Central Michigan Life

Sexual Assault Peer Advocates will open another line of communication for victims of sexual assault.

SAPA is launching an Internet contact tonight in addition to its 24-hour crisis phone line. SAPA Chat will be available every Wednesday from 8 to 11 p.m.

Jackie Pingel, St. Johns graduate student, said victims will be able to talk to advocates one-on-one and in confidence through AOL Instant Messenger. They can connect directly through SAPA's Web site (www.sapa.cmich.edu) or by sending an instant message to SAPAadvocate on AIM.

"We are hoping to run SAPA Chat similar to the way we run our crisis line, following the same rules. Your confidentiality won't be breached," Pingel said. "It'll be between you and one other person."

Wheeler senior Rafe Ward will be one of the advocates on the computers Wednesday night.

"Our rollover team is going to be manning the SAPA Chat for anyone who wants to talk but doesn't want to do it over the phone," Ward said. "I hope that it will be a useful tool for anyone that wants to get in contact with us."

Pingel said privacy is important to victims of sexual assault because of the stigma that often accompanies being a victim. Many survivors do not want to reveal their names or meet face-to-face.

"It's hard to want to come forward when you feel as though you're going to be blamed for what's happened," Pingel said.

The SAPA Chat program is the first of its kind in the United States. The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network will launch a similar program in January nationwide. However, Steve Thompson, sexual aggression services coordinator, has confidence in the advocates.

"We're doing something that's never been done before," said Thompson, associate physical education and sport professor. "(The advocates') training is second to none. Their passion is such that they'll flex to the problems and make it work."

SAPA has already received more than 100 calls on its crisis line since the beginning of the semester. The advocates are not actively advertising SAPA Chat yet.

"I'm hoping we get enough contacts that we have something to do Wednesday night, but not so many that we're swamped," Thompson said.

Pingel was hopeful for the Internet service to be accessed tonight.

"I would be happy if the service is utilized on the first night," she said. "I'm certainly not expecting SAPA Chat to get 100 contacts in its first night."

Thompson said SAPA has been planning the launch of SAPA Chat for two years. The appeal of complete anonymity of the victims drew the group to the use of AIM.

"If you talk to SAPA, nobody knows about it," Thompson said. "It's the cornerstone of what we do."

The ability to reach out to people with hearing impairments is another benefit of the SAPA Chat.

"It's an outreach to the hearing impaired community, whose needs we can't meet via phone," Pingel said.

If tonight's trial run goes well, SAPA will staff the AIM service more frequently. Survivors also can call SAPA 24 hours a day at 774-2255 to talk with an advocate.

"It's a trial run," Pingel said. "If it's well-received we'll do what we can to open up more hours."

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