Students Against Violence Peer Education
SAV Meetings
SAV has meetings every Monday at 5:00 pm at the Student Health Center in room 202. All students are welcome.
What is Students Against Violence (SAV)?
SAV is a peer education team at Texas State. It is an educational resource for the Texas State community of faculty, staff, student organizations, residence halls and the surrounding communities. SAV's peer educators are trained to present the following violence related programs:
- Yes Means Yes: Getting Consent
- Red Flags in Relationships
- Red Flags in Rom Coms
- Becoming an Upstander: Addressing Alcohol, Drugs, and Sexual Violence on Campus
Visit the Presentation Request Form to request one of these presentations.
Joining SAV
Joining SAV has many benefits. It provides you with a chance to increase your knowledge about violence-related issues, gain self-confidence, improve your communication skills, and to provide a needed service on your campus.
You should consider joining SAV if you have a desire to work with the Texas State community, motivation to increase knowledge of violence, and a sincere concern for the overall being of yourself and other students. SAV members must be able to work independently or on a team and have the ability to be open-minded and non-judgmental when discussing sensitive issues.
For more information on joining SAV, call 512.245.2161, visit Room 101 in Encino Hall, or email SAVPeerEd@txstate.edu.
Students Against Violence's Mission
To promote healthy interpersonal relationships. SAV offers interactive and engaging health education programs and activities for Texas State students to promote the importance of respecting bodily autonomy, boundaries, and healthy communication that aims to resolve conflicts effectively.
Become an Upstander
Meet our Students Against Violence Officers
Erin Whitney
Peer Educator
Favorite Topics
- Sexual Assault awareness and prevention
- Support for Survivors
- Intersectionality in Justice and Advocacy
Interests
- Self-expression in fashion and makeup
- Art (both creating and appreciating)
- TTRPG's
- Opera and music!
Kathryn Harrison
Peer Educator
Favorite Topics
- Mental Health Awareness
- Sexual & Dating Violence Awareness/Prevention
Interests
- Watching Movies
- Going to Concerts
- Visiting National Parks
- Arts & Crafts Projects
Zenith Gonzales
Peer Educator
Favorite Topics
- Development of Hope
- Accessibility of Support
- Different Presentations of Love
- Pattern Recognition and Disruption
Interests
- Stationary crafts
- Maximalist fashion
- Brain teaser board games
- Discovering new music
Meet our Students Against Violence Co-Supervisors
Kelsey Banton, M.S.
- Students Against Violence Co-Supervisor, Violence Prevention Program Manager
- M.S., Public Health Education and Promotion, Texas State University
- B.A., Psychology, Texas Tech University
Email: k_b260@txstate.edu
I'm an Ally!
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Learn more about Kelsey
Kelsey Banton is a Health Promotion Specialist at Texas State University. She is an advisor for Students Against Violence and Healthy Cats and addresses sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, stalking, and harassment in the Texas State community. She has worked to prevent sexual violence as an advocate, activist, and educator for 13 years, focusing largely on the intersections of violence and social justice. She has worked and volunteered at domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers and child advocacy centers across Texas. Prior to joining Texas State, Kelsey worked for San Antonio Rape Crisis Center as the Director of Education and Training where she facilitated youth-based groups and trained on the multi-disciplinary issues of interpersonal violence for diverse populations. Her work has allowed her to develop trainings and programming for violence prevention educators, military personnel, law enforcement, medical professionals, university faculty and staff members and school-based personnel locally and statewide. She was invited in 2010 to sit on the Texas Primary Prevention Planning Committee, which directs strategies and evaluation efforts for implementation of sexual violence prevention across the state of Texas. While earning her B.A. in Psychology at Texas Tech University, she served her community as an online and hospital advocate for survivors.
Marisa Montelongo, M.S., CHES
- Students Against Violence Co-Supervisor, Health Promotion Specialist
- B.S., Community Health, Texas A&M University
- M.S., Public Health Education and Promotion, Texas State University
Email: ukn3@txstate.edu
I'm an Ally!
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Learn more about Marisa
Marisa is a Health Promotion Specialist at Texas State University where she serves as an advisor for Students Against Violence (SAV), a peer health student organization which focuses on primary prevention of sexual violence, intimate partner/dating violence, and sexual harassment. SAV facilitates presentations and activities for the campus community on issues such as consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention. Marisa also delivers presentations on sexual health, mental health, and alcohol/drugs. She received her bachelor’s degree in Community Health from Texas A&M University and her master's degree in Public Health Education and Promotion from Texas State University. Marisa is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®). In her free time, Marisa likes to travel, read, and spend time with her dog Vinny.