Break The Silence

Gender Violence Prevention

Peer Educators

  (Photos)

Break the Silence, a project of the Women’s Center, is a group of students who volunteer their time to address the issue of gender violence on campus. Members of this group complete 30 hours of gender violence training and 10 hours of peer education training, as well as attend weekly continuing education meetings.

For more information, contact the group’s advisor Brooke DeSipio, 610-758-5808 or bed4@lehigh.edu

Application for Fall 2012

Accepting Applications September 1st through September 30th

Request a Break the Silence Program

Online Resources

Disclaimer:
Break the Silence is a Lehigh University resource intended for members of the Lehigh community. If you require different help and information, please contact the appropriate following resource:

Break the Silence is a group of students who volunteer their time to address the issue of sexual violence on campus. Based in the Women's Center, Break the Silence volunteers monitor a 24 hour a day, seven day a week sexual violence peer hotline during the fall and spring semesters.**

All information shared over the hotline is kept confidential, and the identity of the caller is anonymous.** In addition to monitoring the hotline, Break the Silence members also provide programming on issues including sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and harassment.

Students interested in becoming a member of Break the Silence must complete a selection process that will start in October 2010. The process includes an application, interview, and 30 hours of training during the Spring 2011 semester. If selected, members will then participate in weekly continuing education meetings and serve on call with a Break the Silence-provided cell phone for a week at a time, 2-3 weeks per semester. If you are interested in becoming a member of Break the Silence, please fill out the application on the link above.

For more information, contact Brooke DeSipio, 610-758-5808 or bed4@lehigh.edu

**Calls received over the winter and summer breaks are forwarded to Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley.

**Talking with a BTS member does not mean officially reporting the assault to the university. Respecting the needs of the student, the BTS member will protect anonymity when possible and provide support and resources. In compliance with the Clery Act, the BTS member must report that an assault has occurred whereupon a form is filled out and referred to an Advocate.

610-974-HOPE

BTS members are available to take your calls Thursday through Monday 5:00 pm – 9:00 am each day during the fall and spring semester. During their off hours calls forward to Lehigh University Advocates.

Break The Silence Confidentiality Statement:
Break the Silence members are required to share this incident with the Assistant Director of the Women’s Center who oversees Break the Silence. The university is required by law to report statistics for all potential assaults, but we will do that using the last four digits of your university id, protecting your identity. Your identity will be protected when possible. However, there may be some situations in which you may be contacted by the police such as: if there is an imminent threat to the community, if we have multiple reports related to the same suspect or a pattern, if the alleged perpetrator is a university employee, or potentially, but less likely if we know the name of the suspect.