GVSU names new victim advocate

Krystal Diel has been named the new victim advocate for Grand Valley State University, a role that supports student survivors of gender-based violence.  

As victim advocate, Diel has been specially trained to provide private support and help survivors navigate options and services on campus and in the community. She also develops educational programming for the campus community and leads the university's victim advocacy program, working closely with staff members who have been trained to be co-advocates. 

"Grand Valley takes its responsibility to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all our students very seriously," said Jesse Bernal, vice president for Inclusion and Equity. "We continually look for ways to improve our practices in addressing campus sexual violence. The victim advocate role helps us to approach this work as part of our larger coordinated approach to inclusion and equity and in a systemic way that emphasizes not just compliance, but culture change."

Diel received a bachelor's degree in social work from Central Michigan University and a master's degree in social work from Grand Valley. She has served as Grand Valley's interim victim advocate since January 2018 and was previously a graduate assistant for the university's Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity. 

"I hope to continue to serve as a safe resource for students," Diel said. "I also hope to expand programming to meet the needs of a diverse range of students and increase student knowledge of consent and bystander intervention." 

Diel is based in the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, located in the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus. She can be contacted at [email protected] and (616) 331-2748. 

Learn more about Diel's role at http://gvsu.edu/s/0Ln. 

In 2016 and 2017, Grand Valley was awarded a grant from the Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program (CSAGP), led by first lady Sue Snyder, to support sexual assault prevention and bystander programs. The university also received Violence Against Women Act grants in 2010 and 2013.