Supporting a friend: What to do when someone confides in you
It usually doesn’t start with a report or a formal complaint — it starts with a conversation. A friend, a classmate or a roommate quietly says, “Can I tell you something?” and suddenly, you’re the person they trust with something heavy.
For many college students who experience sexual assault or relationship violence, confiding in a peer feels safer than reaching out to an office or making an official report. That means students are often the first line of support in moments that matter most.
