The Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office works to promote ongoing dialogues with faculty, staff, and students around issues of consent, bystander intervention, harassment, and healthy relationships with the goal of eradicating sexual misconduct on Pitt’s campus. We encourage all members of campus to be involved with these initiatives.
Prevention Initiatives
- Survivor Support Network
The Survivor Support Network is a community of trained and caring leaders who are knowledgeable about campus and community resources and are committed to supporting survivors.
- Fraternity and Sorority Life
Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) Organizations can participate in one of 4 prevention program offerings from the Prevention at Pitt office. Learn more about each of the 4 programs and how to participate.
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. During this month we engage in education and dialogue aimed at eradicating sexual violence. It is also a time when we hold space for the survivors on Pitt’s campus- honoring their journeys and offering support.
- Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month will be a time for the Pitt community to come together to support survivors, increase knowledge and awareness, and identify strategies to eliminate sexual violence from our campus.
- Relationship Violence Awareness Month
During the month of October, Pitt comes together to recognize and support the members of our community who have been affected by relationship violence and all forms of sexual misconduct.
- PAAR Wellness Workshop Series
Prevention at Pitt is very excited to expand our partnership with Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) this year with the introduction of a Wellness Workshop Series.
When we are caring for ourselves sometimes the smallest efforts makes the biggest difference. There are many ways to take care of your wellbeing. There’s intentional movement or exercise that's good for the mind and body, there’s therapeutic interventions for mental health, there's an endless list of ways we can “self care” but when are we given time to intentionally focus on one aspect of our mental and emotional wellbeing? This new workshop series is the perfect opportunity for you to spend an hour learning about yourself and skills that will come in handy as you navigate through whatever season of life you find yourself in.
Led by Katie Van Ness, Advocacy Manager at PAAR, and Dev Hayostek, Lead Prevention at Pitt, each wellness workshop will focus on one area of emotional and mental wellbeing. There will be discussions led by the facilitators as well as activities that will allow for creativity and exploration to occur in a fun and engaging way.
These workshops are NOT a substitute for clinical mental health care. However, these groups would be perfect for someone who is interested in exploring the topics listed on a deeper level, someone who is engaging in another form of counseling and would like to engage in meaningful dialogue with peers, or anyone who is interested in starting to find a strong self-care routine.
These workshops will also be considered “non-disclosure” which means while we encourage sharing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences, we won’t get into the details of any traumatic experiences to ensure we maintain a safe environment for all participants. (Processing therapy is available at PAAR and the University Counseling Center in both individual and group settings)
Here is a breakdown of the fall workshop dates and discussion topics, no registration is required. Please reach out to prevention.dev@pitt.edu with any questions.
All workshops will be located in the Prevention at Pitt office: Cathedral of Learning Floor 31.
September 13, 2024, 1p-2p: Neurobiology of Trauma: How trauma impacts the memory
Have no fear! This will be a simplified overview of how memories are created and stored in our brains and trauma can impact our memory. No prior experience on the topic is necessary.
September 27, 2024, 1p-2p: Identifying and Managing Emotions.
If inside out 1 & 2 taught us anything, it’s that emotions play a large role in a lot of our everyday functions. We don’t always have the correct language to describe how we are feeling. For example, have you ever been angry at someone only to realize you were actually disappointed? We will explore our spectrum of emotions through discussion and creative activities.
October 11, 2024, 1p-2p: Setting, Maintaining and Respecting Boundaries.
“Thats a boundary for me.” is something you may be hearing quite a bit on TikTok/Instagram these days. Though this is a popular concept that's been coopted by influencers on the web, many people do not fully understand what a boundary actually is, how to sent and maintain boundaries and also how to respect other people's boundaries. We will explore these things through discussion and activities.
October 25, 2024, 1p-2p: Navigating Conflict Relationships take effort to maintain.
