NC State’s Counseling Center has created a new coordinator position to aid students who have survived or been accused of acts of interpersonal violence.
The position, which was filled by Melissa Babb in mid-December, was created to provide a direct contact within the department for information and material related to interpersonal violence, or IPV.
“My primary responsibility is to be the person who can provide direct counseling and therapy to IPV survivors,” Babb said. “In addition to that, I also provide training to staff to make sure that everybody is on the same page with how we treat survivors and the accused.”
Acts of IPV include stalking, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and sexual violence, according to Babb.
Babb said this position will help establish consistency in how faculty, staff members and campus police address the safety of survivors.
Monica Osburn, director of the Counseling Center, said that while this position is new, the services that are provided to students involved in incidents of IPV have always been available.
“We have always had this service here at the center, we are just organizing and leading it differently,” Osburn said. “This position is about helping all of the information get to the Counseling Center and having one direct contact for IPV.”
Osburn said that while there is only one official IPV position at the Counseling Center, all of the counselors are qualified to provide therapy to students who have survived or been accused of an act of interpersonal violence.
“Students seeking counseling related to IPV do not have to specifically get that help on Melissa’s schedule,” Osburn said. “We just needed a point person, and it is always nice to have someone that has extra training.”
Before coming to NC State, Babb was a counselor at Appalachian State University.
“In the years that I worked at App State, IPV was the area that I specialized in,” Babb said. “It has always been my area of interest.”
Osburn also said the Counseling Center is working with University Police to make sure that the center’s information is readily available for survivors and students who have been accused of acts of IPV.
The center created wallet cards to be distributed that provide information about the services that counselors can offer, as well as a list of IPV resources.
“We want them to be able to walk away with something,” Osburn said.
Students who have experienced acts of interpersonal violence and are seeking counseling are encouraged to visit the Women’s Center, located on the third floor of Harrelson Hall, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The NC State Women’s Center also offers a range of resources for survivors of IPV. Services include crisis counseling, academic/housing advocacy, accompaniment to court, student conduct hearings, law enforcement agencies and resource referrals, according to the Women’s Center’s website.
Victims of IPV can also call NC State’s 24-hour Relationship & Sexual Violence Phone (RSVP) Line at 919-618-RAPE (7273).
The phone line is staffed by trained advocates and counselors who can provide confidential crisis intervention, emotional support and referrals to students affected by sexual assault, dating or domestic violence or stalking.
