Sexual Harassment, Assault & Rape

1. If you are raped or sexually assaulted:

• Get to a safe place as soon as you can.
• Try to preserve all physical evidence.
• Do not wash, use the toilet, or change clothing if you can avoid it. If you do change clothes, put all clothing you were wearing at the time of the attack in a paper, not plastic bag.
• Get medical attention as soon as possible to make sure you are physically well and to collect important evidence in the event you may later wish to take legal action.
• Contact the Campus Security Office by calling ext. 5777 or the Utica Police Department by calling 911. On campus, the emergency phones will connect you directly with the Campus Security Office dispatcher.
• Talk with a counselor who will maintain confidentiality, help explain your options, give you information, and provide emotional support.
• Contact someone you trust to be with you and support you.

Many individuals experience sexual assault and never tell anyone about it at the time of the incident. If you were victimized weeks or years ago, assistance is still available to you. Talking with someone now may help you cope better with abuse from the past, whether it was rape, child sexual abuse, incest, or sexual harassment.

2. Medical Treatment

It is important to seek immediate and follow-up medical attention for several reasons: first, to assess and treat and physical injuries you may have sustained; second, to determine the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy and take preventive measures; third, to gather evidence that could aid criminal prosecution. Physical evidence should be collected immediately, ideally within the first 24 hours. It may be collected later than this, but the quality and quantity of the evidence may be diminished.

A special exam should be conducted as soon as possible after an assault to make sure of your physical well-being and to collect evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings. Even if you have not been physically hurt, this special exam is strongly recommended to maintain all your legal options. After the evidence is collected, it can be stored in case you wish to press criminal charges. The exam is performed by an emergency department physician or gynecologist. A female nurse is present throughout the procedure, and a support person of your choice can also be present.

Students can receive the exam at St. Elizabeth's, or St. Luke's Emergency Unit. The hospital's emergency unit follows the national standard for victim care, rape exams, and evidence collection procedures.

Note: Ordinarily, the police are contacted by hospital personnel whenever they provide treatment for injuries resulting from a crime. If you seek treatment at a local hospital and the police are contacted, this does not mean you have to proceed with criminal charges.

The Campus Security Office can arrange for transport to the hospital 24 hours a day and can be reached by calling 5777.

Even if you do not have evidence collected at the hospital, it is still important to get medical attention. An exam in this case should include treatment of any physical problems and various lab tests for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. This non-emergency treatment can be arranged with your family doctor or with the Student Health Center ext. 5451.

On Campus

The College Counseling Center, telephone number, 792-5326, is located at Payne Hall 109B. Counselors can provide confidential support for you during this difficult period. They can inform you of common emotional reactions to this crisis and discuss coping methods that may assist you immediately after the assault and later. Talking about your concerns with a counselor in a safe, supportive environment may help you sort through your feelings and decide what to do. You do not need to disclose your name if you are calling the Counseling Center for information. Students may be seen on an emergency walk-in basis or by appointment. Assistance and support for dealing with personal and academic issues is also available from the Assistant for Campus Life.

Off Campus

The Rape Crisis Hotline, 797-7740 provides confidential hotline and advocacy services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as well as free short-term individual and group counseling.

This can be done immediately after the incident by calling the emergency number, 5777. If you decide at a later date to report an incident of sexual assault or rape, you can contact Campus Security at 5777 or 792-5566. From off campus, the number is 735-4777.

If you choose to report the incident, a Campus Security Officer will take a statement from you regarding what happened. The officer will ask you to describe the assailant (s), and may ask questions about the scene of the crime, any witnesses, and what happened before and after the incident. You may have a support person with you during the interview. Note: Reporting an incident is a separate step from choosing to prosecute. When you file a report, you are not obligated to contact the police or continue with legal proceedings or College disciplinary action. Remember you can choose whether or not to participate in proceedings at any point. (For more details, see section 5 of this brochure, College Disciplinary Action.)

If you have been sexually assaulted by another student or group of students and are considering College action, you are encouraged to discuss the matter with a counselor and/or the Campus or Residence Hall Conduct Officer(s). This will allow you a chance to review the procedures should you decide to file a formal complaint through the College's disciplinary/judicial system. This discussion does not obligate you to pursue official action.

If you are willing to take part in the College adjudication process, you should contact the Vice President for Student Services at 792-5456 or Residence Hall Conduct Officer at 792.5394. Charges may either be filed directly by you or by the College on the basis of your written statement. Such a charge would be handled in accordance with the procedures relating to violations of the College's Code of Student Conduct regulations, as outlined in the Student Handbook. Assailants could be subject to disciplinary action pending review by the College judicial system.

If you have been sexually assaulted or harassed by a non-student or an employee, this is a violation of the law and College policy. Contact Human Resources, Campus Security, or the Vice President for Student Services to discuss complaints.

If you want to press criminal charges, call the Utica Police Department. We recommend that you contact the Counseling Center or the Campus Security Office before you notify the local police, so they can assist you with legal processes.

Campus Security can notify the appropriate authorities, or you may contact them directly. Depending on the timing of your report and your preference, it may be possible for you to make a statement in the presence of a Campus Security Officer and the local police at the same time. Be advised that questioning can be difficult. Remember that you may request that a support person be with you during police interviews (Counselors are available upon request).

If it is possible for the assailant to be apprehended, the suspect will be taken by police before the local Court judge or magistrate and charged with appropriate offense(s) at a preliminary arraignment. You do not need to be present for this proceeding. The assailant may be jailed or released on bail, depending on the circumstances of the crime. One of the conditions of bail is usually that the suspect not try to contact you. If you are contacted by the suspect or feel threatened in anyway, you should immediately call Campus Security and local police. Bail can be revoked and additional charges can be filed if necessary.

The District Attorney or Assistant District Attorney will represent you without cost throughout the criminal proceedings. You may also speak with an attorney of your choice.

If you are assaulted and do not want to pursue action with the College system or the criminal justice system, you may still want to consider making an anonymous report. With your permission, the Director of Campus Safety and Security can file a report on the details of the incident without revealing your identity. The purpose of an anonymous report is to comply with your wish to keep the matter confidential while taking steps to ensure the future safety of yourself and others. With such information, the College can keep accurate records about the number of incidents involving students; determine where there is a pattern of assaults with regard to a particular location, method, or assailant; and alert the campus community to potential danger.

Allegations of sexual assault or rape can also be reported to one of the following:
Phone Numbers on Campus

• Rape Crisis Hotline 797-7740
• MVCC Director of Student Housing, 792-5361 or ext. 5361
• MVCC Assistant Dean for Campus Life, 792-5326 or ext. 5326
• MVCC V.P. of Student Services, 792-5465 or ext. 5456
• MVCC Residence Hall Staff, 792-5310 or ext. 5310
• MVCC Counseling Center, 792-5326 or ext. 5326
• MVCC Dean of the Rome Campus, 334-7701 or ext. 7701

Allegations of sexual harassment should be reported to one of the following individuals:

• MVCC Dean of Human Resources, 792-5496 or ext. 5496
• MVCC V.P. of Student Services, 792-5456 or ext. 5456
• MVCC Dean of the Rome Campus, 334-7701 or ext. 7701