The SHARPP Center provides services to individuals impacted by sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment regardless of gender; age; health status; physical, mental, emotional ability; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; socio-economic status; race; national origin; immigration status; or religious or political affiliation.
When working with a SHARPP Center advocate:
- You have the right to services that respect you and your personal values and opinions;
- You have the right to make your own decisions within the policies of The SHARPP Center;
- You have the right to know and understand all of the rules and policies of The SHARPP Center by which you must abide;
- You have the right to respectful treatment of confidential information. All information and records pertaining to you will be kept confidential in accordance with NH RSA 173-C;
- You have the right to access your individual records;
- You have the right to give input and feedback on any or all aspects of The SHARPP Center’s programs and services. You have the right to receive a response to your input and feedback.
What happens when I contact The SHARPP Center?
By Helpline
If you call our 24/7 helpline during business hours it will be answered by a trained SHARPP Center staff member who will be able to assist you immediately, or transfer you to a staff member who is available. If you call the helpline outside of our business hours it will be answered by a trained answering service. This answering service will ask if you need to speak with an advocate, will ask for a name and number for the advocate to call you back. A trained advocate will return your call within 10 minutes from a blocked number. If you do not answer, they will not leave a message and we encourage you to call the helpline again.
By Office Visit
SHARPP Center staff are available to meet with individuals in person during office hours, Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, at Wolff House (located next to Health & Wellness). Appointments are not needed and you may stop in any time that we are open. When you enter our office you will be greeted by a staff member who will ask what brings you into the office. You can simply say you wish to talk to someone or want to meet with an advocate. They will bring you into our private meeting space (pictured below) and let a staff member know that you are there. The staff member may take a few minutes and will knock on the door before entering. Each of our meeting spaces have a sound machine outside of the door to ensure that your conversation with an advocate remains private.
What will meeting with an advocate look like?
We are so glad you're thinking of connecting with our office and hope this information helps you feel a little more prepared. If it's your first time meeting with us, the advocate will start by introducing themselves and going over our confidentiality (see below). They will then ask you what brought you into our office or what led you to calling our helpline. We use a survivor-led approach, meaning that you decide how much, or little, you feel comfortable sharing with us about your experience and what led you to reaching out. While the start of each meeting generally follows the same structure, every meeting will look different! We always encourage questions and if it would feel helpful to receive clarification or guidance around the potential places we could take a conversation and/or what services we might be able to offer, we are happy to provide that. To find out more about what kinds of support we might be able to offer, please visit our services page, stop in to meet with an advocate, or call our helpline!
Who will I work with?
SHARPP Center services are provided by both staff members as well as trained student volunteers (Peer Advocates). Both our staff and student advocates have completed a minimum of 30 hours of training (often much more!) and are required to participate in yearly continuing education. Depending on the time of day and way you contact the SHARPP Center, you may work with a staff member or trained student.
The SHARPP Center's Peer Advocates primarily work with individuals who contact us using our 24/7 helpline when the office is closed. If you call our helpline at (603) 862-7233 in the evening or over the weekend, the advocate responding to you will most likely be a student. Our student advocates have the same training and confidentiality requirements as our professional staff and are able to provide information, referrals, and accompaniment to the hospital or police station as needed.
If you contact The SHARPP Center during our business hours (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm) through any contact method, you are likely to speak with a professional staff member, though we do employ several student workers in our office. It is the SHARPP Center's practice and obligation to maintain your privacy and confidentiality by not sharing your identity or information with others, including with our Peer Advocates. If you have concerns about your experience working with either a staff member or Peer Advocate we encourage you to provide us with feedback in the way that feels comfortable for you.
Confidentiality
The SHARPP Center is one of the 12 member programs that make up the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. We are a confidential crisis center and all of our staff and advocates hold legal privilege (confidentiality) under NH RSA 173-C. Our confidentiality means that except in a few rare circumstances (described below), all information shared with us by someone who has been impacted by interpersonal violence will stay between that person and SHARPP.
Our confidentiality means that we cannot confirm that anyone is working with us to their friends, family, UNH employees or administration, or law enforcement without their expressed written permission. We recognize that every individual has unique needs and concerns and it is our goal to support everyone in making the choices that are best for them. Because of this, it is important to know that working with a SHARPP Center advocate is not considered reporting to the university or law enforcement and no action will be taken by SHARPP Center staff to that end.
The times we cannot be confidential and must share information are:
- To report the abuse or neglect of a minor as required by state law
- To report the abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult
- If it is shared that someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or someone else, The SHARPP Center may be required to notify others to ensure the safety and well-being of all.
