Getting Help If You Have Experienced A Sexual Assault
Go to a safe location as soon as you are able. |
Seek immediate medical attention if you are injured, or believe you may have been exposed to an STI/ STD or potential pregnancy.
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Contact any of the following for immediate assistance:
Regular business hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
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If you are off-campus and experiencing an emergency situationYou can and should call local police by dialing 911 or (408) 277-8911. |
It is important to preserve physical evidenceThat may include tissue and fluid samples, evidence of violence, sheets, towels, clothing, etc. You should avoid washing, bathing, urinating, etc. until after being examined at the hospital, if possible. Because evidence of a sexual assault can deteriorate quickly, you may want to seek a medical exam as soon as possible. Evidence collection should be completed with 120 hours of an assault, but fluids, hair samples, and DNA can sometimes be collected be collected for a long time thereafter. Even if you have washed, evidence can often still be obtained. After 120 hours, it may still be helpful to have medical attention, even if you are not trying to obtain evidence of an assault. Sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) are trained in the collection of forensic evidence, and can check for injuries and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. If you are still wearing any clothes worn during the assault, wear them to the hospital, but bring a change of clothes, as the hospital will keep the clothes you are wearing as evidence. If you have changed clothes, bring the ones you were wearing during the assault to the hospital in a clean paper bag (not plastic) or wrapped in a clean sheet. Leave sheets/ towels at the scene of the assault. Police will collect them. Typically, police will be called to the hospital to take custody of the rape kit, but it is up to you whether you wish to speak with them or file a criminal complaint. |
You choose how to proceed.You have options, and are encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator on your campus to discuss your options: 1) Do nothing until you are ready; 2) Pursue resolution by the college; and/or 3) initiate criminal proceedings; and/or 4) initiate a civil proceeding against the perpetrator. You may pursue whatever combination of options is best for you. If you wish to have an incident investigated and resolved by the college, students should contact the Title IX Coordinator and Vice Presidents of Student Affairs on their campus. Employees should contact the District Title IX Coordinator and Vice Chancellor of Human Resources. The District policies and procedures will be explained. Those who wish the incident to be handled criminally should contact Campus Police or local police where the assault occurred. A campus official is available to accompany students in making such reports, if desired. Contact your campus Vice President of Student Affairs for more information. To make informed choices, all parties should be aware of confidentiality and privacy issues, as well as institutional mandatory reporting requirements |
- Confidential Reporting
If reporting students wish that details of an incident be kept confidential, they should speak with campus mental health counselors and/or health service providers. Campus counselors are available to help on an emergency basis. Their service is free of charge. Off-campus clergy, chaplains, and off-campus rape crisis center staff can maintain confidentiality. Local resources such as crisis centers are also confidential and have no duty to report your information to the College.
- Mandated Reporting
All College employees who are not designated above as confidential, are mandated reporters for all the details of which they are aware about an incident. They share this information with the Title IX coordinator. Giving a mandated reporter notice of an incident constitutes official notice to the institution. Incidents of sexual misconduct will be taken seriously when official notice is given to the institution. Such incidents of sexual misconduct will be investigated and resolved in a prompt and equitable manner under the College's resolution procedures, which are discussed in a later section of this brochure p. 4.
You may request confidentiality and/or that the Title IX coordinator provide you with remedies and resources without initiating a formal resolution process. The coordinator will weigh requests for confidentiality against the institutional need to address and remedy discrimination under Title IX. Generally, the College will be able to respect your wishes, unless it believes there is a threat to the community based on the use of weapons, violence, pattern, predation, or threatening conduct by the person being accused.
In cases where your request for confidentiality is granted, the College will offer you available resources, supports, and remedies. You are not obligated to pursue formal resolution in order to access the resources that are available. If the College decides that it is obligated to pursue a formal resolution based on the notice you have given, you are not obligated to participate in the resolution process. However, the ability of the College to enforce its policies or provide some remedies may be limited as a result of your decision not to participate.
- Incidents Involving Minors
Please be aware that institutional duties with respect to minors (those under the age of 18) require reporting sexual misconduct incidents to state agencies and/or local law enforcement. As a result, confidentiality cannot be granted in sexual misconduct incidents involving minors.