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.

Confidential Reporting

• Counseling Center 518-327-6358

Off Campus Resources

• 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Report the crime to campus safety and tell them you want no action to take place.

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.

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.