With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Hastings College Student
Engagement has partnered with enCourage Advocacy Center by hosting the Healthy & Healing
Support Group support group for those who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence,
stalking and harassment.

These group’s next meetings will be held Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., and
every second and fourth Wednesday of each month after these dates. The meetings will be in the
lower level of the Daugherty Student Engagement Center on campus.

The Healthy & Healing Support Group offers survivors or those who are currently in a dangerous
situation an outlet of safety, providing a space of comfort and shared support from other
survivors. The staff give insight on how to spot signs of abuse, provide resources and several
programs, allowing victims to share their voice and story by bringing awareness to what they
have gone through.

“I’m hoping that people will have the accessibility to reach out to our resources a lot better. I
have lived in Hastings forever and did not know what enCourage was up until three years ago,
so, hopefully being here and explaining our resources and explaining that you don’t have to
be in a huge crisis in order to reach out to us.

A lot of people think because we ‘re a crisis center you have to be in a life or death situation in order to get help. We want to avoid getting to the life or death situation. So hopefully being here and having people come, they will make educated choices and avoid really dangerous situations,” said Jazmine.

As well as offering this support group on campus, the Advocacy Center has several other
programs designed to offer guidance and support for anyone who may need it. This includes education for those who want to advocate for survivors but are not sure where to start, as well as offering guidance to those who want to heal and grow from one’s own abusive behaviors.

Their programs include a peer support group, trauma recovery education, Bloom Children’s program, Green Dot Community Violence Prevention and Domestic Violence Intervention Program.

EnCourage also has an emergency shelter that provides basic needs when leaving home due to
violence or abuse, as well as emergency transportation to the shelter and other support services
that are available 24 hours a day.

Listed times, meeting destinations and group schedules can be found on enCourage Advocacy
Center’s official website.

Bringing these support groups and programs to campus helps survivors feel like they are not
alone and are able to access guidance without the fear of being misunderstood or unheard.
EnCourage serves everyone, and all services provided remain confidential and tailored to meet
the needs of every individual, as no one should feel less than or embarrassed to reach out and ask
for assistance or a helping hand.

“Student Engagement has been dedicated to bringing valuable community resources to campus to
increase awareness of the wide range of support available to students here in Hastings. We
recognize how essential it is to build and foster healthy, supportive relationships within our
campus community” Said Sophia McDermott, Dean of Student Engagement.

If attending a meeting is not possible, the Advocacy Center offers a 24-hour crisis hotline,
(877) 322- 7272, and a contact form for non-emergencies with responses sent to a provided
email or phone number.

Jazmine and Elias are two of the staff members putting together this campus support group.
Teaching students how to spot signs of abuse, educating them on further resources and healthy
coping mechanisms and bringing awareness to what the Advocacy Center stands for and what
they can do to help.

Giving survivors a space and tools to maintain safety and support is extremely important.
Discrimination in any sort of capacity has no place within the Advocacy Center. As boundaries,
protection and guidance are deserving to all and with the strength of allies and fellow survivors
within enCourage Advocacy Center’s members and volunteers, no one is left behind.

If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced violence, abuse or assault, the
enCourage Advocacy Center is located at 220 S Burlington Ave # 4, and all contact information
is listed above.