Bethany Gonzales is in her 3rd year here at Garden City Community College and has run the Family Crisis On-Campus Support group during those years and is current. This group works with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and molestation victims. The group meets twice each month, each meeting lasting about an hour.

There has always been a support group on campus, but it has been difficult to get people to show up. So, Bethany had the idea to change the name of the program to “Surviving and Thriving”. This new name ensures a sense of safety and comfort to those that have been victims of assault/harassment in the past. It symbolizes that no matter what trials you go through in life, there is always a brighter side.

The whole purpose of these meetings is to go out and talk through all those hard moments. Bethany tries to make the experience better by going out and doing activities rather than sitting in an enclosed room around a table. Some of those activities include going outside on the nice days to walk, going to the Super Circuit at the DPAC to walk on the treadmills on colder days, or doing arts and crafts projects. Having something to do makes the conversation easier and not so stressful. Bethany is looking to add more participants to the group and hopes to make it feel welcoming for everyone. If you have any questions about the group, you can contact Bethany at 620-295-1654 or [email protected].