Survivor Organizing
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Phoenix Survivors Alliance (PSA): PSA is the primary space for survivor organizing on campus. Their work is twofold: one, they offer peer support spaces for survivors in all stages of recovery. Two: they are a mechanism to hold students and administration accountable for acts of sexual violence on campus, often highlighting the intersectional effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and disability on surviving sexual violence. Survivors can safely approach PSA if they need information regarding health effects of surviving sexual violence or up-to-date information regarding UChicao policies and services related to sexual violence.
PSA’s 2023-24 Projects: In April 2023, in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, PSA hosted several community nights, book club meetings, and day-long actions to support survivors at UChicago and help educate the UChicago community on the experience of sexual violence and the imperative we face in eradicating it. In April 2024, PSA hosted a day-long “Sexual Violence Advocacy Symposium” featuring prominent speakers – such as Judith Levine and Revital Madar – to discuss specific topics within the context of sexual and state violence.
Resource guide: PSA put together a resource guide to help survivors access and understand institutionalized resources, self care and recovery practices, and legal processes. The guide includes self-care tips and medical resources to address common emotional and psychological responses to sexual violence, as well as resources for LGBTQIA survivors, survivors of different gender identities, survivors of color, survivors of interpersonal and relationship violence, and survivors who desire to pursue legal action. This guide also includes an in depth explanation of the Title IX office and what the reporting process entails and requires (note: some of the information regarding Title IX is out of date – for a list of updated resources, visit the section on our website.)
