Sexual Violence Prevention & Education Program (formerly Rape Prevention & Education Program)
Funding for SVPEP comes through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Site Maintained by:
Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health,
The University of Arizona
1295 N. Martin Ave., PO Box 245209, Tucson AZ 85724
svpep@email.arizona.edu
Wingspan
Anti-Violence Project
425 E. 7th St.
Tucson, AZ 85705
Main phone: (520) 624-1779
Fax: (520) 624-0364
24-Hour Crisis Line: (520) 624-0348 or (800) 553-9387
avp@wingspan.org
http://www.wingspan.org
Printable brochure (PDF)
Mission
By educating the broader community about the l ives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, documenting violence against LGBT people and organizing community based activism, the Wingspan Anti-Violence Project (AVP) works to change public policies and attitudes that are the roots of violence.
Agency Overview
The AVP serves LGBT victims/survivors of past and present violence, and our allies. Our staff and volunteers assist victims/survivors of domestic violence, hate-motivated violence, discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence. The AVP offers a 24/7 Crisis Line answered by staff and trained volunteers who provide emotional and practical support to victim/survivors of violence. Temporary emergency shelter for 1-3 nights may be available for victims. Support is available in both English and Spanish. Walk-in services are available at the Center from 11am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. All services are free and confidential.
Description of Programs/Services
All services of the AVP are available in English and Spanish. Ofrecemos todos nuestros servicios en español.
Education and Training
The AVP works to raise awareness of the realities of violence against and within the LGBT community. We seek to change public attitudes that tolerate or instigate violence by educating the broader community about LGBT lives, domestic, and sexual violence.
The AVP is currently in the process of creating and implementing a curriculum that will help decrease the risk of sexual assault/violence in LGBT youth. We will be holding asset building activities with participants of Wingspan’s EON LGBT youth program. Another component of the curriculum is to hold workshops for professionals who work with LGBT youth in an effort to help increase their ability to work with LGBT victims/survivors of sexual violence. We feel that is it vital that professionals be aware of barriers and challenges specific to LGBT youth.
Community Organizing
The AVP organizes the community to respond to acts of violence occurring around Southern Arizona. If a bias crime is committed and police or media response is slow or absent, the AVP raises its voice to demand a thorough investigation. We organize the community to speak out against prejudice and bigotry, insisting on equal rights for the LGBT community.
We also have worked closely with representatives of the local law enforcement agency to increase the ability of their staff to effectively work with the LGBT community. We have cross trained with law enforcement officials to increase their LGBT cultural awareness and for our advocates to gain more knowledge of how to work within the law enforcement community.
The AVP has built strong partnerships with agencies such as the Brewster Center, Southern Arizona Center for Sexual Assault, and Tucson Centers for Women and Children to order for LGBT victims of crime to have improved access to their services.
Updated 11/18/08