The Survivor Support Network, administered through the Office for Sexual Violence Prevention & Education, is seeking its next cohort.

The network was developed to provide faculty, staff and graduate students with the knowledge and tools needed to best support survivors of sexual misconduct on Pitt’s campus. Cohorts run every fall, spring and summer. 

Carrie Benson, director of sexual violence prevention and education in the Office of Institutional Engagement and Wellbeing,  said there is no cap on classes, but due to the number of offerings each semester, there are typically 25 or fewer participants per class.

“These sessions will provide participants with knowledge about how to be trauma informed while responding to a disclosure, information about campus and community resources available to survivors and how to make a referral, and how to be an advocate for survivors,” Benson said. “This program helps to ensure that there are caring and trained professionals all over campus who are ready and available to support Pitt survivors.”

Participants also can take courses taught by community partners at the Women Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR).

According to a 2024 AAU survey, sexual misconduct victimization was reported by 26 percent of undergraduate women, 29 percent of trans and non-binary students, and 16 percent of all students while attending the University of Pittsburgh. These statistics highlighted a need to develop a network of caring faculty, staff and students who are available to support survivors on campus, and led to creation of the Survivor Support Network.

Joining the Survivor Support Network requires:

• Participation in two core workshops that provide basic information about responding to disclosures of sexual misconduct, providing referrals to support resources, and trauma informed engagement.

• Participation in one elective workshop and a Heart2Heart with the Survivor Support Network capstone. 

Once these workshops and the capstone have been completed, participants receive a kit for supporting survivors of sexual misconduct, a prevention quarter zip sweatshirt, and a certificate outlining their membership.

Members can also decide if they would like to have their name and contact information listed on the Office of Institutional Engagement & Wellbeing website.

Classes for the next cohort begin on June 3.

CORE WORKSHOPS:

Campus Reporting and Resources Overview: 11 a.m. June 3, in person, or 9:30 a.m. June 9, virtual

Trauma Informed Engagement: 11 a.m. June 17, in person, or noon, June 23, virtual.

ELECTIVE WORKSHOPS:

Trauma 101: 11 a.m. June 30, virtual. This workshop discusses the effects of trauma, how to provide ongoing support for survivors, and PAAR specific resources. This workshop is facilitated by Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.

Recognize, Respond, Refer: How to Support Community Members Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: Noon, June 11, virtual. At this training offered by Standing Firm of the Women’s Center and Shelter attendees will learn how to recognize the signs that a co-worker or student may be dealing with the realities of domestic/partner violence and how to approach and respond to hem in a respectful, safe and productive manner.

Bystander Intervention for Faculty and Staff: 10 a.m. June 25. Bystander intervention training is a discussion-based workshop designed to help participants recognize and respond to sexual harassment and other types of harassment and discrimination in an academic and professional setting. 

Advocacy 101: Noon, July, in person, or 11 a.m. July 28, virtual. This class provides foundational information on key advocacy skills, theories and practices.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Survivors: 11 a.m. July 15, in person, or 2 p.m. July 20, virtual. This training discusses how to provide ongoing trauma informed support for the LGBTQ+ and transgender population if they have experienced sexual violence.

Find more information on the Prevention at Pitt website.

— Susan Jones

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