Interpersonal Violence Prevention & Response Services
Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Services is responsible for a comprehensive, empowerment-based, and trauma-informed sexual assault & violence prevention program for Babson students.
Student Services and Programs
Wellness & Prevention Services offers free and confidential consultations by appointment or during our walk-in hours. Consultations can be used by Babson students to seek support or referrals, and/or to discuss concerns for friends, partners, and family members. Consultations can also occur over the phone. To schedule an appointment, email wellness@babson.edu, call 781-239-7233 for access to a 24/7/365 rape crisis hotline, or call our main phone line during normal business hours 781-239-5200.
The College has many means of support for survivors, including the ability to privately and sensitively advocate for a wide variety of accommodations and services that uniquely meet the needs of individual students. Accommodations may be requested regardless of whether a student has filed a formal report. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to: academic requests, housing changes, and No Contact Orders.
Wellness & Prevention Services also provides medical and legal advocacy. Specifically, an advocate can provide guidance around and accompaniment to medical appointments related to sexual and/or relationship violence (for example a SANE exam), or relevant legal appointments (for example, requesting a harassment prevention order).
A core function of Wellness & Prevention Services is to provide holistic case management for students in need of on-campus and off-campus resources related to gendered violence.
Information for Students who have Experienced Sexual Assault or Rape
Safety
Make sure you are in a safe environment. Wellness & Prevention Services advocates can also help with safety planning and implementing measures which will increase your safety and security.
Medical Attention
If applicable, contact a local provider for medical services. You have access to Babson Health Services for STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) testing and other relevant testing and care. Additionally, you can receive transportation to a local emergency room for a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam. This program has specially trained nurses who can examine you and collect evidence. Advocates can also provide medical advocacy and accompaniment. Confidential medical care is available regardless of whether you report to the College or local law enforcement. You can also go to a SANE program on your own. SANE hospitals in the area are available at:
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston)
- Boston Medical Center
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Cambridge Hospital
- Children’s Hospital
- Massachusetts General Hospital
Evidence Preservation
If you are interested in preserving evidence, place your clothing and other items (sheets, blankets) in a brown paper (not plastic) bag. Avoid drinking, bathing, showering, douching, brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, combing your hair or changing your clothes. Physical evidence will be collected if you choose to visit an Emergency Room. Save or screenshot any technological evidence (text messages or social media posts for example) and be mindful of camera footage that may be available.
Reporting Options
You have many reporting options at the College, including private and confidential options. Babson also offers a confidential rape crisis hotline to help students report 24/7/365. For more information, please view the Crisis Response section and Resources below.
Get Support
There are many on and off-campus resources available for you to support your recovery and overall well-being. Wellness & Prevention Services can provide a space for support and we can also refer you to Counseling and Psychological Services. In addition, there are many off-campus organizations that provide therapeutic care.
Information for Students who have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence or Stalking
Points of Contact
Evaluate your points of contact with an abusive partner/perpetrator. Wellness & Prevention Services can help with housing accommodations, phone/email privacy, financial independence and economic justice, and other supports.
Safety
Make sure that you are in a safe environment. Wellness & Prevention Services advocates can also help with safety planning and implementing measures that will increase your safety and security.
Support Networks & Community
One option you have is to surround yourself with friends, family, and loved ones. Sometimes, survivors of intimate partner violence can feel isolated from loved ones while in an abusive or unhealthy relationship, and connecting with your support network can be helpful. You can also build support networks in the community with providers and other survivors. Wellness & Prevention Services can facilitate community connections and present a survivor with options.
Supporting a Friend or Loved One
Many times, survivors will disclose to friends, family, and partners. While it can be difficult to hear about a loved one experiencing sexual violence, knowing how to respond to this disclosure will help your friend in their journey and will help keep you safe as you become a helper.
Say Thank You & Believe
Saying, “thank you for telling me” acknowledges how difficult it can be for a survivor to disclose. Also, sharing that you believe a survivor can be validating and builds trust.
Practice Active & Empathetic Listening
Being an active listener allows your friend or loved one to make the space and conversation what they wish it to be. Allowing a survivor to control the space, including the disclosure, can be a key to empowering them as they move forward.
Be Aware of Space
Check-in with your friend or loved one about where you are having this conversation. Make sure that the space is private and comfortable for the survivor.
Be Informed of On & Off-Campus Resources
Presenting options to a survivor helps that person maintain agency. While you can’t make decisions for a survivor, you can help them research possible next steps on-campus or in the community.
Empower Your Friend/Loved One
Support and respect a survivor’s decisions, even if a survivor chooses to do nothing.
Ask What You Can do to Help
Sometimes, it is hard to know what to say to a survivor, especially when there is silence. When in doubt, ask how you can help.
Know When to Reach Out for Support
As a friend or loved one, you can be a tremendous support for a survivor. Wellness & Prevention Services can also provide services and consultation to you as a friend or loved one, too. We want to make sure that you have the help that you need in order to ensure your wellness.
Respect Privacy
Your survivor trusted you with their experience, remember that the survivor's privacy is imperative.
