To many students at American River College, October means little more than pumpkin spice lattes, rainy fall mornings and frantic preparations for midterm exams. For roughly one in five students, it is about something much deeper. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and ARC says they are committed to supporting students on and off campus.

ARC’s Sexual Violence and Title IX Protections’ glossary of terms defines domestic violence as “abuse committed against an adult or a minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant or person with whom the person who commits the act has had a child or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship.” Domestic violence can take many forms, including emotional, financial, physical, spiritual and technological abuse.

ARC offers many services to students experiencing domestic violence through resources that can be accessed both on and off campus. The Los Rios Community College District also has a longstanding formal partnership with local Sacramento nonprofit WEAVE, which provides a variety of services to all victims of domestic and sexual violence in the greater Sacramento area.

“The partnership with Los Rios began in 2016,” Julie Bornhoft, WEAVE’s chief strategy officer, said in a phone interview. “Los Rios initiated the opportunity to partner with WEAVE and to have an advocate available on campus and engage in awareness-building activities with students well before the ‘#MeToo’ movement.”

The advocate is not a member of staff on ARC’s campus, but rather a WEAVE representative to help connect students to a variety of resources on and off campus. The representative also provides accompaniment to all official proceedings as well as trauma-informed emotional support. They can be contacted by phone at (916) 568-3011 and by email at [email protected]. They are available to help all students in need of support regardless of age, sex, gender or race. Support requests sent via email are usually responded to within one business day.

WEAVE is far from the only resource that students experiencing violence have access to. If a student is unable to contact the WEAVE advocate themselves, their first point of in-person contact should be the Student Health and Wellness Center, which is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“If someone wants support more immediately, [they should call] our 24/7 support and information line,” Bornhoft said. “We also have online chat available. The email is monitored during business hours, [so] over the weekend they should call the 24-hour support line.”

Through the Student Health and Wellness Center, students have access to a variety of different options for receiving more comprehensive therapeutic emotional support.

“At the SHWC, we have trained therapists and Mental Health Advocates who can provide confidential counseling, emotional support, and safety planning,” said Monica Cummings, mental health clinician supervisor for ARC’s Student Health and Wellness Center, in an email interview. “There are trained professionals who will listen, believe you and support you at your own pace.”

In cases that require more practical support, there are also resources available to students through ARC’s Basic Needs Center, also known as Beaver Cares. According to Valerie Adger, the Beaver Cares basic needs supervisor, while Beaver Cares does not directly provide domestic violence support, they are committed to supporting students dealing with violence.

“We absolutely support students who are experiencing or recovering from violence, mostly within the scope of Housing case manager,” Adger said in an email interview. “We frequently refer students to trusted partners such as WEAVE, My Sister’s House and St. John’s Program for Change. We also coordinate with our campus Title IX Office, Police Department and Mental Health Services when it’s appropriate to ensure the student’s safety and ongoing support.”

Bornhoft, Cummings and Adger all want students to know that there is unconditional, comprehensive support available to students experiencing domestic violence, and that they will always be met with care and consideration.

“It’s normal to feel nervous about reaching out, but you deserve safety and respect,” Cummings said. “You don’t have to have everything figured out before seeking help; taking that first step demonstrates a great deal of bravery.”

Domestic violence is not just a woman’s issue. According to WEAVE’s website, 15% of domestic violence victims are male.

“[Domestic] violence does not discriminate against age, race, gender or economic status,” Bornhoft said. “When everyone acts, violence ends. If you suspect a friend or a family member is experiencing domestic violence, educate yourself about the safe and beneficial ways to respond to that, how to recognize it and how to safely refer someone [to support services].”

If students suspect a friend or family member is experiencing intimate partner violence, there are best practices to follow to help keep the victim and themselves safe from further violence.

“Never confront an abuser,” Bornhoft said. “You put [the victim] in danger by confronting them. Never give an ultimatum, and always provide support without pressure. [The victim] is the expert, and they will know when or if it is safe to leave.”

For more information on resources, legal rights, best practices, and what to do in an emergency situation, please see the American River College Sexual Violence and Title IX Protections page on the American River College website.