choice and empowerment. Survivor Services staff will also lead discussions on setting intentions for movement practices, breathwork, and exploring how trauma impacts the body. This event will be co-hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center.

Rewriting the Love Languages: Tuesday, October 22 from 4 – 6 PM at the University Club

Join Annie Bruns and Gaonue Vang from UHS Survivor Services to reimagine the concept of “love languages.” Facilitators will support a group discussing using 18 Languages for Modern Love, developed by certified sex educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, as a central theme. The group will explore why expanding love languages is necessary and how we might use these in all of our close relationships (not just romantic ones). This event will be co-hosted with Fraternity & Sorority Life and PAVE

Drop-In Virtual Support for Survivors: Each Monday from 1 – 2:30 PM virtually. Sign up online

This is a drop-in space for student survivors to connect with peers and offer mutual support in a confidential and safe environment. The group facilitators, Kayla Eggen and Kendall Ferguson are mental health professionals who foster an open space, affirming, and connecting for all members. The group will focus on the impact of having experienced trauma and skills/supports to support post-traumatic growth, with some boundaries placed around sharing narratives about traumatic experiences. This group is specifically designed for UW-Madison students who have experienced sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, and/or childhood sexual abuse.

Drop-In Crafty Coping Community for Survivors: Each Wednesday from 2:30 – 4:00 PM at 333 East Campus Mall, Room 7001

This is a drop-in space for student survivors to connect with peers and offer mutual support in a confidential and safe environment. The group facilitators, UHS providers Alex Little, will foster an open and affirming space for all members while guiding members through sensory- and movement-based coping skills. The community will focus on navigating the impact of trauma experiences through connection and skills to support post-traumatic growth. It is specifically for students who experienced sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, and/or childhood sexual abuse. Sign up online for this in-person community. Registration is not required but will provide a reminder email.

Expanding Campus Violence Prevention Efforts through GetWIse

Education plays a crucial role in preventing violence on campus. UHS offers violence prevention programs to help students understand, address, and avoid violence. All new undergraduate and graduate students are required to participate in these programs to learn how to make healthy decisions, handle tough situations, and access support resources.

The GetWIse@Home program, mandatory for first year and transfer students, covers topics related to violence prevention and support for survivors. This program is also available annually to all undergraduates as a refresher to reinforce their knowledge and skills.

“These topics are not only a concern for first-year students,” says Sam Bowen, assistant director of violence prevention. “In fact, the risk of experiencing some form of sexual or relationship violence increases the longer a student has been on campus. Repeated opportunities for education on violence prevention will increase the effectiveness of our violence prevention strategy.”

Most students will encounter someone affected by sexual assault or dating violence during their college years. At UW-Madison, about 1 in 10 students face dating violence, and 1 in 6 experience sexual assault. GetWIse@Home aims to promote a safer campus by teaching about consent, bystander intervention, and recognizing harmful behaviors.

The program includes four modules: DatingWIse (healthy relationships), SexWIse (healthy sex), ListenWIse (support for survivors), and ActWIse (bystander intervention). Students taking GetWIse as a refresher can choose to redo a previous module or explore a new one.

Learn more about GetWIse@Home and the four modules on the UHS website. Students can access the modules through the GetWIse@Home page on Canvas.

Year-Round Survivor Support and Resources through UHS

UHS supports student survivors through coordinated advocacy, mental health, and medical services—including forensic nurse exams on-site—that are no-cost and confidential. Our survivor services team will validate your experience and care, while also sharing information and resources you might need, like referrals, accommodations, and reporting options.

Students can schedule an appointment to talk with an advocate and learn about their options by emailing survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, calling 608-265-5600 (option 3), or self-scheduling via the MyUHS portal.

Learn more about UHS Survivor Services on our website.

Integrated Approach to Survivor Support 

UHS supports student survivors through coordinated medical, mental health, and advocacy services. The integrated team is expanding in response to student needs. Recent areas of growth include deepening support for survivors who hold marginalized identities – including students of color and students who identify as LGBTQIA+. There are also movements to make resources available within the campus community, outside of the UHS physical space – including support groups hosted at the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) and Let’s Talk sessions in University Housing.

Survivor advocates at UHS are here to support student survivors and help them navigate campus resources. Services are always confidential and survivor-centered. Domestic and dating violence are just some of the many areas Survivor Services addresses. Patterns of power and control against an intimate partner may be physical, sexual, or psychological in nature.

Students can schedule an appointment to talk with an advocate and learn about their options by emailing survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, calling 608-265-5600 (option 3), or self-scheduling via the MyUHS portal. Learn more about Survivor Services Advocacy on our website. Advocates validate your experience and provide emotional support, while sharing information and resources you might need, like referrals, accommodations, and reporting options.