Practice Self-Care
Remember to take time to practice self-care. This may mean adding 5 minutes of mindfulness to your morning, taking a yoga class, or connecting with services.
The SAFE Hotline 781-239-7233 is a Babson-specific rape crisis hotline that can be accessed by students 24/7/365. The hotline is staffed by trained advocates who are ready to help survivors, friends, or campus partners. The SAFE Hotline is staffed by the Wellness & Prevention Services team who are confidential resources.
In Wellness & Prevention Services, we know that survivors need support during any hour of any day and the SAFE Hotline is available to help students’ access services without barrier. If you, or a friend or loved one, needs confidential on-call assistance, please do not hesitate to call 781-239-SAFE (7233) or just 7233 from an on-campus landline.
What if No One Answers?
While advocates will closely monitor the line and is committed to quick response, there is a possibility that a call may be missed. If this happens, please leave a message with a safe phone number for an advocate to reach you promptly. Remember, leaving a voicemail with contact information is the only way that an advocate can respond to your call appropriately.
Staff are often available to build, collaborate, and implement programs that help educate and train our community around sexual violence, prevalence, language, policy, bystander intervention, trauma-informed practice, and more. If you have a program request for your group, staff, or team, please reach out to Wellness & Prevention Services so that we can connect you with the most appropriate resource.
Prevention at Babson requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the multiple levels of influence around violence and victimization. It is critical to address the individual, their relationships, and their community and cultural environments. By building relationship skills, discussing policy, procedure, and practice, addressing social norms, and promoting bystander intervention, Babson hopes to significantly change behavior and reduce harm.
Request a Program
There are many great resources to start educating yourself or others. Here are some of Wellness & Prevention Services’ favorites:
If you would like to request one of the trainings to be presented by a WPS staff member please email wellness@babson.edu.
Available Programs
- Bystander Intervention: A program designed to empower community members to successfully intervene in unsafe, uncomfortable, or problematic situations.
- Positive Consent: How do you ask for consent? What does consent look like? This workshop helps participants learn practical ways to apply consent in their relationships.
- College Policy Literacy: We often talk about the rules and regulations, but Title IX also protects students and affords rights to survivors. This program empowers students to know Babson’s Gender-based Misconduct policy, and their rights.
- Responding to Disclosure: Listening with empathy and compassion is a skill, and this session helps participants practice through reflection and group work.
- Healthy Relationships and Boundary Setting: By building our own boundaries and understanding how we communicate with partners, we can better conceptualize the dynamics involved in dating violence, intimate partner violence, and domestic violence.
- What Does it Mean to be Trauma Informed? Many survivors of sexual or relationship violence experience a level of traumatic response. When we learn more about trauma, we can better support survivors in our community.
Create Your Own!
Wellness & Prevention Services has partnered with many campus groups to build new programs that meet the needs of a particular community. If you have an idea for a program but you don't see it listed here, ask us to partner and we can build a new training together!
Resources
Title IX Office (Horn Library Room 329)
Betsy Rauch, Title IX Coordinator 781-239-5501
Deputy Title IX Coordinators
Kate O’Leary, Director, Compensation/Rewards & Client Engagement 781-239-4209
Counseling and Psychological Services (Park Manor South) *Confidential
Alison Markson, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) 781-239-6352
Health Services (Hollister Hall) *Confidential
Polly McCabe, Director of Health Services 781-239-6363
Wellness & Prevention Services (Hollister Hall) *Confidential
Katia Santiago-Taylor, Director of Wellness & Prevention Services 781-239-5201
Public Safety
Erin Carcia, Director of Public Safety 781-239-5555
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington Street, Newton, MA
1-617-243-6000
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA
1-617-667-7000
Boston Medical Center
1 Boston Medical Center Place, Boston, MA
1-617-638-6800
Brigham & Women’s Hospital
75 Francis Street, Boston, MA
1-800-294-9999
Cambridge Hospital
1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA
1-617-665-1000
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA
1-617-726-2000
Asian Task Force (ATASK)
“Committed to serving survivors of domestic violence representing all ages, ability levels, education levels, race, national origin, cultures, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations.”
- Staff provide services in the following languages, in addition to English: Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Shanghainese, Taiwanese, Khmer, Korean, Japanese, Nepali, Hindi, Bangla, Tagalog, Urdu, Thai, Manipuri, Lao, and Mien. Prepared to also provide services to clients of any Asian speaking or other language.
- 24-Hour Multilingual Helpline: 617-338-2355
- https://www.atask.org/site/
- info@atask.org
- P.O. Box 120108, Boston, MA 02112
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC)
“We empower survivors of sexual violence to heal and provide education and advocacy for social change to prevent sexual violence.”
- 24-Hour Helpline: 1-800-841-8371
- Bilingual Client Services Coordinator: 617-492-8306
- https://barcc.org/help/services/hotline
- Online Chat Hotline Request Services
- Offices in Boston, Cambridge, & Waltham
Casa Myrna
"Boston’s largest provider of domestic violence awareness efforts and of shelter and supportive services to survivors. Our comprehensive range of services, available in both Spanish and English, provide survivors with tools to recover from the trauma of abuse and begin to build sustainable self-sufficiency."
