The SHARE (Sexual Harm Acute Response & Empowerment) Advocates in BWell Health Promotion are confidential resources at Brown that can provide support to any student from any part of the University (undergraduate, graduate, and medical students).  Students who seek our free and legally confidential support are those who have been affected by issues or experiences related to sexual harm, which may have occured at any point in their lives, either while at Brown or before.  We use the term sexual harm to encompass all non-consensual behaviors of a sexual nature, or related to sex or gender, that causes a person to feel uncomfortable, frightened, distressed, intimidated or harmed either physically or psychologically. ¹ Examples of sexual harm include, but are not limited to:

• sexual assault/abuse
• sexual or gender-based harassment
• domestic/dating violence 
• relationship abuse (abuse within any type of relationship, often by exploiting differences in power)
• stalking
• sexual exploitation

For definitions of these terms, please click here. BWell SHARE Advocates support students by providing confidential, advocacy-based counseling, which includes a survivor-centered approach that prioritizes safety, autonomy, and empowerment for those facing trauma or systemic barriers.

BWell SHARE Advocates can help with an acute response to harm as well as to support a survivor’s ongoing empowerment. These services are also available for current Brown students who are friends of, or in community with, someone impacted by sexual harm.   

An acute response to harm, typically occurs soon after an incident and can support a student around time-sensitive medical decision making (within the first 5 days after an incident), addressing safety needs, accessing medical care, seeking accountability or reporting an incident, and accessing supportive measures, such as emergency housing or academic accommodations.  

An empowerment-based response, supports survivors as they reconnect with their sense of power and agency. This can look very different based on the survivor’s unique needs; examples include exploring options and connecting with the help that is right for them, making decisions about reporting, sharing grounding strategies, reviewing aspects of consent, boundaries and communication, identifying ongoing barriers to safety and developing safety checking and planning skills; supporting self-esteem and self-awareness; and implementing skills for self and community care.   

Appointments
To make an appointment with a SHARE Advocate, you can place a request online, email [email protected], or call 401-863-2794. The SHARE Advocate team includes:

• Alana Sacks, MSW, LICSW, BWell Associate Director for Response Services
• Katie Coble, MSW, LICSW, BWell SHARE Advocate
• Connor Curtis, MSW, LICSW, BWell SHARE Advocate

Response Line
The BWell Response Services team staffs the 24-hour Sexual Assault Response Line (401-863-6000). The Sexual Assault Response Line connects students with confidential crisis support and information for immediate help accessing resources in response to an incident of sexual violence or interpersonal harm.

Support Groups
BWell SHARE Advocates also hold support groups for student survivors. Questions about support groups? Email [email protected]. 

Printable resource bookmark

Response resources for survivors of sexual violence:SHARE bookmark

^1. Adapted from the Health and Wellbeing team at La Trobe University.  Retrieved from: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/mylatrobe/what-is-sexual-harm/#:~:text=Sexual....