With maintenance will come various moments of disagreement or discourse. Conflict is not inherently a bad thing, in fact it is often how we grow and evolve. However, it’s how we engage in conflict that matters. We will explore various ways to communicate and work through conflict using tools like non-violent communication, intergroup dialogue, and other interactive activities.
November 8, 2024, 1p-2p: Self Esteem and Resilience
Our opinions of ourselves and how we view our individual worth can have a significant impact on our everyday emotional well-being. We will discuss what impacts our self-esteem, how we build a stronger sense of self, and will spend time celebrating what we love most about ourselves.
November 22, 2024, 1p-2p: Safety Planning and Self Care
The holiday season is a joyful time for many, but with that joy, there can also be other negative feelings. Family dynamics, politics, focus on food and indulging in sweets, and a focus on alcohol during the festive season may trigger folks with history of mental health disorders or trauma of any kind. Regardless, the holiday season can be overwhelming! We will spend some time intentionally planning out ways that we can take care of ourselves during the winter breaks and various holiday celebrations that may occur. We will have lots of examples of self-care ideas to try out and take with you.
- Prevention Photo Gallery
Review images from various prevention initiatives on Pitt's campus.
- A Guide for Talking About Relationships, Consent, and Sexual Violence
This guide was created to help provide guidance and resources for having these conversations and for learning more about University initiatives, policies and support resources. We ask that you join the movement to eradicate sexual violence by talking with your child about issues such as healthy relationships, consent, bystander intervention and supporting friends who have experienced sexual violence.
- Prevention & Survivor Support Mini Grants
The Prevention Office, with support from a SEED 2.0 grant, welcomes proposals from student organizations, staff, and Pitt Communities for the implementation of efforts to increase prevention initiatives on campus and broaden support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Pitt Supports Survivors
Read messages of support from community members all over campus to survivors of sexual misconduct.
Educational Opportunities
- SAFE Peer Educators
SAFE (Sexual Assault Facilitation and Education) is a group of trained peer educators who are dedicated to educating their peers around topics such as relationship violence, sexual violence, consent, interpersonal communication, and bystander intervention.
- Education, Training, & Events
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for students, staff, and faculty. Each month a variety of events will be available to members of the Pitt community.
- Shattering the Statistics
This educational series targets the University community and explores and brings awareness to issues around sexual misconduct and ongoing prevention initiatives.
Get Involved
Sign up to get meeting invitations and updates/reminders for the committee and/or discussion group.
- Prevention Programming Committee
This committee is open to anyone on campus, student, faculty, or staff, who wants to be involved with prevention programming and education throughout the year, including larger month long programming like, “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” (April) as well as stand-alone events. This is an ongoing group and your participation can be based on your capacity from event to event. There will be leadership opportunities in various sub-committees and plenty of volunteer opportunities for lower-capacity times. This committee will take the place of all other specific sexual violence prevention program committees. To join this committee, please fill out this brief form.
- Prevention at Pitt: Donuts and Discussion
This is a monthly program, hosted in the OEDI Office on the 31st floor of the Cathedral, to allow for brief topic-specific discussions on specific prevention initiatives as well as open dialogue for feedback, ideas, and concerns. This will allow us to ensure that we are continuously seeking feedback from our partners across campus on the impact and effectiveness of our efforts, as well as identifying new areas of partnership or opportunities for programming. We also want this space to be a community building space for everyone on campus who is engaged in this work. We will bring coffee and donuts/bagels to each meeting. This is an open event, but if you want a formal invitation via Outlook, please fill out this brief form.
Upcoming “Donuts & Discussion” dates for the fall semester:
TBD
- Prevention Fellows
Our Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Survivor Support SEED grant team is looking to develop a team of prevention fellows.
Prevention fellows will provide guidance and feedback on all areas and programming funded by the SEED grant (prevention, research, and survivor support initiatives). Fellows will attend a 90-minute meeting each month and will be compensated $75 for each meeting they attend. We have opened the application with a submission deadline of 5 p.m. Oct. 5.
