Student Resources

Sexual Assault

The University has been working hard to create an atmosphere on campus that is sympathetic to the needs of sexual assault survivors.

The University feels it is of the utmost importance for survivors to take control of their lives and be able to decide what is best for them. We hope a student can feel comfortable in approaching a University community member for help, knowing that their confidentiality will be preserved. Therefore, the University has adopted a policy where the survivor’s name, or other identifying information, will not be passed to another member of the University community without the consent of the survivor.

We encourage a survivor to report an incident to a University professional, who will be able to provide information for you to be able to make an informed and supported decision about how you want to proceed. There are several places you can go to talk to someone about what has happened and to find out what options are available to you. The following pages give information about where you can go and what to expect once you get there.

If the assault has just occurred, get yourself to a safe place.

Using an on-campus phone on either the Uptown or Downtown Campus, you can call the University Police (UPD) at 911. Note: If you are calling from a cell phone or off-campus phone, the quickest way to reach UPD is to dial 442-3131. 911 will still work from a cell or off-campus phone but the call will first be routed through a regional dispatch. On the East Campus, call 911 or 479-1212 for the East Greenbush Police. If you are off campus and need immediate assistance, call 911 to be connected with the appropriate local police agency. (Also, see back panel for local police agency phone numbers.)

Save evidence.

Even if you are unsure now about whether you will want to prosecute the assailant, saving evidence gives you the option to decide later. Try not to shower, bathe, or wash the clothes you were wearing, until after you allow evidence to be collected by emergency room staff and/or police. Evidence should be collected as soon as possible, especially within 72 hours of the assault. Evidence will be held for 30 days, which gives you time to decide whether to prosecute.

Seek immediate medical treatment.

Seek immediate medical treatment. Not all injuries are apparent, so a medical exam is strongly advised. Albany Medical Center’s S.A.E. program (specially trained Sexual Assault Examiners) offer both medical examination and an exam for forensic evidence (a “rape kit”). From an on-campus phone, you can call for the campus ambulance service, 5-Quad, at 911. 5-Quad can also be reached by calling 442-3131 at any time of the day or night to arrange free transportation to the Albany Medical Center.

While you are at the hospital it is recommended that you see a trained advocate from the Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center. Advocates provide support and information about other resources, including information about your option to report the incident to the police as well as information about crime victim funding that may help cover medical expenses.

The medical exam, not including the evidence collection, will be similar to a routine gynecological exam, and can also include testing and preventive medications for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, and treatment. A medical exam is advised to ensure and protect your health. You can go to the University Health Center (UHC, 442-5454), during their clinical service hours for basic medical care. However, please note that the UHC cannot provide a rape kit for gathering legal evidence nor do they offer the medications for HIV prophylaxis — these services are available through Albany Medical Center.

Seek support or counseling services.

It is normal to feel helpless, confused, frustrated, scared, traumatized, or even unusually calm. The University Counseling Center (442-5800) and the Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center (447-7100) offer counseling services (free of charge) to help put emotions into perspective, and to help you in your own healing process. The Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center also offers a 24-hour hotline (447-7716) that is staffed by trained volunteers. It is important to seek support for yourself after experiencing something as traumatic as sexual assault. Talking to a friend, RA, or anyone you feel comfortable with can be an important step towards healing. Another resource is the University’s Middle Earth Crisis Hotline (442-5777), which is open when classes are in session, and is staffed by trained undergraduates.

Consider reporting the incident.

1. Reports to University Administration: After a sexual assault, it is up to you to decide whether to release your name to the Office of the Vice President for Student Success (OVPSS). To release your name you may give a University staff member permission to share your name with the OVPSS or you can call the OVPSS directly at 956-8140 and ask for Christine Bouchard. Releasing your name may make things easier for you. The OVPSS can offer you support and timely information about resources, accommodations and University and communtiy services to help you recover from the incident. In addition, the OVPSS can contact selected University offices for you to help ease your access to services you may want and to spare you from having to retell your experience repeatedly. However, the OVPSS will only share your name with other University staff on a strictly need to know basis. The main reason a student may opt not to release her or his name to the OVPSS is for personal privacy. If you are unsure about whether to release your name, you can discuss this issue confidentially with a counselor at the University Counseling Center (442-5800). Please note that talking to a representative from the Vice President’s Office does not require you to cooperate with pressing criminal or judicial charges against the assailant though you are welcome to do so if you wish.
2. Reports to University judicial system: One way to press charges is to file a complaint through the University judicial system. If found guilty at a judicial hearing, the assailant can face suspension or dismissal from the University. You can contact the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility (442-5501) to discuss options and to assess your best course of action for pressing charges.
3. Reports to police: Forcing sexual acts on others and/or initiating sexual acts with mentally incapacitated or physically helpless individuals (e.g., an individual passed out from excess alcohol or drug use) is against the law. Whether or not you wish to press charges, you can report the incident to police. Reasons for doing this include: 1) giving yourself the option of pressing charges later, 2) having an incident report on file in case the same assailant hurts someone else, and 3) making police aware of potential danger to other students. If the assault took place on campus, call the University Police Department (UPD) 24-hours a day at 442-3131. If the assault took place off campus, then off campus police have jurisdiction and would accept your report. Call Police in Albany (438-4000), Colonie (783-2744), East Greenbush (479-1212) or Guilderland (356-1501) as appropriate. UPD can assist you in locating the appropriate off-campus authorities.
4. Please be aware that if you do wish to press charges, the sooner a report is made and investigated the better the chances of a successful prosecution.

Definition of sexual assault.

