The University of Cincinnati has reached an agreement with the community organization Women Helping Women to improve support services for students who are victims of sexual assault. Under the agreement, Women Helping Women will offer an on-call service 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that students at the university will always have someone to help them if they experience or witness a sexual assault, domestic violence, or stalking.
The organization will provide confidential services that are focused on the survivor and include individual crisis intervention, hospital accompaniment, campus reporting assistance, accompany students through Title IX and law enforcement or legal processes, assist with campus-based accommodations, and provide referrals for health and wellness services. While primarily focused on serving students, the advocate will also be available to campus faculty and staff as well.
The new services will provide additional options to existing university-operated programs such as the 24/7 psychological counseling center, confidential medical services, and a victim services office on the university’s police force.
The university is also offering a new bystander training program and has hired two new Title IX investigators.