Violence Prevention & Education

There are places both at Simmons and in the greater community where individuals can receive completely confidential assistance from professionals who have a legal and/or Simmons-appointed duty to maintain and protect information shared with them on a confidential basis. These professionals are mandated by law to keep individuals' disclosures confidential so long as the discussion happens while the professional is acting in that confidential/protected role.

Confidential Resource Persons

Matoaka Kipp 
Director of the REEF Support Center 
[email protected]

Beth Grampetro
Associate Dean and Chief Wellness Officer
[email protected]

Request an appointment with a Confidential Resource Person

Additional Confidential Resources

• Simmons Health Center Staff, 617-521-1020, 94 Pilgrim Rd, Boston, MA, [email protected]
• Simmons Counseling Center Staff, 617-521-2455, [email protected]

Note: There are a few limited circumstances where even confidential resources are legally-mandated to report information. These may include cases involving abuse of minors, persons with disabilities, or the elderly; when required to provide testimony in response to a subpoena or court order; or where an individual is at risk of imminent harm to self or others.
 

Sometimes it can be helpful to lean on a peer when the next steps feel overwhelming and uncertain. You are not alone!

Betsy's Friends is a unique peer education program designed to educate and support students around relationship violence, sex discrimination, and prevention. Peer Supporters are trained, undergraduate student employees of the VPEO who are a part of Betsy's Friends. Peer Supporters offer private, peer support to undergraduate and graduate students around topics such as:

• Relationships
• Being a survivor
• How to help a friend experiencing relationship violence or sex discrimination.
• Navigating resources for survivors on campus, including, but not limited to, identity-specific resources, Title IX, and our Confidential
• Resource Persons
• Access to free safer sex supplies and period products
• Healthy boundaries and consent

Make an appointment with a Betsys Friends Peer Supporter

• HOW: You can meet with a Peer Supporter during our weekly support hours by dropping in or scheduling a meeting. 
• WHERE: During the academic year, our office is located on the residential campus in Quadside (Smith Hall Basement, to the left of the Mail Room).
• WHEN: Our peer supporter hours and weekly meetings are updated each semester. Weekly Support Hours are posted on our instagram @simmons_vpeo or by emailing [email protected]!

A note about privacy v. confidentiality: Peer Supporters can generally keep information that is shared with them private, however, Peer Supporters are required to report to the Title IX Coordinator information they receive about Sex Discrimination, as defined in the University's Sex Discrimination Policy for Students, Faculty, Staff, and Visitors, as well as report to University leadership information they receive regarding unlawful discrimination/harassment, or any existing or imminent danger to the Simmons community. Students who disclose information about their or others' experience of sex discrimination will be connected to the Title IX Coordinator, in which casestudents can expect to receive an email notifying them of supportive resources available to them. Students are never required to respond to, utilize, or accept such resources.

Follow Us on Instagram @simmons_vpeo for updates and our programming.

All community members are welcome to our weekly Betsy's Friends meetings! Whether you identify as a survivor or are passionate about a violence-free world, you're invited! Think of this as a trauma-informed space that believes in the intimate connection between all forms of oppression and gender-based violence. We balance our weekly topics with educational, interactive, and joyful content/activities.

• Fall 2024: Weekly meetings Thursdays 5:30-6:30 pm in Quadside, Basement of Smith Hall
   

• Betsy's Friends Identity-Based Survivor Resources
• Immediate/Emergency Resources
• Visit BARCC Hospital Webpage for additional information about SANE Nurse Clinic Locations (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners)
• Sexual Assault On Campus or Off Campus Resources (BARCC)
• Intimate Partner Violence Resources (Respond, Inc.)
• Connect with Title IX at Simmons
• Title IX Resources

We encourage anyone who wishes to report sex discrimination to contact Simmons' Title IX Coordinator: Sara Simberg, [email protected], 617-521-3289.

The Betsy's Friends Peer Education Program is named after Simmons Alumna, Elizabeth 'Betsy' McCandless, '71, who in 1992, lost her life to domestic violence at the hands of her estranged ex-husband. News of her violent death rocked the Simmons community. Betsy's classmates, along with a number of staff members, came together to create the Betsy McCandless Memorial Fund in her name and launched a number of University-wide initiatives to spread awareness and education around the issues of gender-based violence.

Betsy's Friends is a peer support group on campus that works with students to promote healthy partnerships by providing peer support and weekly community meetings/events.

What if I am unsure about if I want/need resources or what to do first?

You can always connect with one of the VPEO resources, including a Confidential Resource Person or one of the Betsy's Friends Peer Supporters to help determine what support you might want or need.

Can I still access support if I experienced something years ago, like in high school?

Yes. Many survivors seek out support and resources months, years, and even decades after an initial experience.

I am not sure if I identify as a survivor. Is this resource still for me?

Our resources are for everyone in the Simmons community, however they identify. Our resources can also serve as educational tools that can help people understand their experiences in a new way.

What if I connect with someone and decide that I no longer want or need support?

That's OK! There is no pressure or obligation to receive support once you reach out to any of the resources we provide. It is entirely up to you whether you continue to meet with or access support through VPEO, choose to seek support elsewhere, or discontinue your efforts.

What happens if my information is shared with the Title IX Office based on what I have shared?

When our Peer Supporters report information about sex discrimination to the University's Title IX Coordinator, or if you give consent for a Confidential Resource Person to share your information with the Title IX Coordinator, you will receive an email outreach from the Title IX team. This email will outline different supports available to you. There is never an obligation to respond or utilize the supports shared.

What does a Confidential Resource Person Provide?

Confidential Resource Persons do not report to the Title IX Coordinator information disclosed to them about sex discrimination, unless requested to do so by the individual making the report. Individuals can share and access support and resources through a Confidential Resource Person knowing that their information can generally be kept confidential if they do not wish to report or share this information with others. Note: There are a few limited circumstances where even confidential resources are legally-mandated or required by Simmons to report information. These may include matters involving unlawful discrimination/harassment, harm or the potential of harm to a Simmons community member, matters involving abuse of minors, persons with disabilities, or the elderly; when required to provide testimony in response to a subpoena or court order; or where an individual is at risk of imminent harm to self or others.

I have questions about court, no contact orders, or restraining orders. Is this where I ask about this?

Yes! Speaking with a Peer Supporter and/or a Confidential Resource Person can be a first step in getting information on these topics. We will also point you in the right direction for additional guidance if you have questions we cannot answer. The Title IX team and the University's Department of Public Safety can also provide information on these topics, and we can act as a liaison to both of these campus partners.

I want to get involved with survivor advocacy and programming. What should I do?

We love to welcome community members to Betsy's Friends meetings, which involve activities and discussions centered around survivor advocacy and empowerment. We also welcome collaboration with others in the community for events throughout the academic year.

Does support for students who have experienced gender-based violence and sex discrimination include support of non-binary and/or transgender students who have experienced this?

Yes! We support students of all (or no) genders and are sensitive to the needs of non-binary and transgender students who may have experienced violence. We provide these students with the same resources and also have specialized resources unique to the LGBTQ+ community, both on and off campus.