Advancing Survivor-Centered Support Through the Illinois App
A research initiative led by Rachel Garthe, associate professor in the University of Illinois School of Social Work, is examining how the Illinois app can help students more easily navigate and connect with support resources related to gender-based violence.
The multi-year project brings together collaborators from the Illinois App | Rokwire, the Center for Social & Behavioral Science, the Women’s Resources Center, researchers in Social Work and Psychology, and partners at Vanderbilt University to develop and evaluate new sections embedded within the Illinois app. The initiative grew out of a CSBS Small Grant and is supported by funding from the Office on Violence Against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice through its Research and Evaluation Program. Together, the project aims to create more accessible pathways for survivors seeking information and support.
Gender-based violence can include experiences such as sexual assault, stalking, emotional abuse, intimate partner violence, and online harassment. These experiences are widespread on college campuses, yet only about 15% of students engage with formal campus resources, many citing they do not know where to seek help or what to expect when they report.
Garthe’s research focuses on understanding how digital tools integrated into platforms students already use may help reduce those barriers. The Illinois app is used by over 40,000 students to access their Illini ID, course schedule, and the campus map. Rather than requiring students to download or navigate separate systems, the project incorporates support resources directly into the Illinois app to provide easier and more discreet access to information and services.
Research, Design, and Evaluation
The project originated through formative research examining how college students navigate support systems related to gender-based violence and what barriers may prevent them from seeking help. Early findings highlighted recurring concerns about privacy, accessibility, and uncertainty surrounding reporting and available resources. Those insights helped shape the development of app-based tools designed to meet students where they already are digitally while providing clearer pathways to information and support.
Under Garthe’s leadership, the project team has spent several years gathering feedback from students and university and community partners through focus groups and interviews. Those conversations helped shape the design of new app features intended to make information more approachable and easier to navigate.
“The new sections in the Illinois app include a resource directory, as well as guided sections on talking to someone confidentially, filing a report, and supporting a friend,” says Vanessa Burgett from the Illinois app team. “There’s also a section where students can tap through a few questions if they’re not sure yet, which results in a short list of resources.”
The project also includes a research evaluation component aimed at understanding how students engage with the tools and whether integrated digital resources influence awareness, perceptions of support, and help-seeking behaviors. Researchers are additionally working to establish systems for measuring long-term campus impact related to resource utilization and reporting trends.
Campus Preview and Partnership Forum
A recent Campus Preview and Partnership Forum provided an opportunity for university and community partners to review the project’s progress and discuss future implementation efforts. Participants explored visual demonstrations of the gender-based violence features in the Illinois app currently available to 2,500 students and learned more about the formative research that informed the design process.
The forum also focused on strengthening collaboration across existing support systems as the project prepares for broader implementation. Through facilitated discussions, attendees identified priorities for engagement, promotion, and continued coordination between university offices and community organizations.
Conversations throughout the event emphasized that effective support systems require both accessible technology and strong institutional partnerships.
Looking Toward University-Wide Expansion
As the project’s randomized controlled trial concludes this spring, the research team continues collecting student feedback to refine the tools and better understand how students use the integrated resources. Insights from the pilot phase, along with recommendations gathered during the partnership forum, will help guide the next stage of development.
The team is preparing for a planned university-wide rollout in Fall 2026. The project was just awarded a Campus Research Board grant to continue the evaluation, and the team will continue to pursue additional funding opportunities to support expanded evaluation efforts across the university.By combining research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and digital innovation, Garthe and her collaborators hope to strengthen pathways to care and improve access to support for survivors and those affected by gender-based violence.
“In a moment of crisis, information shouldn’t be a barrier. We hope that these new sections provide a clear outline of university and community supports and resources, transforming a daunting process into a safe and transparent journey towards healing.” says Garthe. “These new sections are a commitment to a survivor-centered ecosystem, ensuring every student knows their options and rights.”
Research Team
This collaborative initiative includes contributors from multiple university and partner organizations:
- University of Illinois School of Social Work: Rachel Garthe (co-Principal Investigator), Dora Watkins, Apoorva Nag
- Psychology: Breana Griffin
- Center for Social & Behavioral Science: Kaylee Lukacena
- Illinois App |Rokwire: Vanessa Burgett, Ch’nel Duke, William Sullivan
- Women’s Resources Center: Gabby Schwartz
- Vanderbilt University: Nicole Allen (co-Principal Investigator)