What will happen if I call the police or go to the hospital?
When the police arrive, they will first assess your medical needs to determine if you need to go to the hospital immediately. Then, the officer will begin to interview you about what happened. Even though this is often difficult, it is necessary if a police report is to be completed. You have the option and right to request an advocate at any point within this process.
Keep in mind that you can take someone along with you to support you at the hospital. You also might consider having a victim’s advocate to accompany you and support you through the exam. This is your choice. Both CVPH in Plattsburgh and Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone have S.A.N.E (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) rooms and can help you through the process of collecting physical evidence while above all ensuring your safety and health.
What resources are available to me if I report a sexual assault?
Confidential Reporting
- Counseling Center 518-327-6358
Off Campus Resources
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Adirondack Medical Center 1-518-891-4141
Planned Parenthood, Saranac Lake, NY Office 1-518-891-0046 plannedparenthood.org
Planned Parenthood Sexual Assault Hotline 1-877-212-2323
New York State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit consentfirst.troopers.ny.gov
NY Sexual Assault Hotline 1-844-845-7269
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 rainn.org/get-help
New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYCASA) nyscasa.org/get-help
New York State Hotline for Sexual Assault 1-800-942-6906
and Domestic Violence
Pandora’s Project pandys.org/lgbtsurvivors.html
STOP Domestic Violence Hotline 1-888-563-6904
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233
LGBTQ Domestic Violence Project 1-800-832-1901 glbtqdvp.org/
The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 thetrevorproject.org
What are the benefits of reporting the sexual violence to the police?
The benefits of reporting the assault to the police are that the police can preserve evidence of the assault; the police can advise a reporting individual on safety planning techniques, including how to obtain a restraining order and/or protective order. Campus Safety, as well as the Title IX Coordinator can issue an interim “No Contact Order”; the police can escort a reporting individual to obtain the necessary medical treatment; the police can inform the reporting individual of eligibility for state crime victim compensation funds (compensation for medical and dental expenses related to the crime; counseling, lost wages, and other assistance); and the police will assist with prosecuting the accused, which can lead to punishment of the accused and protection of the reporting individual and others in the community from being victimized in the future. If individuals who commit sexual assault offenses are not apprehended and prosecuted, research demonstrates that they may continue to commit sexual offenses.
What if I don’t want to file a criminal report?
You are not required to file a criminal report. The decision whether to report the assault to the police is entirely your decision to make. If you choose not to report the assault to the police, you are still encouraged to obtain medical treatment and contact an advocate to assist you with recovering from this event. Additionally, Campus Safety or the Title IX Coordinator can assist you in filing a report to pursue campus judicial charges. The Title IX Investigator can conduct an investigation and the accused student could face dismissal or suspension from campus. The reporting individual does not have to participate in the actual hearing in order for campus charges to move forward.
What if I get the person who assaulted me in trouble and I don’t want that person to get removed from campus?
Individuals are responsible for their own conduct and will be held accountable, which could mean dismissal from college. By coming forward, you are helping to prevent sexual assault from happening to other community members in the future and are not responsible for the initial conduct of said individual or the outcome.
I don’t want to go through the college's judicial process after filing my complaint. Do I have to participate?
No. The Title IX Coordinator will assign the case to the Title IX Investigator, who will serve as the individual presenting the information at a hearing.
What if I want to make an anonymous report to be included in campus crime statistics?
Report the crime to campus safety and tell them you want no action to take place.
What if I do not want anything done? I don’t think I want to report what happened to me. I’m not sure it was sexual assault anyway.
If you do not want to report it, but want to talk to someone confidentially, please contact the Counseling Center; off-campus advocates, Sexual Assault Services at 1 (877) 212-2323. Counselors on or off-campus can also help you determine whether what happened to you is sexual assault in a completely confidential environment. You also have the option of not reporting the incident.
Why would the College investigate the assault if I don’t want the College to do so?
Sexual assault is a prohibited behavior, and the college has an obligation under the law and its policies to address assault and harassment when it happens to a member of the campus community. The Title IX Coordinator tracks patterns, incidence, and must assess the campus-safety risk when an assault is reported.