Advocates Hotline is Underused

Few St. Lawrence University students contact the Advocates’ 24-hour hotline, and this may be because they tend to seek out other resources. Many of those who wish to report an incident contact the Title IX coordinator, Linsdey Tropper, directly instead of calling the Advocates phone.   

Emma Cross ’26, vice president of the Advocates Program, stated that students may feel comfortable contacting Tropper because she has been open with them about the details of the Title IX process. Cross also noted that the low number of calls is not due to a lack of incidents. “There is stuff happening on campus that would warrant what we would consider our hotline to be useful for,” she said.   

Therefore, it is likely that some students may not reach out to the hotline because they prefer to make a formal report or seek out other confidential resources. Tropper suggested that some students might be “concerned that somehow they are going to know the student on the other end.” She also stated that students may prefer talking in person over talking on the phone.   

The Advocates’ executive board members are worried that some of their peers may not know much about the hotline. However, they have taken the initiative to inform students about this resource. “We just started this past year going to freshman orientation and presenting there,” said Ruby Bashant ’25, president of the Advocates. “I think most of the freshman class now knows who the Advocates are.”   

The Advocates’ executive board members are also concerned that some of their peers may have the perception that the Advocates only represents individuals with specific identities. “I think that is a hurdle that we have recognized,” said Victoria Lederer, advisor of the Advocates. The executive board members have combatted this misconception through collaborations with other clubs and during the training that they host each semester for students who are interested in operating the hotline.   

The members of the Advocates program have explained that providing a 24-hour hotline is not their only objective. They also host meetings and events to educate students about various issues such as sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and drink spiking. “One of our main goals is educating the student body on what sexual misconduct looks like, what consent is, what consent is not,” said Cross.  

The Advocate’s hotline is a confidential resource that allows students to talk to their peers. Even though the members who run the hotline do not receive many calls, they do receive some, and many SLU students are grateful for this resource. “People are really proud that we have this type of resource, it’s very unique,” said Lederer. Lederer also noted that there are not many schools that offer a peer-run resource for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and similar issues.