Center For Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention

The Center for Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention is available to assist all USF students, employees, and visitors who are victims of actual or threatened violence and abuse. This includes but is not limited to battery,
assault, domestic/relationship violence, sexual harassment, stalking, sexual battery (date rape, acquaintance rape, stranger rape), attempted sexual battery, childhood victimization, sexual violence, robbery, and prior
assault. The Victims’ Advocacy Program provides 24-hour crisis intervention, support and referrals. Police involvement is not necessary to receive services from an advocate.

The mission of the center is to empower survivors of crime, violence or abuse and prevent victimization by promoting the restoration of decision making and control to survivors, by advocating for their rights and
honoring their experiences, and through education and collaboration, fostering a safe university community that respects the rights and dignity of all. Referrals are made to the USF Counseling Center for students and
the Employee Assistance Program for employees as well as individual therapists and support groups within the surrounding area.

The advocate can be a liaison at the request of the victim with an employer, parent, landlord, creditor, professor, or any other campus or community related entity to assist with the financial, emotional, physical
and academic hardships that often follow victimization. USF’s Center for Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention assures confidentiality to persons who utilize program services. Clients’ names, faces, identifying
information and personal information will be kept confidential, unless an advocate receives written permission to release the information to a third party or unless one of the following exceptions is met:
knowledge of suicidal or homicidal thoughts, knowledge that child/elder abuse has occurred, information court ordered by a judge, or evidence of sexual harassment.

Staff members of the Center for Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention are available to speak to campus and community groups about the Advocacy Program and other related topics.