A Chico Speaks Survey Report which shows that campus-related sexual assault is still prevalent has inspired Title IX coordinators to implement several changes. 

At the heart of these changes is the WellCat Safe Place, a campus program dedicated to preventing domestic violence and supporting victims of sexual assault and stalking.   

Title IX dedicated more funding to Safe Place to help it “better serve the high demand for its services that the survey confirms exists,” Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Sandy Parsons and Title IX Coordinator Dylan Saake said in a public newsletter. 

Along with more funding, the Safe Place office was relocated to Student Services Center 180 “to provide more space and easier access for students,” Parsons and Saake said. 

Safe Place Administrator Alix MacDonald is pleased with the changes. 

“We definitely feel like it has increased our ability to serve students in a greater capacity,” MacDonald said. “It has allowed us to expand our internship program to include (Masters of Social Work) students, prevention education, and strategic planning for future years.”

Most significant is how the increase in funding has allowed Safe Place to hire another staff member. As of December, Naomi Chu became Safe Place’s coordinator of advocacy services. 

The Chico Speaks Survey Report  expresses the results of a survey conducted by the Chico State Department of Public Health and Health Services. To see the data on Chico State’s sexual violence climate or to learn more about Safe Place, visit the school’s website or click here.