Project HEAL has partnered with on-campus departments and community organizations to bring several events to OTC for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. During this important awareness month, Project HEAL strives to support survivors of interpersonal violence, increase awareness of resources, and provide avenues for our campus and community to help reduce the harm happening around us.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This presentation and panel discussion focuses on setting and respecting boundaries, expressing interest, relationship building, consent, and handling and accepting rejection. Panel members represent community organizations throughout the Ozarks area including The Rebound Foundation, NAACP, and Engage at Missouri State University.We would love for students, faculty and staff to join us! RSVP to Daniel Ogunyemi at ogunyemd@otc.edu or Rachel Herron at herronr@otc.edu by April 4 to reserve your free lunch!
At the event, you can view artwork from our community that reflects the stories of survivors and hope for those facing trauma. You’ll also be able to enjoy music from Anna Healey and a multimedia installation from Springfield Dance Alliance.
Please join us for the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training on April 14 from 9 am – 3 pm in ICW 108B/C! The Bystander Intervention Training comprises alternating components of brief lectures, individual reflections, small group interactions, and high-energy activities. We will take a short break midway for a free lunch. After the training, we will celebrate your bystander certification with a group photo, and everyone will receive a certificate and a free t-shirt.To confirm your spot at this training, please email your full name, student ID number, shirt size, and any dietary restrictions to GreenDot@otc.edu.
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please join us in making tie dye t-shirts to wear on Denim Day on April 26th. Stop by the Springfield Campus Plaza on April 18th from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm to make your FREE t-shirt. We ask that you wear your tie dye shirt on April 26th with denim in support of sexual assault survivors. Resources and Denim Day pins and buttons will be available.
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please join Project HEAL and Sunni with Essential Yoga Studio for a one-hour FREE trauma-informed yoga flow on April 19, 2 – 3 pm. Anyone is welcome to participate, but spots are limited, so please email Rachel Herron at herronr@otc.edu to reserve your mat! OTC’s fitness center will be providing mats, but you are welcome to bring your own.
We invite all students, faculty, and staff to wear denim on April 26 as a visible way to take a stand against sexual violence while spreading awareness about the importance of preventing it. Stop by the Plaza on the Springfield Campus to pick up a Denim Day pin or button as well as information about important campus and community resources. Contact herronr@otc.edu to learn where you can obtain buttons and pins at other OTC Campus locations.
College employees must obtain supervisor approval to wear jeans on April 26.
We welcome you to explore the various resources for students, faculty, and staff on this page, and partner with us in making this campus, and our community, safer for all.
If you or someone you know needs resources or support for any form of interpersonal violence, contact the Project HEAL victim advocate at herronr@otc.edu, 417-447-7859, or by clicking on the Victim Services and Resources page to the right.
For free, confidential counseling visit the OTC Counseling Services webpage.
To see how you can get involved with Project HEAL at Missouri State University, click HERE.
Resources
If you believe that you are in an unhealthy or dangerous situation, consider talking to a trusted friend or victim advocate. You know your situation and the threats to your safety best, but talking with someone you trust can help you consider options and make a safety plan for both staying in the relationship or leaving the relationship. Leaving an abusive relationship can be dangerous, so it’s important to do so with support and a safety plan in place.
In addition to the resources listed below, please check with the Project HEAL resource page for local resources or contact the Project HEAL victim advocate at herronr@otc.edu or 417-447-7859 for support and assistance. Additionally, Title IX can assist you in pursuing an education while facing these additional obstacles. You should always call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
The Victim Center
Services: Victim Advocacy, Counseling (individual and group therapy), prevention education
Phone: 417-863-7273
Email: hope@thevictimcenter.org
Victim Center 24-hour Crisis Hotline
Services: Ability to talk over the phone and accompaniment to the hospital or police department
417-864-7233
10 Signs of a Healthy Relationship
Scholarship Opportunities
The Title IX Department in partnership with Project Heal recognize our students face financial needs on a daily basis. In an effort to alleviate these concerns while also promoting and educating on a safe campus, the Title IX and Project Heal Offices are offering student who complete the OTC Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training or the Safe Colleges Violence Prevention Program for Community Colleges to be enrolled into a raffle for a $500 scholarship. There will be a sperate scholarship raffle for both Green Dot and the Safe Colleges training, giving students double the opportunity. While all students are welcomed to complete both trainings, only those who are: (1) U.S. Citizens or permanent residents; (2) have completed a FAFSA; (3) are a degree seeking student; and (4) are completing Satisfactory Academic Progress will be eligible for the raffle. To register for a Green Dot training session, please email greendot@otc.edu for more information. To complete Safe Colleges Violence Prevention Training, please go to https://otcstudents-mo.safecolleges.com/, enter your student ID and password, then click on the Sexual Violence Prevention for Community Colleges course in the extra training tab. The drawing for the raffles will be held December 10, 2021 with the winners notified via their OTC email.
Green Dot Bystander Intervention
Take our Bystander Intervention Certification course with your friends. Our 6-hour training sessions will help you learn how to respond safely as a bystander to prevent imminent or potential acts of sexual or interpersonal violence on campus.
Bystander Intervention Certification training is an important part of Green Dot awareness efforts at OTC. Plus, involvement has its benefits. As more and more members of business and industry become aware of the importance of violence prevention, your certification in the nationally recognized Green Dot program will look great on your resume!
To sign up for the upcoming training on April 14, from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM on the Springfield campus, email GreenDot@otc.edu.
Safe Colleges
Sexual and interpersonal violence is an important topic that affects the campus community, your classmates, and possibly your loved ones. This is an opportunity to learn more about the topic of sexual and interpersonal violence, and how we can work together to create a safer environment.
Safe Colleges training is more than how to conduct oneself, but an opportunity to gather tools on how to help protect our friends, loved ones, and the community against becoming victims. This is a growing concern and this training is a step in arming our students to stand up for each other.
Safe Colleges is accessible through https://otcstudents-mo.safecolleges.com/. Enter your student ID and password, then click on the Sexual Violence Prevention for Community Colleges course in the extra training tab. It is recommended that every student complete this training.
Project HEAL Prevention Presentations
Prevention oriented presentations on topics related to interpersonal and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are available to students, faculty, and staff through Project HEAL. Presentations from Harmony House and The Victim Center can also be requested through Project HEAL. For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact Rachel Herron through email at herronr@otc.edu or phone 417-447-7859.
Narrated Presentation – Behind Closed Doors? How Interpersonal Violence Can Impact Student Performance
Coordinated Community Response Team
Please contact Kunti Bentley by email at KuntiBentley@MissouriState.edu if you would like to join the Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) or for any additional information regarding the CCRT.
Upcoming Events:
Upcoming Project HEAL events will be posted here as they are added to OTC’s Calendar of Events.
Community Conversations with Harmony House, January 25th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, ICE 128
Bystander Intervention Certification Training, April 14th, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, ICW 108 B/C