S.A.V.E. provides free, confidential counseling to both primary and secondary victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

• Primary victims are those who have personally experienced some type of sexual assault and/or act of domestic violence
• Secondary victims are those who interact on a regular basis with the primary victim. They may be family members, roommates, friends, or boyfriend / girlfriend. Even though the secondary victim has not experienced the sexual assault or violence firsthand, they are often in the role of providing support.

Counselors with the S.A.V.E. Project often provide advocacy and support on behalf of the victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. This includes support during trips to the hospital, police station, and even court. If you have been sexually assaulted and have decided to go to the hospital, a counselor with S.A.V.E. Project will be happy to meet you there to make sure your needs are met in a sensitive manner. The hospital staff will be sure to contact a counselor on your behalf.

The S.A.V.E. Project staff puts on events throughout the year to provide campus-wide awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence. Events include Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October and "These Hands Don't Hurt" in April. To see all of the events our office sponsors throughout the year, please visit the Outreach Services page.

In addition to events, S.A.V.E. Project is available to provide educational presentations to classes, groups, resident halls, etc. to help raise awareness about issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence. If you are interested in having someone from the S.A.V.E. Project come present, please call us at (334) 670-3700 to set up a presentation. Please give us at least a 2 week notice of desired date and time.

Domestic violence (also known as relationship, intimate partner or dating violence) is a pattern of controlling behaviors exerted by one partner over the other. This type of control takes many forms, including verbal abuse, physical battering, sexual assault, emotional abuse and stalking. It almost always involves psychological manipulation and verbal humiliation. Domestic violence occurs in all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and religious groups. It occurs in heterosexual and same-sex relationships. It affects people of all ages, genders and physical abilities.

WARNING SIGNS

Do you:

• feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
• avoid certain topics out of fear of angering your partner?
• feel that you can't do anything right for your partner?
• believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
• wonder if you're the one who is crazy?
• feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

• criticize you and put you down?
• humiliate or yell at you?
• attempt to isolate you from your friends or family?
• see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
• show a lack of respect to women in general?
• act overly jealous, possessive or controlling?
• threaten you or your friends/family?
• grab, punch, kick, choke, slap, shake or physically harm you in any way?

Sexual violence occurs any time a person is forced, threatened, coerced and/or manipulated into any unwanted sexual contact, attempted or completed. Sexual violence is not a crime of lust. It is a crime of power & control. A common misconception is that sex offenders cannot control their sexual urges and are driven to commit these crimes. In all cases of sexual violence, no one is to blame but the perpetrator, who must be held accountable for his or her actions.

FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE:

• Rape
• Date/Acquaintance Rape
• Alcohol & drug facilitated sexual assault
• Sodomy
• Sexual abuse
• Fondling
• Human trafficking
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual exploitation
• Indecent exposure
• Voyeurism

Sexual violence can happen to ANYONE, ANYWERE, ANYTIME. Men, women & children regardless of age, income, race, social standing or sexual orientation can be victims of sexual violence. It's not just a "woman's issue" – it is a human issue.