Community Rights and Responsibilities (CRR) specifies the University’s definitions of behaviors that are unacceptable.

1. Sexual Assault I: By a stranger or an acquaintance, sexual intercourse, sodomy, or any sexual penetration, however slight, of another person’s oral, anal or genital opening with any object where the victim clearly expressed (by verbal and/or nonverbal means) that she or he did not consent to the act. It should be established that a reasonable person in the accused’s situation would have understood the victim’s words and acts as an expression of lack of consent. Where the victim did not directly express lack of consent, but the accused used force, threat, intimidation, or the victim’s mental or physical helplessness, the charge of Sexual Assault I also applies. Mental or physical helplessness would include, but not be limited to, the inability to consent due to excessive alcohol or drug use or consumption.
2. Sexual Assault II: By a stranger or acquaintance, touching an unwilling person’s intimate parts (defined as genitalia, groin, breast, or buttocks, or clothing covering them) or forcing an unwilling person to touch another’s intimate parts. The accused is guilty of such acts where it can be established that (1) the victim clearly expressed (by verbal and/or nonverbal means) that she or he did not consent to the act AND (2) a reasonable person in the accused’s position would have understood the victim’s words or acts as an expression of a lack of consent. Where the victim did not directly express lack of consent, but the accused used force, threat, intimidation or the victim’s mental or physical helplessness, the charge of Sexual Assault II also applies. Mental or physical helplessness would include, but not be limited to, the inability to consent due to excessive alcohol or drug use or consumption. Note that behaviors which do not meet the definitions above might still constitute Harassment, Sexual Harassment, or Threatening or Abusive Behavior (see CRR booklet for further information).

Myths and facts about sexual assault.

1. Myth: Sexual assault rarely happens.
   Fact: Data compiled from several campus surveys across the country suggest that at least 1 out of every 6 college females has been a victim of rape or another form of sexual assault. If we also include sexual assaults that occur in childhood and later adulthood, approximately 1 in 4 women is sexually assaulted over the course of their lifetime.
2. Myth: College men are never sexually assaulted.
   Fact: Although less frequent, college males can also be sexually assaulted by adult men or women. Most often, when a college male is assaulted it is by another male regardless of the victim’s sexual orientation. It is equally important for male survivors to receive medical, psychological and legal assistance.
3. Myth: Rape is usually committed by strangers lurking in alleys or wooded areas.
   Fact: Between 70 and 80% of victims know their assailants, sometimes for only a few hours, sometimes for a few years. The vast majority of all sexual assaults occur in the residence of either the victim or perpetrator.
4. Myth: If a woman has not fought back or was not bruised or injured, then she was not sexually assaulted.
   Fact: Sexual assault is a frightening experience, and the victim may have been in shock or frozen with fear. Or, if the perpetrator used threats or presented a weapon, then there often will not be signs of a struggle. When someone is being sexually assaulted, it is a wise decision for her/him to get out of the situation with the least amount of injury. Therefore, it is important to respect the decision of someone who chose not to fight back.

Supporting a friend.

If someone that you know is sexually assaulted, there are several important ways in which you can be helpful:

1. Be a supportive listener. For a survivor, talking about the experience can be an important part of healing. How ever, it can also be embarrassing and shameful to discuss. Try to listen without judging, and help the survivor see that the assault was not her/his fault.
2. Provide information and resources. Be aware that a survivor of assault may need medical, psychological, and legal assistance. Become familiar with the resources discussed in this pamphlet, and keep the information for a reference.
3. Let the survivor make the decisions about how to proceed. After an assault, it is important to gain back a sense of control over one’s environment, and one’s body. Although it is important to suggest that the person receive medical attention, preserve evidence, seek crisis counseling, and report the incident to police, these decisions must be made by the survivor, not for the survivor.
4. Seek assistance for yourself. If someone close to you is sexually assaulted, you may also experience an intense emotional reaction. Talking to someone can help you sort out your own reactions and better prepare you to help the person you care about. The University Counseling Center (442-5800) provides consultation as well as counseling. Support is also available from the Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center (447-7100), and from the Middle Earth Crisis Line (442-5777).

The University at Albany is committed to providing a safe and secure environment in which all its members are treated with dignity and respect. To that end, the University takes the strongest possible stand against sexual violence in all its forms including sexual assault but also including the use of coercion, intimidation or exploitation of others for sexual purposes. The University is actively engaged in educating its members about these vital issues and in providing timely support and assistance to victims of sexual assault.

Resources: A Quick Reference

1. Police or Medical Emergency 911
2. University Police Department
• From an on campus phone 911
• From a cell or off campus phone 442-3131
• Non-emergency 442-3132
3. Albany City Police (non-emergency) 438-4000
4. Colonie Police (non-emergency) 783-2744
5. Guilderland Police 356-1501
6. East Greenbush Police 479-1212
7. Albany Medical Center Hospital (Emergency Room and S.A.E.) 262-3131
8. University Health Center 442-5454
9. 5-Quad Ambulance (on campus - 24 hours/day) 911 or 442-3131
10. University Counseling Center 442-5800
11. Middle Earth Hotline 442-5777
12. Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center of Albany County
• 24-hour hotline 447-7716
• Office Number (for counseling) 447-7100
13. Office of Conflict Resolutions and Civic Responsibility Affairs 442-5501
14. Office of the Vice President for Student Success 956-8140
15. Dean of Undergraduate Studies 442-3950
16. Residential Life & Housing 442-5875

Prepared by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Program, University Counseling Center and the Office of the Vice President for Student Success.