Support Safe Campuses on North Texas Giving Day

Through initiatives such as A2A, help us make a difference—the DARCC Difference—in the lives of survivors, and create a culture that is free from sexual violence.

COMING THIS FALL 2024:

Allies 2 Advocates (A2A)

A2A empowers students to raise awareness about sexual assault, support survivors, and encourage prevention efforts. We are dedicated to fostering a culture free from sexual violence.

  • In many ways, A2A is a paradigm shift from passive, one-off presentations and somewhat symbolic prevention efforts to real, lasting change led by an empowered group of students committed to creating a safe, inclusive community where more young people can focus on their future. 

    DARCC is launching the A2A chapters with agendas to guide the meetings, training for members, and the 2024 Allies to Advocates Leadership Summit.

  • Once established, DARCC will shift the locus of control to the A2A groups themselves, taking on more of an advisory role with suggestions for monthly discussions. In addition to regular meetings, the groups will also lead campus-wide outreach campaigns to raise awareness about sexual violence. 

    “We are empowering these student leaders and helping them develop professional skills they can take into their future careers,” says Maggie. “Everyone has something to bring to the table, and this will help them ‘find their why’.”

  • DARCC is committed to fostering a culture of consent, respect, and safety on college campuses. The DARCC campus collective A2A is how we are accomplishing this vision. We are also facilitating RA trainings with 90+ RAs at TWU this year, and plan to partner with other colleges this semester to prevent sexual violence and empower RAs to serve as trusted, compassionate allies when residents need assistance.

The hidden reality on college campuses

College is an exciting time for young people, whether or not they have chosen a major. As the new semester begins, there are many changes and new experiences. However, students starting their first or second semester are especially vulnerable to sexual assault.

Many people are now aware that sexual violence on college campuses is a serious issue that often goes unreported. The U.S. Justice Department reports that one in five women experience sexual violence in college, with less than 20% of survivors informing the police or campus authorities.

At DARCC, we believe it’s time for change. Every student deserves to study in a safe and supportive environment. This fall, we are launching DARCC Collective Allies 2 Advocates (A2A) to help promote this change on college campuses.

Support DARCC’s Mission for North Texas Giving Day

DARCC is leading the charge in preventing sexual violence on college campuses and serving as a vital resource hub for survivors, allies, and advocates in Dallas and beyond. This North Texas Giving Day, consider making a gift to support our impactful initiatives, like A2A, and help us continue making a difference in our community.

We are excited about this initiative. Being a survivor myself, this work truly means so much to me. During my college years, I was deeply involved with the campus rape crisis center, where I helped fundraise, create events, and served as a speaker. Those experiences ignited a lifelong commitment to supporting survivors and raising awareness. We know from research and data that we can go into a campus and do presentations, but in order to change things, these initiatives have to be peer-led. That is intentional on our part.
— Maggie Shellene, Director of Education at DARCC