Office of Survivor Support and Prevention
Though Centenary has been leading in its sexual assault and violence prevention programming for years, in 2018, Centenary University was awarded a grant from the Department of Justice that formed the Office of Survivor Support and Violence Prevention (SSVP) on Campus. The SSVP Office is committed to creating a community that is free from all forms of interpersonal, gender-based and sexual violence and encourages a community-based approach that enhances safety for survivors.
Through collaborative effort between student life, academic services, and campus safety, we provide services that are designed to raise awareness, provide services for victims, hold offenders accountable, inspire action and combat violence on our campus in all forms.
SSVP is proud to offer a combination of direct services, education, trainings, and policy development to achieve our overall goals. Our programming and development are rooted in evidence-based practices and innovation to engage both students and faculty in critical conversations and intervention strategies to eradicate violence in the Centenary community.
Collaborative Efforts Create Change
The SSVP Office is an intentionally collaborative consortium of students, faculty, staff, and community partners here to foster a community that feels safe for all. Our innovate programs, trainings, and workshops allow participants to engage in actively dismantling violence of all forms on Centenary’s campus. Our comprehensive strategies to combat violence focus on improving the way that the University identifies and responds to incidents of interpersonal violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
In addition to working cohesively with the Community Care Response team, the SSVP Office develops culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible awareness and education programming that addresses the intersection of prevention and intervention, promoting both systemic and sustainable change.
Three Distinct Areas of Focus
Education, Awareness + Prevention
The SSVP Office incorporates a plethora of programming on Centenary’s campus by incorporating a variety of events, programming and awareness campaigns targeted at faculty, staff, and students. SSVP programs raise awareness, provide skill building, and educate individuals and groups on not only how to recognize continuums of violence but to safely and skillfully intervene.
These programs include but are not limited to bystander intervention, facilitated discussions on changing campus culture, how-to workshops on: identifying signs of violence and problematic behaviors, and community-based responses to sexual and gender-based violence.
Survivor Support
In collaboration with the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County (DASACC), the SSVP Office is able to offer confidential counseling and services to students and alumni in our student life office and comprehensive referral services for students to access outside of Centenary’s campus. The SSVP Office is also responsible for developing and overseeing the creation of Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT), whose primary focus is to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies to protect survivors and prosecute efficiently.
Student Development + Leadership
The SSVP Office is dedicated to supporting students in their own violence prevention efforts. We work cohesively with a student lead group call STOP (Students Taking On Prevention) to develop campus initiatives with the goal of preventing gender-based violence and substance abuse. Working with students provides an opportunity to equip students with the ability to create a change on campus.
The SSVP Office encourages all students to access the services that they best see fit. For confidential services regarding sexual violence, you may contact:
Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County: (908) 453-4181
Health Services: (908) 852-1400 ext. 2209
Counseling Center: (908) 852-1400 ext. 2125