Meet Sarah Malhotra (she/they), Director of Education and Training at The Rowan Center!
Describe your role at The Rowan Center
I oversee education, so I am the person that runs outreach, connects with schools, explains our messaging, and leads our prevention education program.
The state of Connecticut mandates prevention education. We offer educational programming that is age-appropriate and effective to community partners, including elementary, middle, and high schools; colleges; and local organizations. I make sure we incorporate proven best practices, and I also offer support to the counseling and advocacy departments of The Rowan Center.
Our goal is to get people as informed on sexual violence as possible as a preventative measure in hopes that they do not cause harm. And then also giving people the language and tools to advocate for themselves, and hopefully report, should they ever face sexual violence in their lives.
What initially drew you to The Rowan Center?
I was lucky enough to study sociology and women’s gender and sexuality studies at UCONN Stamford. I was interested in work about gendered violence and violence against women.
Years ago, one of my best friends (who now happens to be my wife) started volunteering at The Rowan Center and told me about the mission. And I was like: I have to get involved. So I went to The Rowan Center and said how can I help? How can I volunteer? I would love to help educate. First, I became a volunteer and helped with the education department. Then a short time after that, I became a part-time staff member. This past year, I became the education manager.
What keeps you at The Rowan Center?
The mission. The mission and the staff. Everyone is focused on helping victims and survivors of sexual violence.
Students will approach me and say, “I remember you from my classroom a few years ago. Thank you so much for what you said. It’s so impactful.” If I helped one student in one classroom, that’s worth it. It’s worth getting up at five in the morning to go to school and be able to educate that class. Because if one student is listening and it helps them, great. They could end up helping another one of their friends if they’re ever in a situation where their friend faces sexual violence, or they might be interested in the work later on. Sharing this information is so helpful. It’s really safety education, and it will be beneficial for students to have.
That’s what keeps me here. I see the progress. I’ve seen it over many years. People are becoming more informed. Young people are becoming more knowledgeable about consent. They’re having more open conversations about it. There is hopefully going to be less victim-blaming that survivors face. It’s going to lessen the violence the more we educate. That’s wonderful to see.
Can you share something people might not know about The Rowan Center?
The leadership here has done a great job of letting us be innovative and giving us space to try new ideas. If I come to leadership with an idea, they’re very supportive. We’re all very mission-focused, but we’re flexible about getting there. I appreciate that about The Rowan Center.
Tell us about a favorite memory during your time here.
On the education front, being recognized by a student is so cool. I went into a random ice cream shop three years after seeing this student, and they pointed at me and said, “I remember you. And I remember every single word you said in the presentation. Thank you so much.” It means a lot that they remember the presentation and found value in it.
And on the advocate front, every time I do a hospital call, it’s so meaningful to me because I feel like that is the closest thing you can get to helping someone in their biggest time of need. I enjoy being able to help someone because I would want the same for myself or a family member who was going through that. I would hope that someone doesn’t feel alone when they go through that process. And the sooner we can get people the support they need, the better off they’re going to be.
Walk us through the hospital call process.
A hospital accompaniment usually happens within the first five days after a sexual assault. Victims and survivors can get a safe kit done, but it can be scary to do on your own. You’re in the emergency room, and the doctors and nurses are great and extensively trained, but it can feel very medical and be difficult—especially if no one is there to explain the process to you.
Advocates are there to remind you you’re not alone and to share resources. We are trained to ask what you need. Do you need a distraction? Do you need me to reach out to anyone for you? It’s helpful to have emotional support throughout the whole process.
We can let victims know about victim compensation if they’re worried about finances. Or, if you want to talk to the police, we can be there to support you. It can all be very intimidating, and we want to make sure you know you’re not alone.
What do you wish the community knew about The Rowan Center?
I just wish they knew we existed because it feels like if people knew we existed and exactly what kind of work we did and that this was available to them, people would utilize us more.
I think people would reach out to us more. I think people would get more involved. More people would volunteer. If I’d known about The Rowan Center years ago, there would have been so many referrals I would have made as a friend.
If someone ever disclosed to me or told me that they went through sexual violence, I would have said, “Hey, did you know that you can get free counseling here? Hey, did you know that you can get a hospital accompaniment? If it’s been within the last five days, do you know that someone can go to court with you? Do you know that someone can go to the police station with you?” I would have been talking about The Rowan Center already, even if I wasn’t volunteering or working here if I had known about it earlier.
Lightning round questions
Do you have any hobbies?
I love coffee. I love kickboxing and martial arts. I just love martial arts.
Favorite coffee shop?
Beanz on Hope Street is pretty phenomenal. They brew a really good cup of coffee.
Where should people eat, what should people do, or where should people go if they visit your community?
Here is where people need to go if they hit up the area for food: Kotobuki, which is literally down the street from The Rowan Center and is the best sushi place in Stamford; Tripps for great Italian and Irish food, Valencia’s in Norwalk for arepas and empanadas; Mecha for Vietnamese pho and ramen; Navratna for vegan and vegetarian Indian food; Teff for fantastic Ethiopian food and lots of vegan options; and Capital Grille, which, even though it’s a chain, is the best steakhouse in Stamford.
What is something that you are learning or very curious about?
I’m excited because I’m working with other partners to learn how to assist in prevention for various demographics, like folks with developmental disabilities or immigrant populations, or anyone that might need special consideration. Professionally, that’s something I’m always looking forward to learning.
I also took a physics class over the summer and learned how to do equations for nuclear fission. That was interesting, and I now get to enjoy the New York Times science section a little bit more!