If you are in immediate danger, please call Public Safety at (at 203) -254-4090 to to seek safety or medical services. You will receive amnesty if you had been drinking underage.
Seeking help from Public Safety does not mean you are filing a report, although Public Safety is mandated through the Clery Act to file an anonymous report and notify the Title IX Compliance Coordinator.
Self-Report
Interpersonal violence or sexual assault is more likely to occur by someone known to the student. If a student thinks they have experienced non-consensual sexual misconduct by force, coercion or inability to give consent, they should know that it is not their fault and there are many resources available, including filing a complaint. Students may feel pressure to not file a report by mutual friends or fear of getting in trouble, but the University process is student-centered, offering many remedies (no-contact orders, safe housing, class changes) to prevent retaliation and reoccurrence.
To encourage individuals to come forward with reports about sexual misconduct, students will not be sanctioned for revealing a violation in good faith—such as underage drinking—in the process of reporting a sexual violence claim.
A standard, formal incident report can be filed with the Department of Public Safety at any time. An Incident Report will include, among other things, the name of the complainant and the name of the accused, if known. Upon the filing of an Incident Report, the Department of Public Safety will act as first responder and refer the matter to the Title IX Compliance Coordinator. Public Safety will also determine whether law enforcement or other authorities should be notified.
Direct reporting can be important for the safety of the entire University community. Individuals have the right to report sexual misconduct to Public Safety without further participation in the investigatory process. Individuals can choose to initiate a criminal complaint through law enforcement and/or initiate a Title IX Sexual Misconduct Complaint with a Title IX Compliance Coordinator. Individuals should understand, however, that by choosing to not participate in the University’s disciplinary process, the University’s response to the incident may be limited.
Peer Report
Peers of victims of sexual misconduct can file an incident report or anonymous report with the Department of Public Safety on someone’s behalf. If a peer has experienced sexual violence, students have many options:
- provide support by encouraging them to seek help with the available resources on and off campus;
- reinforce that it is not their fault; validate their feelings; do not investigate their story;
- let them know they are there for them and are receptive to what they are saying;
As a peer, the student may experience secondary trauma. There are many resources available through the Center for Family Justice and Counseling & Psychological Services.