Information for Sexual Assault Survivors
If you think you have experienced an unwanted sexual experience, you are not alone and it is not your fault. You may be feeling a variety of emotions, ranging from feeling angry, scared, or even not feeling anything; all of this is a normal reaction to a very abnormal and scary experience. You may be confused about what your options are. Please remember that, no matter what you do, there is no one correct way to handle this. You survived a very difficult situation and that is the important thing. Whatever you choose to do, it is important to pay attention to what makes you feel safe.
Below are some options of resources along with a description of their role.
Options
- Campus Wellness Coordinator (Kim Chadwick, LCSW) 503-352-CARE (2273): The Wellness Coordinator is a University staff member who is specially trained to provide confidential support, advocacy, and assistance in clarifying your options and in assisting you in utilizing your on-campus and off-campus resources. The Wellness Coordinator will work with you at your comfort level to figure out what options are best for you.
- Student Counseling Center 503-352-2191: You can utilize services at the counseling center for as few or as many sessions as you like. Therapists can provide you with confidential support to process and heal from this event, help you discuss options, and provide referrals to other services.
- Student Health Center 503-352-2269: You can make an appointment with the Student Health Center for help with emergency contraception, STD screening, and other health concerns relating to the unwanted sexual experience. They also provide referrals to other on-campus and off-campus services as needed. Services are completely confidential.
It is important to note that the three university resources listed above are the only resources on campus who can offer completely confidential assistance to you, meaning that no one outside of those agencies will know about the incident without your informed and written permission. Therefore, you are fully in control of the information. The following University resources will support your privacy, but cannot guarantee confidentiality amongst the university staff and faculty.
- Dean of Students 503-352-2212 | Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students 503-352-2120 | Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Students 503-352-2109: If the person who is responsible is a student, faculty, or staff member and you would like to make a report to the university, you can contact either the Dean of Students or the Associate Dean of Students and either a formal or an informal hearing process will begin. The Dean of Students or the Associate Dean of Students may talk to staff in Residence Life, faculty, or other departments as deemed appropriate. Please see the Student Sexual Misconduct Policy for more information.
- CPS (503-352-2230): You can report the incident to any CPS officer, regardless of if it happened on campus or not. You have several options as to how much information you give to the CPS officers. You can give them both your name and the suspect’s name, your name but not the suspect’s name, or the suspect’s name but not yours: in all of these situations, CPS will give the report to the Associate Dean and Dean of Students, as they do with all incidents involving students. The final option is making a completely anonymous report, where you do not give them your name or the suspect’s. In this situation, CPS would use the information for data collection for the Annual Safety Report but for no other purpose. They will also give you referral information for on-campus and off-campus resources. CPS officers may talk to staff in other departments as deemed appropriate.
- Resident Director: If you live in one of the residence halls, you can talk to either your Resident Assistant (RA) or the Resident Director (RD) in your building. They will help you figure out your resources, determine if you want to file an informal or formal report with the university, and your options for housing if you do not feel safe in your room. RAs are required to tell the RD about the incident and so the information will be disclosed within Residence Life/Student Life as deemed appropriate.
Off-Campus Resources:
- Sexual Assault Resource Center’s (SARC) 24 hour crisis line 503-640-5311: They provide 24 hour support, advocacy, referral information, crisis counseling, and information. They also provide hospital advocacy within Washington and Multnomah Counties. Their services are confidential and advocates can help you determine the best option for you.
- Police Department 911 or 503-629-0111 (non-emergency dispatch for all of Washington County): If you are injured and need police assistance, you can call 911. If it is a non-emergency situation and you decide you would like to file a report with the police about the unwanted sexual experience, you can call the non-emergency dispatch number. The legal process can be lengthy and difficult, so you may find that you need additional emotional support during this process.
- Hospital (Providence Saint Vincent’s Hospital 9205 SW Barnes Road Portland (off Hwy 26) 503-216-1234): You may consider going to the hospital for a few reasons: If you decide you would either like to press legal charges or have the option to do so, or if you have been injured and need medical attention. Saint Vincent’s Hospital is the closest emergency room that is staffed with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, who are specially trained to provide care and evidence collection for victims of sexual assault. You can receive medical attention and choose to have evidence collected if you wish. You can choose to have evidence collected but not given to the police until you decide if you would like to pursue legal charges. Also, you can request to have an advocate with you.
Remember
Many people may tell you that you need to go to the hospital and file charges with the police. But remember that these are only two of your options and the choice is completely up to you. There are many good reasons why people choose this route and many good reasons why people do not. The important thing to remember in the aftermath of an unwanted sexual experience is you have options and you have the right to make whatever choices make you feel safe. You did the best you could to survive a horrible situation.