Sexual Violence | Colgate University

Haven is a sexual violence response center that provides confidential care, support, advocacy, and trauma-informed clinical services for survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, child/family abuse, stalking, and/or harassment, to include online harassment.

Due to Covid-19, the space of Haven is temporarily closed due to the utilization of the Student Health Services to provide continued care during the pandemic "up the hill." Even though the physical space of Haven is temporarily closed, we are still providing individual and group counseling for survivors of any form of violence. Please contact the Counseling Center to connect with the counselor on call (evenings, nights, and weekends), crisis call-in hours (Mon-Fri), or to schedule an appointment.

Haven's Philosophy

At Haven, we believe survivors. You deserve support that honors your experience and needs. We will work with you to explore your options. Please remember, violence is always about power and control and never your fault.

We see sexual violence as an issue that impacts everyone, whether you are a person of color, woman, queer, trans, nonbinary, disabled, coming from a low-income background, or an immigrant. In collaboration with on- and off-campus partners, Haven offers sexual assault awareness and prevention programming that addresses rape culture, power and privilege, trauma, and support services.

As a center, we are working from a survivor-centric model that is intended to honor and empower individuals to define their experiences and healing process. We understand that services historically have not always met the needs of all survivors.

You have a right to:

Report
Seek out confidential resources
Pursue medical attention
And/or go through the Equity Grievance Process

All survivors have a right to be free from free from victim-blaming, homophobia, transphobia, and/or racial harassment. Haven is available to provide options and facilitate finding support.

Services include:

Individual counseling
Group therapy
Consultation
Crisis intervention
Connecting students with off-campus and nonaffiliated support services if desired

Student Resource Guide on Sexual Violence
Faculty/Staff Sexual Violence Disclosure Response Guide

Location and Hours

Location: Located at the Garden Level of Curtis Hall.

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Contact: 315-228-7385

Title IX

Sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking can impact people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, ages, socio-economic statuses, and national origins.

We encourage all members of our campus community to seek support for and report all incidents of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct directly to the Title IX Officer, Marilyn D. Rugg at mrugg@colgate.edu or 315-228-7288.

See the Title IX Policy and Equity Grievance Process and Sexual Violence Reports (2012-2019) for more information.

Colgate's Commitment

We are committed to the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational enterprise, and to a learning and living environment where all members of the community feel safe and respected. Acts of sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking are serious violations of our community values. The university will not tolerate sexual misconduct, or other forms of sexual violence or nonconsensual sexual activity, and will respond promptly and equitably to these incidents and to any student, staff, or faculty member who reports such incidents.

Denise Contreras

Assistant Director of Survivor Support Service

Dawn LaFrance

Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Director of Sexual Violence Support

Conant House

About Jailekha Zutshi (She/Her/Hers)

Zutshi is a senior from New Delhi, India double majoring in psychology and economics. She began working at Haven her first semester due to the rampant sexual violence she saw normalized at home, and was promoted to Haven Fellow in Fall 2019. She is passionate about preventative education, positive sexuality, global and intersectional approaches to combating sexual violence, and alternative ways of healing, particularly those involving movement. She also co-leads The Medusa Movement, an advocacy group seeking to make campus more survivor centric in the wake of changes in legislation on college sexual violence.

About Mackenzie Harrison (She/Her/Hers)

Harrison is a women's studies major and biology minor from central Connecticut. She got involved with Haven her freshman year as part of the inaugural class of Haven Ambassadors and started working as an intern in Spring 2020. Her areas of focus are sex education, sex positivity, LGBTQ+ issues, and art as a tool for both activism and healing. She is planning for a long-term career in sexual violence prevention.

Off-Campus Resources to Include the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program

Julianne Thomas

Enough is Enough Campus Advocate, confidential resource (off-campus)

Phone: 315-363-0048 x2143
Work cell: 1-607-373-8051 (call or text)
E-mail: jthomas@liberty-resources.org
24/7 hotline: 1-855-9-nowsafe (1-855-966-9723)

See Access to Care after a Trauma, Option #3

Next SANE Presentation: April 15th, 11:30am-1pm, Zoom presentation, see calendar of events closer to event date.

Haven: Sexual Violence Survivor Support