The University of New Mexico’s Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) has planned a two-day, campuswide advocacy training workshop as part of its efforts to improve awareness of sexual assault. The workshop is Monday and Tuesday, July 25-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., both days.

The advocacy training is designed to address the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) review released last April.

As part of the workshop, noted sexual assault advocate Holly Rider-Milkovich will facilitate the interactive training. Rider-Milkovich currently serves as the director of the Sexual Assault and Awareness Center (SAPAC), a nationally-recognized sexual and intimate partner violence response and prevention program at the University of Michigan (UM).

“We have a lot of support from President (Robert) Frank and his office to be proactive when it comes to sexual misconduct on our campus,” said Title IX Coordinator Heather Cowan. “Providing in-depth training to our campus community from a national expert in the field of sexual misconduct advocacy is just one piece of what we’re doing to address this issue and ultimately serve our students.”

In addition to her role as SAPAC director, Rider-Milkovich provides direction and leadership to the UM’s sexual and intimate partner violence response, education and prevention efforts across campus. She co-authored University of Michigan’s newly-revised sexual misconduct policy and is providing institutional leadership in implementing the undergraduate and graduate student education efforts related to this policy institution-wide.

She also co-chairs the Abuse Hurts Initiative, a cross-campus effort to address the effects of domestic violence in the workplace and connect survivors to appropriate campus and community-based resources. Rider-Milkovich also co-chairs the Abuse Hurts Initiative, a cross-campus effort to address the effects of domestic violence in the workplace and connect survivors to appropriate campus and community-based resources.

Under Rider-Milkovich’s direction, SAPAC received commendation from the Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention for its excellence in developing and implementing a comprehensive sexual and intimate partner violence prevention education program on campus.

The workshop schedule includes several different sessions designed to educate and inform participants in a number of areas related to advocacy, sexual assault, Title IX, intimate partner violence and helping students move on.

The workshop is free and open to everyone on the UNM campus but space is limited. To RSVP to attend all or part of the training, email Heather Cowan at hbcowan@unm.edu.

UNM OEO Advocacy Training Schedule
Monday, July 25

  • 8:30 - 11:30 am – Foundations of Advocacy and data that supports it as a practice, what it means to be an advocate, basic how-to’s, confidentiality, boundaries, self-care; what advocacy isn’t
  • 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Lunch (on your own)
  • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. – Advocacy and Institutional Risk OR How to advocate for someone whose interest diverges from your employer; maintaining your role for the client and for the institution; Institutional Betrayal
  • 1:30 - 3 p.m. – Respondent Advocacy
  • 3 – 3:15 p.m. – Break
  • 3:15 - 5 p.m. – Role of the Anonymous Advocacy Centers (only those who work for WRC, LGBTQ RC, and LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center allowed to attend)
  • ALTERNATE 3:15 - 5 pm – Title IX Foundations: what do Title IX violations look like OR It’s more than just sexual assault; what to say when you have to report

Tuesday, July 26

  • 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Understanding Intimate Partner Violence and implications for investigations; physical, mental, emotional abuse
  • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. – Lunch (on your own)
  • 1:30 - 3 p.m. – Helping students move on after the case ends; individuals and communities
  • 3 – 3:15 p.m. ­– Break
  • 3:15 - 5 p.m. – Advocacy for the Non-Advocate OR what to do when a student discloses trauma; how to not re-victimize; De-escalation/Crisis Management – the emotions of someone who has experienced sexual trauma

For more information about UNM’s OEO, including documents, procedural forms and trainings, visit OEO.