Project SAFE is a prevention education and advocacy support program dedicated to ending sexual violence on Occidental's campus. We provide resources, advocacy, and educational programming related to issues of sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment, and stalking.
Our goal is to provide effective advocacy and education for students, groups, and other campus stakeholders. In pursuit of this goal, we provide resources, advocacy, and educational programming related to issues of sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment and exploitation, and stalking. We strive to instill strong values of consent and healthy communication as well as foster a community of Upstanders (active bystanders) who will interrupt instances of violence they witness. Learn more about what we do, and what we can do for you, below!
At Project SAFE, effective advocacy means...
- Survivors’ advocacy needs are understood and met within our scope.
- Project SAFE advocacy is accessible and equitable.
- Project SAFE advocacy is safe for all students, and/or provides resources for safety.
What is advocacy?
At Project SAFE, advocacy is the support given to survivors, allies, or anyone else impacted by harm. Project SAFE's survivor advocates are a confidential resource on Oxy’s campus. They provide advocacy through a survivor-centered empowerment model of support, which means that they seek to assist people as they explore the options available to them and decide what, if anything, feels right for them.
Common things that may prompt someone to reach out to the advocates are direct experiences with sexual violence from someone’s time at Oxy or prior, stressful relationship dynamics, wanting to know how to better support someone else, or seeking support for indirect impacts of violence. The advocates can help support people through those situations and many others.
Advocacy is low-stakes and low-commitment: you can meet with an advocate for any reason, even just to ask one question or get one thing off your chest. Advocacy is also very creative: the advocate will work to find supportive measures to meet your specific needs within and outside of Occidental to help you navigate your path moving forward.
Advocacy includes, but is not limited to:
- Academic/housing accommodations
- Accompaniment to ALL appointments, such as Title IX, court, medical exams, etc.
- Class/work schedule changes
- Safety planning
- Emotional support
- Referrals to other resources on- and off-campus
- Still not sure? See more here .
Our survivor advocates and peer advocates are available by appointment and for drop-ins throughout the week, and are open to asynchronous communication formats as well. Browse the sections below to learn more, and to find the best option for your needs.
Staff Survivor Advocates
Advocacy from our Staff Survivor Advocates is available in person at the Project SAFE office, virtually (Zoom or email), and by phone.
Survivor advocates are available for appointments Monday-Thursday, 10am-5pm (unless otherwise specified). While drop-ins are accepted, they are not guaranteed due to limited advocate availability.
To schedule appointments or request support, drop by our office, call(323) 341-4750, email survivoradvocate@oxy.edu, or schedule an appointment using the button below!
Peer Advocates
Student Peer Advocates are available to provide peer support around issues of healthy communication, consent, and relationship stresses, or answer questions about Oxy or off-campus resources. PAs can also answer questions about what the Survivor Advocate can do or what Project SAFE does on campus.
Project SAFE x Title IX Meeting
This would be an option for someone who would like an advocate to accompany them to a meeting with Title IX for reasons including, but not limited to: navigating questions about the Title IX reporting process; receiving emotional support during the process and/or help with safety planning before, during, and after reporting.
If you would like to schedule a meeting with both a Survivor Advocate and Title IX at the same time, click the button below!
Schedule a Joint Meeting: Project SAFE x Title IX
At Project SAFE, effective education means...
- People are being reached.
- Project SAFE program content is being meaningfully received by students.
- Project SAFE in-house and collaborative program content is intentionally developed to be topical, relatable, and culturally humble.
- Project SAFE programs are accessible and equitable.
- Project SAFE programs promote awareness of safety resources.
Prevention Education Framework
Project SAFE is dedicated to ending sexual violence on Oxy’s campus through a series of frameworks informed by the public health model of prevention. Through these frameworks, we are able to provide comprehensive prevention education as well as advocacy and healing programs that center safety and autonomy. Combined these components allow us to address primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention providing a comprehensive approach in service of our mission.
Project SAFE staff, which includes our Director and Survivor Advocate, Intake and Programs Coordinator, Prevention Education Coordinator, and Peer Advocates (PA's), provide various training and programs throughout the academic year. Peer Advocates present training to Oxy Athletics teams, Greek Organizations and other student groups. Project SAFE also organizes campus-wide programs that educate the community about sexual and interpersonal violence and provide opportunities for healing from trauma. Empowerment Week, held annually in October, is dedicated to preventing and healing from dating and interpersonal violence. Take Back the Week, held annually in April, explores intersectionality and sexual violence to raise awareness that sexual violence affects everyone, regardless of gender, race or orientation.
Learn more about the models that influence our prevention education framework HERE .
Schedule a Consultation
Our Prevention Education Coordinator is dedicated to developing meaningful, topical, and culturally humble education programs for all stakeholders at Oxy. This includes state and federally mandated training, such as that given to first year students and Greek Life, as well as NCAA-mandated training for athletes.
Project SAFE offers an array of workshops and trainings to provide a comprehensive prevention approach to sexual and interpersonal violence for the Occidental community. Below is a list of workshops/topics we offer, but it is not limited to:
- Introduction to Project SAFE Office and Resources (30 min)
- How to Support Survivors and Trauma-Informed Care (60 min)
- Practice Consent and Boundaries (60 min)
- Being an Oxy Upstander (60 min)
- Recognizing the Red Flags: A Workshop on Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships (60 min)
Project SAFE is happy to create custom workshops and presentations for your student group or department. If you would like to request a workshop or training, please schedule a consultation below. We typically prefer 1-2 weeks' notice, or more, for workshop requests, however, we will do our best to accommodate your needs and schedule. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email the Prevention Education Coordinator, Joaquin Caro, at projectsafe@oxy.edu. For urgent requests, send an email directly to jcaro@oxy.edu.