MEGAN GINTER | CAMPUS AMBASSADOR
The Ohio State University had a sexual assault organization open up recently on campus after the Title IX office closed years ago. This campus organization sits under under the state-wide OhioHealth Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO). SARNCO provides advocacy and emotional support services in conjunction with medical and social services at OhioHealth Emergency Departments and other facilities in central Ohio. The state-wide organization provides:
- 24 hour emergency room advocacy
- 24 hour sexual assault hotline
- Sexual violence prevention programs for schools, campuses, and business communities
- Aftercare advocacy
- Campus advocacy at The Ohio State University
Campus advocates provide: confidentiality, respect, emotional support, safety planning, crisis response, information on options, as well connections to campus and local resources to survivors and co-survivors for the OSU community.
One of our Campus Ambassadors, Megan, works as a contingent part-time hospital advocate while attending OSU. She goes into emergency rooms around Central Ohio when a victim arrives to provide emotional support, discuss the process at the hospital and beyond, and give resources! Megan says the work can be hard: “On occasion it really sticks with me and weighs me down.. you never know what you’re going to see.”
Though it can be hard, there is still a sense of intrinsic reward. Megan loves having the opportunity to try comfort someone else, and has worked as an advocate for almost two years now.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the SARNCO 24-Hour Rape Helpline at (614) 267-7020. Or, call toll free via RAINN at 1-800-656-HOPE.