Ongoing Work in Violence Prevention 

UHS’s violence prevention strategy aims to increase the campus community’s knowledge about issues related to violence, shape attitudes, and build the necessary skills to prevent violence before it occurs. All incoming undergraduate, transfer, and graduate students participate in required violence prevention programming which empowers students to make healthy decisions, intervene in difficult situations, and learn about resources available to survivors on campus. UHS recognizes the vital role each student plays in creating a community of care that allows everyone to thrive. UHS acknowledges the invaluable contributions of anonymous donors to build capacity and carry out important work in preventing violence on UW-Madison’s campus. 

Recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

On Wednesday, October 19 University Health Services (UHS) is partnering with University Housing to host an event for the Eagle Heights community that will introduce the signs of domestic abuse and dating violence as well as the resources that are available to survivors on campus and in the community. Representatives from UHS Survivor Services and Violence Prevention will be present to speak to rights and resources, as well as introduce the Light in the Window campaign.

“While we work to prevent dating violence and support survivors all year round, October is an important time to focus our efforts to increase awareness of the issue,” says Sam Bowen, Assistant Director of Violence Prevention. “I encourage students to take care of one another by learning to recognize the signs of dating violence and supporting their peers with empathy.”

Staffing expansion improves integrated approach
UHS is recruiting one full-time advocate and recently hired two full-time mental health providers—including a mental health provider focused on serving survivors of color—to join the current Survivor Services team of four mental health professionals and one advocate. Once fully staffed, the team will nearly triple in size from three providers who performed dual function as mental health providers and advocates in 2019 to a team of eight specialized providers. In addition, the advocacy team has transitioned from UHS Prevention to UHS Mental Health Services to further support the advocates’ collaborative work with mental health providers and to elevate the role advocates play in connecting survivors with medical, mental health, and community services.

“When a student experiences sexual or relationship violence and chooses to seek support from UHS, we want to ensure they receive an integrated, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered experience,” says Jake Baggott, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and executive director of University Health Services. “The evolution of our Survivor Services unit underscores the importance of this work on our campus.”

2021-2022 recap
During the 2021-22 academic year, UHS provided 74 medical appointments for unwanted sexual encounters and 42 on-site forensic nurse exams, through a partnership with DaneMAC and the Dane County Rape Crisis Center. Survivor Services mental health appointments increased by 24 percent with 1,471 individual appointments. Mental health staff also led group counseling sessions and drop-in support groups for survivors. In addition, Survivor Services advocates saw 88 students for appointments and provided more than 100 consultations to students and/or campus community members who chose to remain anonymous.

New director position created
To lead this expansion, Molly Caradonna, PsyD, has been promoted to a newly created position, Director of Survivor Services. Caradonna joined UHS in 2019 and, in 2021, became the assistant director of survivor services with the role of managing mental health services for student survivors. In her new role, Caradonna will direct the integration of care across all three areas of Survivor Services.

“Molly will work across UHS to ensure that we are responsive to student needs and to facilitate coordinated care,” says Sarah Nolan, PhD, director of UHS Mental Health Services. “Molly has been integral in growing the Survivor Services program since she joined UHS, and she will continue to be a committed and thoughtful leader for this service area.”

Caradonna’s initial focus has been to improve integrative care practices and increase staffing and services, including a pilot support group for queer students at the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) and a survivor-focused section of Let’s Talk in University Housing. Looking ahead, Caradonna will work to improve the campus’s overall coordinated and trauma-informed response to sexual and relationship violence.

“Every student survivor deserves the opportunity to heal and to continue their education,” says Caradonna. “Our team works to support survivors in each step of their healing process. I’m grateful that, with these program expansions and additional staff, we are able to better serve survivors in our campus community. I look forward to continued work with campus partners and student organizations who share our goal of ending violence and empowering survivors on campus.”

Connect to Survivor Services
UHS Survivor Services is available to students or to consult with staff/faculty at 608-265-5600 (option 3) or via email at survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu. Student can also self-schedule an appointment in MyUHS.

It’s exciting to be back on campus after years of hybrid and remote learning. In-person events and gatherings mean more opportunities to spend time with friends and meet new people. As we engage in more social situations, however, there may be circumstances we see or experience that are uncomfortable and potentially harmful. These situations could include sexual harassment – any unwanted attention about sex, gender, sexuality, dating, body, or appearance. At UW-Madison, nearly half of all students have experienced sexually harassing behavior. As Badgers, we must keep ourselves and others accountable for their actions, especially when this behavior can cause harm to others. We are all accountable for creating spaces free from sexual violence for everyone. 

A bystander is someone who observes behavior that could lead to harm. Bystanders are not directly involved in a harmful situation but can intervene, speak up, or do something to challenge or interrupt the behavior. When there are lots of people around, we assume someone else will take it upon themselves to intervene; this is known as the diffusion of responsibility, or better known as the bystander effect. Situations that are harmful or potentially harmful can feel awkward, especially when it includes someone you know. It is difficult to find the right time, words, or actions to help intervene, but everyone can step up.    

