New Certified Advocates Partners Program allows SAAVI to provide legal advice
Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect new and accurate information.
The most common case of sexual misconduct at USU is incidences of stalking. USU has programs like the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information Office and Aggies Think, Care, Act that provide advocates and as many resources as possible to help students and staff that are stuck in tough situations.
Until recently, SAAVI hasn’t been able to do more than advocate and listen to clients. One SAAVI advocate was granted a new certification that allows them to provide legal advice on stalking injunctions and protective orders. This service is provided through an alternative legal provider.
The Certified Advocates Partners Program is run through the Timpanogos Legal Center. Advocates around Utah have the opportunity to complete this program to take the next step in advocacy for their clients. The certified SAAVI advocate is the first in Utah that is able to offer these services.
Shaun Anderson and Maia Johnson are current advocates for the SAAVI office. They provided details on how this program will improve the safety of students and staff at USU, while also starting a chain reaction within the other universities in Utah.
“This program certifies a victim advocate to actually give legal advice on stalking injunctions and civil protective orders,” Anderson said. “Normally, a victim advocate can help someone understand the process, but we don’t normally have the qualifications to give actual legal advice.”
The program changed the way SAAVI is able to support students and staff.
“Because of this program, SAAVI has an advocate that can offer legal advice pertaining to the specific situation of the person,” Anderson said. “The advocate is able to explain what that person would need to do in order to get a civil protective order or stalking injunction.”
SAAVI has been interested in finding different ways to further support people who are victims of stalking cases. According to SAAVI professionals, the problem has continued to be the number-one case of sexual misconduct at USU.
“One of the best legal protections that can be offered is a civil protective order or stalking injunction,” Anderson said. “We wanted to have some qualification to legally give advice to help keep students safe from something that is very prevalent on our campus.”
Victim advocacy covers a lot of ground, so the care SAAVI provides can be generalized. In most cases, SAAVI’s generalized care has proven to be helpful. However, there are cases that could use a more specialized care.
“Most often, our generalized care can be like applying a band-aid to a bullet hole,” Anderson said. “It is still very helpful, but we have been wanting to move forward to further help others. This program gives us the resources to move forward to a place where our advocacy can be more than just crisis care.”
The Certified Advocates Program has already begun to make a difference in some lives. According to the SAAVI team, the specialized care they can provide is a huge stepping stone to making a positive impact through change at USU.
“For a lot of students, getting access to protective orders and stalking injunctions can be incredibly difficult,” Johnson said. “Having an advocate that can help with that process in detail can be life-changing for those in need of it.”
This program and expertise will be offered to clients in the same way SAAVI offers their other forms of advocacy. This means it will still follow all of the safety processes SAAVI abides by.