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Counseling and Advocacy

The Women’s Center serves as an on-campus focal point for services for survivors, their friends and families. Survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking often feel a variety of conflicting emotions and may be unsure about what to do or who to turn to. It is important to remember that the Women’s Center is here to help.

Sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and harassment are priority concerns for the Women's Center.

Services

The Women’s Center offers the following free counseling and advocacy services to students, faculty, and staff who have been impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment:

  • Support, advocacy, and crisis intervention.
  • Individual and group counseling.
  • Support and assistance to friends and family.
  • Accompaniment to medical facilities, law enforcement, court proceedings, and university conduct hearings.
  • Information about the criminal, university, and civil options for reporting and adjudicating a crime.
  • Information about counseling options on and off campus.
  • Academic relief and other types of academic assistance.
  • Information about the forensic care and medical attention offered at Lewis Gale Montgomery Regional Hospital (Blacksburg) and the Carilion New River Valley Medical Center (Radford).
  • Assistance in finding a safe housing if you are not safe in your own home or residence, including both on- and off-campus options.
  • Information about other campus and community resources.
  • Consultation services for faculty and staff on how to support students who disclose a sexual assault.

 

A note about confidentiality of services:

The Women’s Center is here to provide a safe space and will make every effort to preserve our clients' privacy.  In certain situations, information may be shared with other university departments in order to assist survivors, to provide for the safety of survivors, and/or provide for the safety of the campus community.  If you have questions about confidentiality and privacy at the Women’s Center or other university departments, please contact us for further explanation.

 

Meet the Counseling and Advocacy Team:

 

Sarah Kate ValatkaCounseling and Advocacy Coordinator  valatka@vt.edu
Jessica Prince-SandersVictim Advocate  jps2@vt.edu
Christine Dennis Smith  Co-Director, Services cdennis@vt.edu
Jen Underwood Outreach Coordinator     jwunder@vt.edu

                                                                                                            

How to make an appointment: 

  • Call 540/231-7806 (between 8am and 5pm, Monday through Friday) and ask to schedule an appointment with a counselor.
  • E-mail one of the counselors listed above.
  • Come by the Women’s Center (between 8am and 5pm, Monday through Friday) and ask to set up an appointment.

The Women’s Center operates on the standard university schedule (open 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday except for holidays and other times the university is closed). 

 

If you have an emergency or need to speak to someone immediately and the Women’s Center is closed, please contact the Women’s Resource Center of the NRV 24 –hour hotline at 540/639-1123. 

If your safety is in jeopardy, please call 911.

 

For more information visit www.stopabuse.vt.edu or follow the links below:  

 

What is Sexual AssaultCampus and Community Resources
What is StalkingVirginia Tech policy regarding sexual assault

What is Relationship Violence

Virginia State law regarding sexual assault