1.) What is NevadaCARES?
NevadaCARES aspires to end sexual assault, relationship violence, and/or stalking by engaging the UNR campus community in awareness building, prevention education, and transformative action. Through NevadaCARES Advocacy Center, free and confidential support services are available to those impacted by these forms of power-based violence. Programs and services are accessible to people of all identities.
NevadaCARES has begun providing direct services through a newly hired Advocate Coordinator located at the NevadaCARES Advocacy Center. The Advocate Coordinator is a link between the individual, campus-based resources, and programs in the community. Services will be in the form of advocacy to students, faculty, and staff. Individual services will assist those on campus through the process of making decisions, accessing support, examining feelings, and exploring the impact and meaning of their experiences. Connection to resources is a vital component of healing from a traumatic experience.
2.) What is the prevalence of domestic violence among college students?
14% to 31% of women and 10% of men experience relationship violence during their time attending higher education institutions (Cantor et al., 2019; Krebs et al., 2016). This data implies that a significant portion of the student population at the University of Nevada, Reno will and/or has encountered some form of relationship violence during the course of their education which can negatively influence their academic attendance and performance.
It is additionally important to highlight that Nevada ranks among the top ten states in the nation for instances of relationship violence, indicating that a substantial percentage of faculty and staff could also be affected (Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, 2021).
3.) What is the new center?
The NevadaCARES Advocacy Center is a new program on campus that provides free and confidential support services to those who have been affected by power-based violence, specifically domestic/relationship violence, sexual assault, and stalking. . Our Advocacy Center is open to any student, faculty, or staff who is in need of services from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday in Edmund J. Cain Hall (EJCH) 239F. Along with our new Advocacy Center, NevadaCARES has opened a Student Lounge that is available to survivors, packtivist, and student interns. Our Student Lounge is also open 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday-Friday located in EJCH 236.
4.) How do students access it?
Students can access our services by emailing nvcares@unr.edu, by phone at (775)682-8006, or by filling out an appointment request on nvcares.com.
5.) What would you like behavioral health providers (in the community) to know about domestic violence or the work you do?
We would like behavioral health providers to understand that domestic violence does not discriminate against students in college. We would like to acknowledge the prevalence of domestic violence in college students and the lack of resources we have to support these individuals.