- SafeLink Domestic Violence 24-Hour Helpline: 877-785-2020 (Toll-free) Advocates are bilingual in English and Spanish and have access to a service that can provide translation in more than 130 languages.
- https://www.casamyrna.org/get-support/safelink/
Fenway Health: Violence Recovery Program (VRP)
“Provides counseling, support groups, advocacy, and referrals to survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, hate violence, and police misconduct. We specialize in working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ individuals.”
- 617-927-6250 or 1-800-834-3242 (Toll-free in MA)
- https://fenwayhealth.org/care/behavioral-health/violence-recovery/
Jane Doe Inc.
"You are not alone. Trained advocates are there to help you, offer support, connect you with resources, and respect your decisions."
- SafeLink Domestic Violence 24-Hour Helpline 877-785-2020 or 1-877-521-2601 (TTY)
- JDI Office: 617-248-0922
- https://janedoe.org
- info@janedoe.org
- 745 Atlantic Avenue, 8th Floor, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02111
Jewish Family and Children’s Service (JF&CS): Journey to Safety (JTS)
“We specialize in providing culturally competent and religiously sensitive services for Jewish and Russian-speaking survivors while offering free and confidential assistance to all who contact us for help, regardless of their religion, culture, or country of origin."
- 781-647-5327
- https://www.jfcsboston.org/Our-Services/Community-Services/Journey-to-Safety-Response-to-Domestic-Abuse
- Request for Information
The Network/La Red
“A survivor-led, social justice organization that works to end partner abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, SM, polyamorous, and queer communities.”
- 24-hour Helpline 617-742-4911 or 1-800-832-1901 (Toll-free)
- https://tnlr.org/en/ (English) or https://www.tnlr.org/es/ (Spanish)
REACH Beyond Domestic Violence
"REACH works with survivors of domestic violence to foster safety and support while engaging communities to promote healthy relationships."
- 24-hour Helpline: 1-800-899-4000
- Office: 781-891-0724
- https://reachma.org
- Online Chat: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM and Tuesday/Thursday 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- info@reachma.org
- P.O. Box 540024, Waltham, MA 02454
Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC)
“The VRLC offers free legal assistance to sexual assault survivors who have legal needs as a result of the assault in the following areas: privacy, safety, education (K-12 and college), employment, immigration, housing, LGBTQ-specific issues, criminal justice advocacy, and financial stability. Our legal services are available to sexual assault survivors of all sexual orientations and gender identities.”
- 617-399-6720 ext. 19 (Intake Line available 24 hours for messages)
- https://victimrights.org/
- vrlc@victimrights.org
- 115 Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02110
Voices Against Violence
“Voices provides free and confidential services to victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence in the MetroWest area. Services are provided in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and are available to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.”
- 24-hour Helpline: 1-800-593-1125 or 508-626-8686 (TTY)
- https://www.smoc.org/voices-against-violence.php
Department of Families and Children (DCF) Child-at-Risk Hotline (MA)
“Please call immediately if you know of, or suspect, an incident of child abuse or neglect.”
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. During regular business hours (8:45 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F) call the DCF area office that serves the city or town where the child lives.
Note: Some cities have more than one DCF office. Use the coverage directory for Boston, Springfield, or Worcester to figure out which office to call.
Nights, weekends, and holidays dial the Child-at-Risk Hotline. 1-800-792-5200.
https://www.mass.gov/how-to/report-child-abuse-or-neglect
Disabled Persons Protection Commission Hotline (MA)
“The Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) operates a 24-hour Hotline to which citizens of the Commonwealth can report incidents of suspected abuse involving adults with disabilities.”
Hotline: 1-800-426-9009 or 1-888-822-0350 TTY
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/disabled-persons-protection-commission
Llámanos y hablemos
“Provides telephone crisis intervention, counseling and referrals, primarily to Spanish speaking communities.”
Helpline: 1-800-223-5001 (Monday - Friday, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
MaleSurvivor
“Every man who has experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse deserves access to a judgment-free space where he can heal on his own terms and without shame. For 25 years, MaleSurvivor has fostered a healing community where tens of thousands of men from more than 200 countries come together to find support, information and—most importantly—hope.”
National Center for Victims of Crime
“The VictimConnect Resource Center is a referral helpline where crime victims can learn about their rights and options confidentially and compassionately.”
Helpline: 855-484-2846
Get additional information from The National Center for Victims of Crime here
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
“RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
1-800-656-4673 (HOPE)
https://hotline.rainn.org/online
1in6
“The mission of 1in6 is to help men who have had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences live healthier, happier lives. Our mission also includes serving family members, friends, partners, and service providers by providing information and support resources on the web and in the community.”
“This free and anonymous helpline is available 24/7, for men who’ve experienced sexual abuse or assault and for those who care about them.”
Online Chat Support Groups: https://supportgroup.1in6.org/