You have options when intervening – remember the three D’s.

Direct: Speak up to the people involved directly and check in with the people being harmed or who seem to be in an uncomfortable situation.     

Distract: Create a diversion to diffuse the situation. This can help give the person an “out.”  

Delegate: If it feels unsafe for you to intervene personally, or you don’t know the people involved very well, find someone else who can help diffuse the situation – like a staff member or friend. 

Intervening may seem intimidating, especially when there are power dynamics at play. Make sure you are not putting yourself in danger by intervening. If you have concerns about how your identity or the identities of those involved in the situation may harm others, utilize the ‘distract’ or ‘delegate’ options. What is most important is to hold people accountable for their actions and create a safe environment for everyone.   

Bystander intervention in context 

Situation: A person from your residence hall is touching another person you don’t know, who appears to be heavily intoxicated, inappropriately at a house party. 

Direct: “Hey, what are you doing? They seem pretty out of it.” 

Depending on your relationship with the person from your residence hall, you might feel comfortable speaking to them directly about their behavior. If this does not feel comfortable, you may choose to ask, “Are you okay?” to the person who appears intoxicated. 

Distract: “Your friends are looking for you – let’s go catch up with them in the kitchen!” 

Delegate: “I think your friend isn’t treating that person right – I’m worried. Could you pull them away from that situation?” 

You can ask someone else to help, especially if the situation feels unsafe or you may not know the person in the situation that well, for you to get directly involved with. Make sure you follow up with the person who might have been harmed to make sure they are safe.  

The three Ds are easy to remember: Direct, Distract, and Delegate. We all can provide help, whether we personally do it, or if we get another person to help us do it.  

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, please consider connecting with UHS Survivor Services or with Violence Prevention to get help. Survivor Services provide free, confidential support services to UW-Madison students survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and/or stalking.   

If you would like to connect with Violence Prevention specifically, you can contact them at their confidential violence prevention email: violenceprevention@uhs.wisc.edu. They provide workshops about bystander intervention and other prevention topics to any interested campus group.  

FNEs are performed by registered nurses with advanced training in providing services—such as physical exams and evidence collection—to victims of sexual assault.

Previously, if a student chose to have an FNE after an unwanted sexual encounter, they needed to go to Meriter Hospital which is the only health care facility in Dane County providing this service. Meriter reported that only seven percent of patients they saw for FNEs were UW-Madison students.

Data from UW-Madison students’ participation in the 2019 AAU Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct showed that 26.1% of undergraduate women, 6.8% of undergraduate men, and 28.4% of transgender, genderqueer or nonbinary, questioning, or not listed (TGQN) students experienced sexual assault victimization.

“Given the rates of assault we have on our campus, the student utilization of FNEs is disproportionate with what you would expect,” says Kate Walsh, an associate professor of Psychology who answered a grant call in 2020 from OVC to expand access to sexual assault nurse exams (another name for FNE) on college campuses.

With Walsh’s grant funding, a new partnership between UHS and the Dane Multi-Agency Center means that if a student comes to UHS for an unwanted sexual encounter appointment, an FNE nurse will be available to meet with them either by appointment in advance or within one hour of a drop-in appointment. During an unwanted sexual encounter appointment, a student may meet with UHS providers, an FNE, and a medical advocate from the Rape Crisis Center to explain the process and share options. The student will also have the opportunity to receive follow-up services from an advocate.

“We want to increase access for students in a place they trust and in a way that removes barriers. Nothing is required or happens automatically. You get to choose,” says Jane Vander Meer, a provider in the UHS Gynecology Clinic (formerly the Women’s Health Clinic). “We hope to do a better job of explaining the options and dispelling the myths that exams are required or police have to be involved.”

UHS has offered survivor-focused clinical and advocacy services to students for more than 10 years. Earlier this year, the UHS Survivor Services unit restructured to expand these services, address wait times, and improve student survivors’ experiences at UHS and the overall response to sexual assault across campus.

A part of the expanded services that was made possible by Walsh’s OVC grant is enhanced student access to the UHS Survivor Services Advocacy Team. If a student needs comprehensive or long-term advocacy (which can include support requesting accommodations, information about and assistance with campus and legal reporting options, accompaniments to appointments or meetings, safety planning, or emotional support) a member of the advocacy team is available by appointment.

“There are many wonderful resources for survivors on campus and in the Madison community. However, it can be overwhelming or confusing for students to understand what their options are and how to navigate these systems. The role of our advocates is to act as a support person for survivors, while connecting them to the services they want to engage in,” says Anna Gorman, a survivor advocate in UHS Violence Prevention.

To schedule an appointment for an unwanted sexual encounter, log in to MyUHS or call 608-265-5600 (option 1). To schedule an appointment with a UHS Survivor Services advocate, call 608-265-5600 (option 3).