History
For many years, the USU Women's Center and other campus divisions (primarily the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, Housing, Police, and the Wellness Center) have offered education and intervention programs and services related to violence, especially sexual assault and domestic violence.
Margaret Mead once said: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world.... For indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
Several years ago the Women's Center, and others, recognized a need for a coordinated effort between these groups. In response, the center spearheaded an informal anti-violence committee consisting of interested individuals and departments at Utah State. This group met periodically over many years. However, there was no one central location for survivors of violence to go.
In 2002, a series of events occurred which heightened the concern that USU did not have a readily identifiable Sexual Assault Response program for victims. In November of that year, a meeting was held to address the impact of interpersonal violence on the university community; to assess the procedures and programs in place to support victims of rape, sexual assault, and others forms of violence; and to develop training programs to help prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place.
The result of that meeting was the creation of the SAAVI Office (Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information) and a full-time SAAVI Coordinator position. Utah State University is the only college/university in the State of Utah to have a full-time office and position dedicated to violence prevention, education, and crisis intervention.