Kathleen Ehlers

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Women and Gender Center at UA Offers Support to Victims of Interpersonal Violence

Photo from UA Women and Gender Resource Center Facebook Page

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.-- With an increase in interpersonal violence in the workplace and

on college campuses, The Women and Gender Resource Center (WGRC) at the University of

Alabama is making steps to give the community resources.

The WGRC offers services to all UA students, faculty and staff, as well as students at

Shelton State Community College with support and other resources related to interpersonal,

domestic, and sexual violence. The center also gives counseling to anyone in need, which

includes crisis counseling as well as support groups and individual therapy.

With this rise in violence, it is important for people to not only gain support but to be

educated on what to do in certain situations. In Donna Chaiet’s, “Staying Safe at Work”, she

focuses on violence in the workplace and how to prepare yourself and set boundaries if ever

caught in these types of situations. By setting boundaries in an unsafe position, you could

potentially deescalate a situation.

 “Learning to understand your boundary system is important to personal safety … It is

important to note there is nothing “right” or “wrong” about your boundary system.” Chaiet states

when referring to setting boundaries for yourself to insure your own safety.

She also states that being aware of potential alarming situations can better your ability to

keep yourself safe. Chaiet states “Being aware and learning how to identify dangerous situations

and avoid them when we can is the best way to stay safe. You can get prepared by taking

inventory of your work environment and figuring out where in that environment danger exists.”

Anna Russell, the Education Coordinator at the WGRC shared that “one in three women

and one in six men were victims of contact sexual violence at some point in their lives.” It is

important to note that violence is very present not only in the workplace but on college campuses

as well.

Some situations regarding interpersonal violence can not be prevented but one can take

the steps in order to prepare and potentially prevent it from occurring to themselves or others.

The WGRC offers resources to those that have been affected by interpersonal violence and their

mission is to address these situations and “foster a community of multiculturalism, social justice,

safety, and leadership through gender-related outreach, advocacy, and support to communities of

all identities.”

To learn more about the Women and Gender Resource center at the University of

Alabama, you can visit their website.