Central Michigan Life

Sexual Assault Peer Advocates have done CMU and the rest of the nation a great service with their new online chat service.

SAPA Chat allows for a person to talk to a peer advocate via AOL instant message.

“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,” said St. Johns graduate student Jackie Pingel. “It’ll be between you and one other person.”

This opportunity is an excellent addition to the many other positive opportunities that SAPA offers to students and shows once again how students on our campus continuously to move forward.

Hopefully, with the addition of SAPA Chat, students who are sexually assaulted can feel more comfortable coming forward.

This program will likely be a trend setter for other schools around the country.

The same advocates who are available for the 24-hour crisis hotline will also be manning the chat service. Privacy is very important for any person dealing with any one of the traumatic events that SAPA deals with. Offering this secure, private and anonymous service will help victims to feel secure in discussing their personal history. SAPA Chat will be available every Wednesday from 8 to 11 p.m.

Any person interested may connect the service directly through SAPA’s Web site, www.sapa.cmich.edu, or by sending an instant message to SAPAadvocate on AIM.

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