I have experienced an incident of sexual misconduct. What should I do?

It is important to get medical attention as soon as possible. A medical examination will provide any necessary treatment and collect any evidence. Injuries may not be immediately apparent. If you have experienced sexual assault, there are specific procedures you can follow to preserve evidence including receiving a Physical Evidence Recover Kit (PERK) at St. Mary’s Hospital. DNA evidence generally needs to be collected within 120 hours. It is recommended that you do not bathe, washing clothes or bedding or brush your teeth to preserve evidence. All clothing and bedding should be placed in a paper bag.

Need help getting to St. Mary’s Hospital? URPD can assist with transportation. There is no cost associated with obtaining a PERK and you do not need to file charges to obtain a PERK. You can remain anonymous, although that can limit what is done with the PERK.

A student Complainant can discuss an incident of sexual misconduct, on a confidential basis, with any licensed health care professional in the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (“CAPS”), Student Health Center, or with ordained personnel in the Chaplaincy. Your name will not be reported to Title IX Coordinator or the University of Richmond Police Department without your consent. More information on confidential campus resources can be found here.

There are a number of off-campus, confidential resources as well, including the EmpowerNet, Safe Harbor, and the Virginia Anti-Violence Project. More in- formation about off-campus, confidential resources can be found here.

The University of Richmond strongly supports and encourages prompt reporting of sexual misconduct. Reporting provides resources to survivors and contributes to keeping the campus safe.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual misconduct, you should report incident(s) to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the University Police Department. Instances of sexual misconduct may violate both the University policy and the law. As a result, the University encourages survivors to pursue their complaints through both the University’s process and through the criminal justice system.

File a Report to Title IX

You can file a report with the Title IX Coordinator. You do not have to file a formal complaint to receive medical care, academic accommodations, or other support. You can make a report without any further participation.

File a Report with URPD

Sexual Assault and some other forms of sexual misconduct are crimes, and can be reported to URPD for investigation. To report an incident of sexual misconduct to URPD please call 804-289-8911 (emergency) 804-289-8715 (non-emergency). For more information on reporting sexual misconduct to URPD, please visit the University of Richmond Police Department website.

One common misconception about reporting an incident of sexual misconduct is that making a report will automatically lead to an investigation. While a report can become a formal complaint, initiated by the Complainant or the University, not every report becomes a complaint.

Making a report is the act of notifying the Title IX Coordinator of an incident of sexual misconduct and helps connect a student to resources and supportive measures. Complainants have the option to initiate the formal grievance or mediation process.

A formal complaint is when the Complainant requests that the University initiates the formal resolution process or mediation process. A report may become a formal complaint, initiated either by the Complainant or by the University. There may be cases where the University must move forward with the formal resolution process against the wishes of the Complainant. These cases are rare and occur when the Title IX Coordinator determines there is a threat to the greater campus community.

At the time a report is made, a Complainant does not have to decide whether to file a formal complaint. The University recognizes that not every individual wants to file a formal complaint with the University or initiate the criminal process with URPD, and individuals are not required to pursue a specific course of action.

Supportive measures are non-punitive, individualized services offered as appropriate, reasonably available and without fee or charge. Supportive measures are designed to restore or preserve equal access to the University’s education program or activity without unreasonably burdening either party and/or to protect the safety of all parties; or the University’s educational environment; or to deter sexual harassment. To the extent possible, supportive measures will remain confidential.

Reasonable and appropriate supportive measures will be implemented regardless of whether the Complainant wishes to file a formal complaint, participate in a criminal investigation or any other disciplinary proceeding.

Supportive measures will be tailored to meet the needs of the individuals. Listed below are examples of the type of supportive measures that the Title IX Coordinator may implement when appropriate.

Supportive Measures that maybe available to students:

• Issuing No Contact Order;
• Academic Accommodations (examples include but are not limited to: deadline extensions, changes to class schedule, options for incompletes/withdrawals)
• Changing residence hall assignments of either the Complainant or the Respondent to eliminate or limit, to the extent possible, contact between the parties;
• Facilitating access to counseling and health care resources on-campus; Engaging the University Police Department in the creation of a personal safety plan for the Complainant, Respondent, and/or witnesses;
• Engaging the University Police Department in seeking a protective order.

Students seeking such assistance should speak to Tracy Cassalia, Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students.

Supportive Measures that maybe available to Faculty & Staff:

• Issuing No Contact Order;

• Changing work schedules or job assignments;
• Facilitating access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Behavioral Health Counselor;
• Engaging the University Police Department in the creation of a personal safety plan for the Complainant, Respondent, and/or witnesses;
• Engaging the University Police Department in seeking a protective order.

Employees seeking such assistance should speak to Geraldine Sullivan, Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Employees.

A No Contact Order (NCO) is an administrative directive that the University can initiate, usually at the request of a reporting student/employee. It instructs a student/employee not to have any contact, either direct or indirect, with another student/employee. “Contact” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, in-person contact, telephone calls, email, texts and other forms of electronic communication, social media-based messages or postings, and third-party communications including through proxies.

A No Contact Order is not intended to be punitive. It is intended to keep all involved parties safe and to prevent escalation of a situation. The NCO will remain in place as long as necessary.

If a student is found responsible for violating a No Contact Order, that student will be sanctioned through the University conduct process. If an employee is found responsible for violating a No Contact Order, the employee will be disciplined under the progressive disciplinary process.

The University uses NCO in any conduct investigation where they are appropriate. The use is not limited to cases of sexual violence.