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

CARE understands that violence can happen to anyone regardless of their gender identity and/or expression, or the gender of the person responsible for the violence. CARE wants you to know that services are here for you to help assist you with whatever needs may arise.

Barriers to Seeking Services

There are many myths in our society are that men cannot be victims of sexual violence or relationship violence. This misconception can contribute to increased emotional pain, guilt or shame surrounding men's experiences of interpersonal violence, and leaves many men feeling very alone and not able to seek support. CARE wants all men who are survivors to know that you do not need to feel alone we are here to support you, and in whatever ways are best for you. 

Some men may feel confused after being sexually assaulted if they became sexually aroused, had an erection, experienced an orgasm, or ejaculated during the assault. A survivor may feel confused about whether it was rape, or whether those physiological reactions proved consent. But a person's normal, involuntary, physiological reactions do not mean that they wanted to be raped or sexually assaulted or that they enjoyed this traumatic event. The sexual arousal of any survivor during an assault does not mean that consent was given.

Sexual Identity and Survivorship

Men who are assaulted by men, can develop confusion or questions about their own sexuality after their assault. CARE wants to remind survivors that your sexual assault has nothing to do with your sexual orientation-- past, present, or future. But if your assault has brought questions about your sexual identity, we are here to listen and assist you in this self-discovery as well. 

For gay/bi/queer/pansexual/trans men, sexual assault can lead to feelings of self-blame and self-loathing attached to their sexuality. Being sexually assaulted may lead a gay/bi/queer/pansexual/trans man to believe he somehow "deserved it," that he was "paying the price" for his sexual orientation. It's important to remember that sexual assault is an act of violence, power, and control. No one deserves to be sexually assaulted, ever.

CARE's Partnership with the RCSGD

CARE works closely with the Resource Gender for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD) and participates in continuing education to continuously improve our services and be as identity-affirming and supportive as we can be. CARE understands that experiences of interpersonal violence can feel isolating or lead to feeling unsafe, particularly when the survivor and perpetrator of the violence are both in the same community, social circle, or student organizations. CARE is here to help survivors navigate these circumstances as well.

RCSGD Confidential Resource

Beginning in Fall 2020, the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity is excited to be the site of an additional confidential resource for UCSB students, faculty, and staff. Quinn Solis, RCSGD Associate Director | they.them.theirs, will be serving as a Title IX Advocacy Liaison. In this role, Quinn is able to provide support to members of the campus community who have experienced sexual violence and/or sexual harassment (SVSH). Quinn will no longer be a Responsible Employee under the UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy, which means that students and others can freely disclose their experiences to Quinn, learn about their options, and be connected to various resources across campus. 

Through their role as the Title IX Advocacy Liaison, Quinn will:

  • Provide a safe, supportive, and confidential space for students and employees who have experienced sexual violence and/or sexual harassment and wish to learn more about their rights, options, and resources
  • Facilitate a direct connection to a CARE advocate; Offer a connection to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or a campus/community resource for emotional or mental health support
  • Assist with understanding the University’s SVSH Policy and response frameworks
  • Refer to campus offices that may be able to address any additional concerns and/or offer support

Through this role, Quinn will not:

  • Act as a witness, advisor, or support person in any investigation or hearing
  • Advise a Complainant on how best to respond to an investigation 
  • Provide legal advice
  • Accompany a Complainant to any meetings or court appearances

Students and employees can schedule a meeting with Quinn by emailing them directly at quinn.solis@sa.ucsb.edu or by clicking a link below to schedule time with them through Shoreline.

Click here to schedule a 30min check-in with Quinn
Click here to schedule a 50min check-in with Quinn

Support Services for Men

Men's Survivors Group

Men's Survivors Group is facilitated and led by trauma informed CAPS specialists, Seth Goradietsky, Psy.D. and Steffanie Tinsley, Ph.D. This group is designed to provide a supportive and safe environment for male students who have experienced an abusive relationship or sexual assault. Men of all sexual orientations and genders within this spectrum are welcome including Gay, Queer, Bi, and Transgender. This group will provide participants the opportunity to share experiences, connect with other men, and receive support in regaining a greater sense of control and empowerment in their lives. Participants in this group can expect to achieve a greater understanding of common reactions to assault and the ways in which it can impact life and develop skills for improved coping which may lead them to enter safer, more satisfying relationships.

Learn more about this group and other group counseling services that CAPS offers

 

Importance of Location

CARE has two locations: one in the Student Resource Building (SRB), on the 2nd Floor closest to Pardall Tunnel in Room 2145, and the other in the Gaucho Support Center in Isla Vista, near Embarcadero Hall. CARE wants all survivors to feel empowered to ask for their appointment to be located at whichever office fits best with their needs and feelings of safety and stability.

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 to other campus offices – your professors, coaches, RA, or peers will not be notified that you have visited CARE, unless you explicitly request CARE's assistance in working with them.

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.