Rights and Options for Victims of Sexual Violence

If you have experienced sexual misconduct, you have certain rights and options under the law as well as university policy. In addition, a student or employee who has experienced sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and/or stalking), has these additional rights:

be promptly notified of their rights and options upon report of an incident to a responsible employee;
learn about and access existing resources on- and off-campus for counseling, health, mental health, victim advocacy, legal assistance, visa and immigration status, student financial aid, and other services available for victims within the institution and the local community;
learn about options for, assistance in, and how to request changes to, academic, living, transportation, and working situations or protective measures and to
- - have such requests be provided when they are reasonably available, and
  - expect that the burden on the victim will be minimized when possible and appropriate;
report to law enforcement, the university, both, or neither;
be assisted by campus authorities in notifying law enforcement, if requested by the victim, and to pursue legal action available under the civil and criminal laws of the jurisdiction where the reported crime may have occurred;
obtain orders of protection, no-contact orders, restraining orders, and other such legal orders, in accordance with applicable laws;
be notified of the university’s obligations for complying with lawful orders and to honor requests from the victim to assist in obtaining them when relevant;
be free from pressure that would suggest that the victim (1) not report crimes committed against him or her to civil and criminal authorities or to the campus Public Safety and disciplinary officials; or (2) report crimes as lesser offenses than the victim perceives them to be;
be provided with equitable rights as the responding party in any investigation or resolution process.