Student Advocacy and Wellness

Power-Based Violence

If you are on this page, the first thing we want you to know is that the things that have been done to you are not your faultYou deserve to be treated with respect. You deserve to be safe and cared for. You are not alone.

Power-Based Violence

Power-Based Violence is any form of interpersonal violence intended to control or intimidate another person through the assertion of power over the person. This includes physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, psychological violence, spiritual violence, cultural violence, verbal abuse, financial abuse, property violence, threats of violence, and stalking. 

Support

If you are experiencing any form of violence, intimidation, or threat of violence, it is NEVER your fault and you do not have to face it alone. The Student Advocacy and Wellness Center provides advocacy, education, accompaniment, and other resources to survivors and those who care for a survivor. In this office, there will be no judgment and no pressure to make certain choices. You are the one in control, and we will make sure your decisions are respected.

Some of the ways Student Advocacy can support survivors is through:

  • General advocacy
  • Safety planning
  • Hospital accompaniment
  • Referral to legal support
  • Filing a police report accompaniment
  • Court accompaniment
  • Reporting options planning
  • Identification of emergency housing
  • Mental health referral
  • Medical referral

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you need assistance with anything pertaining to power-based violence for yourself or someone you care about, call or text our direct 24/7 line: 937-260-0167. You can also walk in for support during business hours or schedule an appointment by clicking the button below:

Recognizing Power-Based Violence

Power-based violence can look differently depending on the relationship, type of violence, and other environmental factors. It may not always be easy to recognize, so if you feel uncertain if your experience “counts”, talking to someone who is trained in this work may help.

Some warning signs of power-based violence include:

  • Controlling, possessive, and/or jealous behavior
  • Blaming others for their actions
  • Humiliation, sabotage, intimidation
  • Coercion and/or relentless persistence
  • Isolation
  • Ignoring verbal and non-verbal cues of disinterest
  • Threats
  • Animal abuse
  • Minimizing or dismissing your feelings, experiences, or needs
  • Disregarding boundaries and privacy
  • Taking advantage of someone under the influence of alcohol or other drugs

Safety Planning

If you are concerned for your safety or someone else’s, a safety plan is a useful tool to help identify areas of strength, available support, applicable warning signs, and ways to implement safety measures should an emergent or unsafe situation occur. Safety plans typically identify risk for harm in housing, finances, technology, school and/or work.