Hill SPEAK

What is Hill SPEAK?

Hill SPEAK coordinates and facilitates programming and education on sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. In addition, Hill SPEAK oversees the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women Campus Grant that Spring Hill College received in 2020. This grant is given to colleges and universities throughout the country in recognition of the challenges that colleges and universities face in preventing and responding to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, Hill SPEAK works to increase opportunities for prevention throughout our campus community. The purpose of Hill SPEAK is simple and is, in fact, hidden in our name: Support, Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Know your rights.

For further information, contact:
Emilee Truitt, LMSW
etruitt@shc.edu
hillspeak@shc.edu
Toolen Hall, Wellness Center
251-380-4170

Mission Statement

Hill SPEAK is dedicated to the belief that no one should experience sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. Hill SPEAK works to prevent violence from happening, to train bystanders on active interventions, to improve professional response to survivors on campus and in the community, and to serve as a comprehensive care service to survivors.

Goals

Broad campus and community engagement
The ultimate reduction of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
Effective Intervention

Goals are following through in these five areas of our campus and community:

1. The Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT)
2. Comprehensive Prevention
3. Student Conduct
4. Law Enforcement
5. Victim Services

What is a CCRT?

The Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) is a multidisciplinary team of campus and community partners that meet regularly to assess, plan, monitor, and evaluate campus prevention and response efforts. As a working group, the CCRT does not discuss individual cases on campus, but rather focuses on building a coordinated, collaborative, and systemic response. By building a team consisting of the highest stakeholders in the main four areas discussed above (comprehensive prevention, student conduct, law enforcement, and victim services), a CCRT functions as the backbone of Hill SPEAK by utilizing the unique insight each person brings to the table.

Values/Purpose

Approach issues with a timely, transparent, trauma informed response to sexual assault domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
Develop, implement, review, and revise protocols, policies, and procedures
Ensure campus and community efforts are rooted in a culturally relevant, survivor centered, and trauma-informed approach
Ensure services and resources for victims is accessible for all members of campus and the greater community
Create a common campus language regarding consent

Why is a CCRT important?

Research has supported the idea that engagement of multiple entities is required to make necessary changes to effectively respond to campus sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
Broad scale efforts are not successful if they lack coordination or operate in silos.
Ultimate goal is to create systemic, sustainable change – this cannot be accomplished without the multifaceted approach that a CCRT takes.

Members of Hill SPEAK:

Emilee Truitt, Program Director, etruitt@shc.edu
Kevin Abel, VP of Student Affairs, kabel@shc.edu
Chad Leblanc, Deputy Athletic Director, cleblanc@shc.edu
Chief Kevin Anderson, Office of Public Safety, jkanderson@shc.edu
Laury Rowland, Lifelines Counseling Services, lrowland@lifelinesmobile.org
Leigha Duval, Mobile County District Attorney, leighaduval@mobileda.org
Brynne Mixon, Mobile County District Attorney, brynnemixon@mobileda.org
Ashley Burroughs, Student Ambassador
Quentin Brakenridge, Director of Center for Student Involvement, qbrakenridge@shc.edu
MacKenzie Barron, Residence Life Coordinator, mbarron@shc.edu
Hanna Lythberg, Head Softball Coach, hlythberg@shc.edu
Chiara Johnson, Mental Health Counselor, cjohnson@shc.edu
Madison Heflin, Mental Health Counselor, mheflin@shc.edu
Ridge Chautin, Student Ambassador

This project was supported by Grant No. 2020-WA-AX-003 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publications/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.