Hot line aids students facing sexual assault, domestic violence

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has a 24-hour hot line to provide help for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking.

The UNLV Campus Advocacy Response and Empowerment, or CARE, line connects victims with trained advocates who will provide support, resources and referrals for victims. The on-call volunteers can help people access resources on and off campus, such as counseling, medical care, shelter options and more.

The CARE line, 895-0602, is intended for members of the campus community -- students, faculty and staff -- according to Christina Hernandez, outreach and a wareness c oordinator for the Jean Nidetch Women's Center at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

"We're not going to turn anyone away," said Hernandez, "but all of our resources on campus are for students. What we're getting out to students is that no matter where it occurs, there are options for them."

Because UNLV is largely a commuter campus, reports of such violence on campus are low, Hernandez said. She said there may be more instances that have gone unreported in the past because of the lack of such a resource on campus. The center already has helped a few victims, she said.

The center enlists the help of several student volunteers and a hot line coordinator, Karoline Khamis, a senior in women's studies.

"We are a community that is in the top 10 of all these crimes, unfortunately," Khamis said. "W e're having a hard time knowing if the UNLV community is being served. We wanted to set up something that would be available for our community (and) to have people that specialize in knowledge about campus."

The women's center also accepts walk-ins from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, in the Student Services Complex, Building A, Room 255. The building is near the Cox Pavilion on the southwest part of the campus.

Advocates will provide confidential assistance with care, legal options and safety planning. Advocates also are able to provide assistance and support during legal and administrative proceedings if a victim chooses to report the case to the police.

The program is funded by UNLV's undergraduate student government.

The women's center is accepting applications for more student volunteers. Training for most volunteers is set to begin this week and involves 10 three-hour sessions before becoming certified victim advocates in Nevada.

For more information, call the women's center at 895-4475.

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 224-5524.