Stan State’s newest Victim Advocate, Jennifer Gutierrez, is settling in to her important role on campus. In collaboration with the Haven Women’s Center, the STAN Together club and Title IX, there is a Victim Advocate on campus that provides services and support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
As the Victim Advocate, Gutierrez is able to “provide [peer] counseling,” and is able to provide information on available shelters, different support groups and legal services provided by the Haven Women’s Center in a confidential environment.
Since the creation of the position about five years ago, there have been multiple Victim Advocates.

Diane Marx (freshman, Criminal Justice), President of STAN Together, said that all the Victim Advocates have been “very passionate” about their position and that Gutierrez is “very helpful within the club and is very experienced.”

STAN Together is a club also created with the help of the Haven Women’s Center, and they focus on “advocacy, prevention and support in regards to domestic and sexual violence,” said Ethan Dawson, Educator from the Haven Women’s Center.

“It’s founded on the idea that you don’t have to be a survivor to get involved and raise awareness on these issues,” said Dawson.

The Victim Advocate and STAN Together work together by supporting and promoting one another.
“We work to let the students know that there is someone here to guide them through the process and provide them with emotional support,” said Marx.

Dawson added that Stan Together works to promote the Victim Advocate “as much as possible.”

“Not many people know about the Victim Advocate and the resources she offers, much less where her office is,” Dawson said.
Gutierrez admits she is “still adjusting,” however, she has been working with Haven Women’s Center for over a year and loves what she does.
“I now get to help a different population than in my previous position,” she said in regards to being the Victim Advocate at Stan State.

While at Stan State, Gutierrez hopes to spread “awareness and [help to] break the cycle of violence.”
The Victim Advocate’s office is located in Science Building 1 in room 234, there is also an email and crisis line for anyone wishing to speak to the Victim Advocate.