CARE provides confidential advocacy, support, and related referrals for students, staff, faculty, and alumni impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. 

CARE is here for all survivors. We believe you and we are here for you throughout your healing process. Your ability or medication status has nothing to do with the validity of your story or survivorship. Whether your disability is considered visible or invisible, CARE is here to support you and work together to best meet your needs. CARE advocates are sensitive to the differing needs of each survivor and will work with you in understanding and accessing the support services you desire. We will always follow your lead in terms of the services you want to move forward with and those you do not wish to participate in.

CARE works with the Disabled Students Program (DSP) to connect student survivors with their services for a wide variety of needs. CARE is continuously working to improve the accessibility of our services for all survivors. CARE also works directly with the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) on campus and community providers to provide students with assistance with their mental health needs.

What's different about interpersonal
violence for people with disabilities?

While people with disabilities experience forms of interpersonal violence that are very similar to the experiences of people without disabilities, power and control are often exerted in specific ways based on a person’s disability or medical needs.

Some forms of abuse a survivor with a disability may experience include:

  • The perpetrator restricts the survivors access to their medical services, such as doctors’ appointments or medication in order to maintain power and control over the survivor 
  • Blaming the survivor for the violence, saying they were being uncooperative in relation to mobility needs 
  • Denying the violence, for example “I’m not doing that, you are just too pain sensitive.” 
  • Telling the survivor’s other support systems that they are confused or don’t understand what is going on, or telling those support systems that the survivor doesn’t need their assistance while denying them the care they need 
  • Control of financial resources, access to food or transportation services 
  • Telling the survivor that they cannot survive without them, or that no one else will be able to help them

Importance of Location

CARE has two locations: one in the Student Resource Building (SRB), inside the Women's Center, and the other in the Gaucho Support Center in Isla Vista, near Embarcadero Hall. Both locations are ADA accessible and provide students with access to the services they may seek. The location at the Gaucho Support Center is located on the second floor but accessible through the use of an elevator located right inside the front door on the first floor. The CARE office in the SRB is located on the first floor inside the Women's Center. If either location would feel the most supportive to your needs and comfort, CARE wants all survivors to feel empowered to ask directly for the location that best fits their needs when scheduling their initial appointment.

Confidentiality

All faculty and staff who are not confidential are required to report all students’ disclosures of sexual violence, relationship violence, and/or stalking to the Title IX office to ensure consistent student services and Title IX policy compliance. A CARE advocate can discuss any student’s concerns one-on-one, without sharing the student’s name, identifying information, or any other details about their visit with CARE with other campus offices, including Title IX. The Disabled Students Program will not be notified that you have visited CARE unless you explicitly request CARE’s assistance in working with them.

CARE recognizes that the limits to our confidentiality due to the state’s mandate to report instances of violence against adults who are considered dependents may feel restrictive to clients with disabilities. CARE will work with you to prioritize your needs when a state-mandated report to Adult Protective Services is required, and to ensure that you are supported throughout this reporting process. CARE understands that these mandated reporting laws can often have a silencing effect on survivors of interpersonal violence. CARE will work alongside you to help follow up from any mandated report that has been made.

Campus Resources

Community & National Resources

CARE recognizes…

CARE recognizes that each individual may hold many of the different identities that our Communities we CARE for pages address. For more information on another identity, please go back to Communities we CARE for.

We support survivors from all backgrounds, the survivors that we serve are not limited to the identities listed on our Communities we CARE for page. If you do not see your identity listed, and would like to learn how interpersonal violence impacts you, please call our 24/7 confidential phone number at 805-893-4613 or make an appointment online to be connected with a confidential advocate.

Making an Appointment
with a CARE Advocate

Make Appointment

Schedule a non-urgent appointment with a CARE Advocate.

To speak with a confidential advocate immediately, please call our 24/7 CARE advocacy line at 805-893-4613. If you have an emergency or feel that you may be in immediate danger, please call 911. 

If you have experienced a sexual assault within the last five days, call CARE at 805-893-4613 or navigate to the Medical section on our Advocacy Services page to learn about the time-sensitive option to seek a free, confidential forensic medical exam.