Sexual Violence Prevention Grants
- Circle Up! A Prevention Dialogue Series Grant
Circle Up is a dialogue-based prevention initiative inspired by the “Conversation Circles” framework created at Stanford University. We know that sexual violence is nuanced, and our prevention initiatives need to address that nuance. 90% of incidents of sexual violence occur within a relationship where the perpetrator was someone the survivor knew and should have been able to trust. We also know that sex, sexuality, and sexual violence come with much stigma attached. In order to support survivors of sexual violence as well as prevent future incidents, we need to address that stigma, and we do that by having open dialogues about these topics.
We believe that by talking about complex issues, we can build connection, and that connection can create meaningful change on our campus and beyond. Our aim for this circle is to: truly listen to one another and learn from each other. In doing so, we can build stronger relationships.
Each circle can accommodate up to 20 people. Groups larger than 20 people can be split into multiple circles to ensure a quality experience for all.
Student organizations who successfully complete the program will receive a $400 grant. Organizations will receive a $150 grant after the first circle and an additional $250 after completing two circles ($400 total). Grant money can be used to advance the organization’s mission.
Note: Circles Up is facilitated on the 31st floor of the Cathedral each night. All Circles run for 90 minutes and run from 6pm-7:30pm or 8pm-9:30pm.
- SAFE Peer2Peer Education Grant
The SAFE program is composed of undergraduate peer educators who lead interactive workshops around campus on topics regarding sexual assault, consent, healthy relationships, and sexuality. 20 organizations will be accepted to SAFE peer2peer grant program. Participating organizations must commit to hosting two presentations over the course of the academic year. After completing both presentations, the organization will be eligible for a $200 grant from the Division of Student Affairs, to be used for the advancement of the individual organization’s mission.
Applications are accepted in early September. For additional questions, student organizations can email safestudentleaders@pitt.edu for more information.
- SETPoint Training Program Grants
SETPoint is an empowerment self-defense training program. SETpoint training will teach you how to:
Pick up and react to clues in your environment; Recognize healthy and unhealthy behaviors in relationships; Set your own boundaries and respect the boundaries that others set; Maximize your body’s inherent strengths, including your senses and your intuition; Practice punches, kicks, and other self-defense moves at a physical level appropriate for your body; Be an active bystander to help others in need. Learn more about SETpoint Self-Defense Workshops. All participants in attendance must complete evaluation surveys before and after participation in all workshops.
Grant Application
If your organization is interested in applying to a sexual violence prevention grant program, please fill out the application.
These programs were developed to combat sexual misconduct at Pitt through the promotion of a safer, more respectful campus environment where all community members can actively participate and feel valued.
You’ll leave feeling strong, energized, and empowered! This is a one-time, 2.5 hour training session that can accommodate up to 24 students and a minimum of 12 students. Student organizations will need to secure appropriate space, the Prevention at Pitt team can help with this. In addition to the participating in the training, organizations will receive a $150 grant to be used to support the mission of their organization.
SETpoint coaching is inclusive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered. Lead coach Michele Montag is certified as an Empowerment Self-Defense instructor through the National Women's Martial Arts Federation.
Completion Requirements
Eligibility for each grant program will be considered upon completion of the application (linked below) and reviewed by the program coordinators. Organizations will only be eligible for the grant when all requirements associated with the grant programs are successfully completed. Requirements are outlined below for your reference. Student organizations can only participate in one grant program each academic year.
Program Requirements
Organizations must commit to hosting two SAFE programs or Circle Up conversation circles, during the 2023-2024 academic year. One program should be completed in the fall, the second in the spring. Organizations that commit to hosting a SetPoint program must complete one entire session during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Attendance Requirements
80% of the organization’s members must be present at both sessions, or a minimum of 8 participants for smaller organizations (12 person minimum for SETpoint).
More information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any program, please feel free to reach out to us at PittPrevention@pitt.edu or contact Willa Campbell, Lead Prevention Educator, or Carrie Benson, director of prevention & education.