Ramapo College Opens On-Campus Sexual Violence Resource Center

MAHWAH, NJ – Ramapo College has opened a sexual violence resource center on its Mahwah campus.

Using $336,000 grant from the New Jersey Attorney General's office, the college worked with the YWCA of Northern New Jersey to establish a satellite office of the organization's HealingSPACE Sexual Violence Resource Center to provide services directly on campus.

The new center opened Thursday, following a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by students, staff, administration and special guests including, Kat McGee, Ramapo College’s director of Title IX, Ramapo College President Peter Mercer, Helen Archontou, CEO of YWCA Northern NJ and Diana Gonzalez, New Jersey Deputy Secretary of Higher Education.

Archontou said, “This is such a powerful resource for the Ramapo College community. It serves as a model for something that should be present statewide on college campuses. It is pretty impressive that Ramapo has had such a steady and strong commitment to support its students who need a safe space, and I’m thrilled to see those efforts have resulted in this wonderful resource.”

Gonzalez noted that, just a year ago, the Attorney General issued standards for providing services for victims of sexual assault, as well as a Student Bill of Rights. “It’s a joy to see that Ramapo is taking action to provide resources for students,” she said, encouraging the students present to “continue to be empowered and lift your voices, and continue to advocate for change.”

According to Mercer, Ramapo's "highest priority" is "to provide an environment that is safe for all students to live and learn" and the school strives "to educate against sexual violence and provide a supportive environment to survivors."

“There was time in our history, on the heels of the civil rights and student movements, when our Women’s Center served as a de-facto sexual violence resource center for Bergen County. In the mid-1970’s, before local and state agencies dedicated to addressing sexual violence existed, the Women’s Center served survivors from across the county… who sought medical and legal referrals, counseling and support. As more students began sharing their experiences in consciousness-raising groups and ‘Take Back the Night’ rallies, many college campuses such as ours became epicenters of a grassroots movement to break the silence surrounding sexual violence. This new HealingSPACE office will increase the availability of clinical services for survivors on campus, in addition to the services available in the Center for Health and Counseling Services," he also said.

The new space, located in the Lodge at the College Park Apartments complex on campus, gives students access to an on-site education and prevention specialist and clinician and offers a crisis hotline that's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.