The Violence Prevention and Intervention Center on the University of New Haven campus works with those both on the UNH campus and in the surrounding community towards their mission of eliminating violence on campus.
Their violence prevention fights sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking. This is an important part of UNH’s campus because it is a safe place for students to go if they need to talk about something that has occurred in an environment where they won’t feel judged or pressure and where resources are readily available to them.
Peer Educator Samantha Davignon said “We’ve tried to make a place that’s open and comfortable for students in need.” The Violence Prevention and Intervention Center was an important addition to the UNH campus so that the dangers are not ignored and students can be made aware of them. UNH is taking the steps to make campus safer and have more resources available for those in need of them, so violence on campus can be prevented.
The center is staffed by Peer Educators that are regular undergraduate or graduate students at UNH. They have received a weeklong training course prior to returning to campus in preparation for being a resource for other students on campus. During this training they were taught how to give the Bystander training to the incoming freshman and transfer students, which focuses on educating the students on campus about sexual assault. The center also offers a women’s support group for primary and secondary victims of sexual assault on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and plans to have other events throughout the year.
The center is located on the lower level of Sheffield Hall next to the counseling center. Students are free to come and go as they please to talk to the Peer Educators during their walk-in Hours on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Tuesday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 10p.m.
Any student who comes to the center during those hours can speak to someone in private and can be sure it will stay confidential.
