IV. WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT A person who experiences sexual violence will have a number of options for recourse against the accused individual: to make a report on campus, to make a report to law enforcement, to do both or to do neither. First and foremost, the College wants you to get the immediate help you need by following these procedures immediately: • Go to a safe place. Call a friend, a campus advocate, a family member or someone else you trust and ask her or him to be with you. • Go immediately to see medical personnel either at Health Services or a local hospital Emergency Department. An individual considering campus and/or law enforcement options against a Respondent should visit a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Nurse (also referred to as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) within 96 hours of the incident. • Do not shower, bathe, douche, or brush teeth, and save all clothing worn at the time of the assault. • Place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag. Do not use plastic bags. • Do not disturb anything in the area where the assault occurred. • Talk confidentially with a counselor who is trained to assist victims with the emotional and physical impacts of an assault and/or sexual harassment. See contact information for confidential on- and off-campus resources listed below. • The College encourages victims to contact appropriate authorities as soon as that individual is prepared to make a report of the incident, including: • The Title IX Coordinator at 518.494.1604 or emailing sdever@davisny.edu; • Campus Security by calling 518.494.6200 • Local law enforcement by dialing 911; • New York State Police’s 24/7 hotline staffed by specially-trained responders at 1.844.845.7269 V. PRESERVING EVIDENCE Although it may be difficult following a sexual assault, individuals who are considering or may consider legal action should take certain initial steps in order to preserve the option to pursue any type of criminal charges or campus disciplinary process: • It is important that a victim of sexual assault not bathe, douche, smoke, change clothing or clean the bed/ linen/area where they were assaulted if the offense occurred within the past 96 hours so that evidence may be preserved that may assist in proving that the alleged criminal offense occurred/or is occurring or may be helpful in obtaining a protection order. • In circumstances of sexual assault, if victims do not opt for forensic evidence collection, health care providers can still treat injuries and take steps to address concerns of pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections. • Victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence are encouraged to also preserve evidence by saving text messages, instant messages, social networking pages, other communications, and keeping pictures, logs or other copies of documents, if they have any, that would be useful to College adjudicators or law enforcement. • Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstances of the assault, including a description of the assailant. As time passes, evidence may dissipate or become lost or unavailable, thereby making investigation, possible prosecution, disciplinary proceedings, or obtaining protection from abuse orders related to the incident more difficult. If a victim chooses not to make a complaint regarding an incident, he or she nevertheless should consider speaking with Campus Safety or law enforcement to preserve evidence in the event that the victim decides to report the incident to law enforcement or college officials at a later date to assist in proving that the alleged criminal offense occurred or that may be helpful in obtaining a protection order.
REPORTING PROCEDURES
13
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker