Confidential Advocacy

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Confidential Advocate Meetings

You can schedule a meeting with a confidential advocate at psuca.youcanbook.me or by calling our confidential advocacy direct line at 503-894-7982.
 

Confidential Advocacy: What You Need to Know

Confidential Advocacy at the Center for Student Health & Counseling (SHAC) provides trauma-informed support and resources to address sexual violence at PSU. We advocate for best practices in campus response efforts.

If you are a student experiencing dating or intimate partner violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, or other forms of sexual violence, you have the right to access confidential advocacy and support under Oregon law.

Advocates are Confidential

Confidential advocates are both privileged and confidential. This means your disclosures of sexual violence will not be reported to other university officials and will not trigger a PSU investigation into an incident without your consent.

Most Employees, Faculty, and Staff Are Required to Share Information

While you may feel comfortable with your professors, your campus employment supervisor, or your Resident Assistant, employees of the University are required to report any disclosure of sexual or relationship violence to the administration, except for the following: confidential advocates, medical staff, and counselors at Student Health and Counseling, and lawyers at Student Legal Services. 

Confidential Advocacy Services

SHAC serves students of all genders. We can answer questions, work with student survivors, and advocate for their self-identified needs, decisions, wishes, questions, and concerns. This includes:

  • Providing intervention, support, information, and referrals.
  • Serving as a liaison between the student and campus departments, such as Residence Life, Campus Public Safety, Student Legal Services, and the Office of Student Affairs.
  • Serving as a liaison and advocate with University faculty and staff.
  • Assisting in linking the student survivor to off-campus community services when needed.
  • Assisting the student survivor with accessing and understanding University policy, including Student Conduct Code.
     

Program Activities

Confidential Advocacy at SHAC focuses on three areas of activities:

  • Students: Providing direct, individual student services.
  • Campus Community:  Work with faculty and staff to address specific situations; offer classroom presentations and training; partner in offering Capstone classes focused on sexual assault awareness.
  • Portland Community: Active membership in off-campus collaborative groups, including the Multnomah County Sexual Assault Response Team, Multnomah County Family Violence Coordinating Council, and Attorney General Sexual Assault Task Force.
     

PSU Confidential advocates provide:

  • Safety Planning: Develop a personalized safety plan based on your circumstances
  • Basic Needs: Assistance with finding food, hygiene, and medical care related to your experience(s) of violence
  • Housing: Help with emergency housing options, lease-break documentation, lock changes, and paying for moving expenses to access safe housing. 
  • Legal Assistance: Referral to legal resources and help applying for protective orders and court support
  • Academic Accommodations: Help with academic support measures like assignment extensions, assistance withdrawing from courses (including retroactive withdrawals), and class changes.  
  • Campus Petition Support: Support in campus petition processes including Housing/Residence Life
  • Application Assistance: The Crime Victim Compensation Fund and Address Confidentiality Program require application assistance, our confidential advocates are certified to assist you with these programs. 
  • Emergency Funds: Our advocates can assist in requesting funds for immediate safety and well-being needs
  • Campus Processes: Support during any campus processes including filing formal grievances, Title IX investigations, and Student Conduct hearings
  • Reporting Options: You have the right to report (or not) your experiences, including anonymous reporting.