Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

When It's Seen - Intervene

Students holding signs raising awareness for sexual violence.

Baird Point illuminated in purple as UB recognizes Domestic Violence Action Month in October.

Everyone can make a difference in preventing sexual violence on campus. Resources are available for students, faculty and staff.

Support After an Unwanted Sexual Experience

If you or someone you know needs support dealing with the emotional, physical or legal challenges of surviving a sexual assault or other unwanted sexual experience, we can help you.

See options for after an unwanted sexual experience.

Violence Prevention Events

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Be a NOBULL Bystander

We all have a role to play in making UB a safe environment to live, learn, and explore.  Being an empowered bystander can help us move from standing by to stepping up.  It’s not always easy, but each of us can help in our own way, and we can learn skills to help in safer and more effective ways.

Five Steps to Successful Bystander Intervention

Helping is about five separate decisions:

  1. Notice the Event: Be aware of your surroundings, and watch for warning signs.
  2. Interpret the Event as a Problem: If something is unclear, clear it up. Don’t just brush it off.
  3. Assume Personal Responsibility: Don’t assume someone else will help.  
  4. Know How To Help: Learn direct and indirect ways to help.
  5. Implement the Help: Choose the safest, most appropriate strategy and step up.

Three D's of Bystander Intervention

  1. Direct: Directly address the problem behavior.   
  2. Distract: Anything that safely distracts someone enough to discontinue the problem behavior.
  3. Delegate: If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe intervening, delegate the intervention to someone more appropriate. 

Five Reasons Why We Intervene

  1. It’s the right thing to do
  2. I would want someone to help me in that situation
  3. Someone needed help
  4. People should look out for each other
  5. So the situation wouldn’t escalate 

Take the Next Step

Help make UB a safer place to live, work, and learn. Take the training to be an empowered bystander or join our nationally-recognized team of student leaders.

Take our Peer Education Course, UBE 110, and become a Nationally Certified Health & Wellness Peer Educator.

Request a Bystander Intervention Training for your club, organization, or area, or attend our next scheduled training.

Support After an Unwanted Sexual Experience

If you or someone you know needs support dealing with the emotional, physical or legal challenges of surviving a sexual assault or other unwanted sexual experience, we can help you.

See options for after an unwanted sexual experience.

Good Samaritan Policy

The Good Samaritan Policy eliminates disciplinary consequences for you and the people you are with if you call for help when drinking or using drugs. The health and safety of UB students is our first priority. 

Learn more about the Good Samaritan Policy.

Need Help?

Additional Resources

Sexual Assault

Relationship Abuse and Domestic Violence Support

Video on orders of protection by the UB Family Violence & Women's Rights Clinic and the University at Buffalo Police

Hotlines

  • NYS Domestic & Sexual Violence 24-hour Hotline  1-800-492-6906
  • Domestic Violence Shelter 24-hour Hotline (716) 884-6000
Need to talk?

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. We're here for everything: anxiety, depression, suicide, and more. Text: Got5U to 741741