Victim Services (SMART)

The University of New Mexico’s (UNM) Sexual Misconduct and Assault Response Team (SMART) is a victim centered, victim controlled, coordinated response team composed of community and university organizations to quickly respond to cases of sexual assault or abuse while providing appropriate services. SMART responders make services for victims a priority. Sexual assault and abuse can cause tremendous distress and greatly impact the well-being of a victim.

Co-Chairs:


  1. Áine McCarthy, Interim Director of Women's Resource Center, Grant Project Director Supervisor
  2. Tish Young, UNMPD
  3. Lisa Lindquist, Director, LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center

Members include representatives from:

Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), LoboRespect Advocacy Center (LRAC), Residence Life, CARS, Title IX, Albuquerque SANE Collaborative (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners), Dean of Students, Rape Crisis Center, LGBTQ Resource Center, Women’s Resource Center (WRC), Ombuds, Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), UNM Police, & UNM Human Resources

Goals

  1. Provide an ongoing training program for all campus law enforcement and campus security

    • Victim Services Working Group (SMART) will:
      • Choose online and/or in-person victim-centered, trauma informed training programs for all UNMPD and UNM security officers (with help of SMART members)
      • Along with working group members, create and proctor yearly surveys on participant opinion of said training program(s) for assessment

  1. Provide access to 24 hr. confidential victim services and advocacy

    • Victim Services Working Group (SMART) will:
      • Maintain an EMOU with Rape Crisis Center & DVRC that outlines UNM’s promotion of their 24/7 hotlines available to all students, staff, faculty and community members
      • Support WRC, LRAC & the LGBT Resource Center by developing materials, campaigns, etc. connecting students, staff, & faculty to confidential advocates.
      • Utilize best practices in victim services and make significant progress in ensuring consistency in services between confidential centers
      • Implement strategies to increase awareness, build advocacy capacity and scale services in a sustainable way to our entire campus community
      • Increase the strength and scope of our victim services and advocacy programs on campus by prioritizing culturally responsive services and increasing confidential access points to victim support

Read more about SMART at smart.unm.edu