24 Hour Help
S.O.S. offers crisis intervention/victim advocacy 24 hours/day for ALL survivors and those assisting survivors — regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, etc. and regardless of what kind of assault occurred (date/acquaintance rape, alcohol/drug-facilitated rape, stranger rape, childhood sexual abuse, incest, offensive touching, relationship violence, unhealthy relationship, sexual harassment, stalking, etc.) If you are not sure if the service is for you, CALL. We can help point you in the right direction. We’re here to help.
To contact an SOS victim advocate, call the UD Helpline 24/7/365 at 302-831-1001 and press 1 for S.O.S. The clinician will take a first name and phone number and have an S.O.S. advocate call you back within 10 minutes.
The National Center for Victims of Crime explains “What is a Victim Advocate?”
An S.O.S. volunteer Victim Advocate can:
- Explain options that victims have & information, important things to consider, various resources available, and reporting options
- Provide a listening ear, support, compassion, empathy
- Answer questions you may have
- Assist you in understanding what may have happened, assessing potential danger in a situation, and providing safety options
- Accompany you to the resources – especially to the hospital to explain what will happen, wait with you, provide comfort to your friends or family who are there, act as your advocate to make sure that your needs are met
- Arrange a ride for you to the hospital via UD Public Safety and ride with you if preferred (you do not have to be filing a police report to use the ride service)
- Make referrals to counseling resources both on and off campus and/or schedule an appointment for you
- Make arrangements for you to utilize on-campus Emergency Housing or off-campus Shelter resources
- Assist you in making a coping plan and/or safety plan to get through the next few days
- To speak with an Advocate, call the UD Helpline 24/7/365 and ask to be put in touch with S.O.S. The clinician will take a first name and phone number and hang up with you. The Advocate on duty will call you back within 10 minutes.
Professional Advocate/Counselors at Student Wellness can provide:
- Ongoing crisis counseling and victim advocacy
- Arrangements for academic accommodations, either directly with your faculty or via the Office of the Dean of Students (extension on work due, postponement of an exam, excusal from missed classes, etc.)
- Assistance in arranging to utilize Emergency Housing or accompaniment to meet with Housing & Residence Life staff when seeking a room change, contract termination, or other housing accommodations
- Accompaniment to meet with the Title IX Coordinator and throughout UD’s Sexual Misconduct complaint process
- Explanation of the Protection From Abuse Order process and accompaniment to Family Court to seek a PFA
- Letter to your landlord to verify the need for termination of an off-campus rental lease without penalty under Delaware law
- Verification on forms when seeking Victims Compensation Assistance Program funds through the Delaware’s program (VCAP is available to victims who have reported to police)
- Assistance in setting up a longer-term Safety Plan
- The opportunity to participate in a Survivor Support Group (Sexual Assault Survivors Group or Healthy Relationships Group)
- To make an appointment with a professional advocate/crisis counselor, go to Student Wellness, and click on the button in the teal box to the right. This will take you to the Student Health Service scheduling system. Choose “Victim Advocacy” for appointment type and you will see all the open appointments available. Choose what works for you. Or call 302-831-3457 during University business hours, 8:30am,-4:30pm Monday through Friday.
For a comprehensive, printable handout regarding Advocacy options: