Below is a general outline for students who may have experienced sexual or interpersonal misconduct. Not all the steps may be applicable to you and your situation, but the key takeaways remain the same: secure your health and safety and report the misconduct.
- Go to a safe place as soon as you can. If you are concerned about your safety or cannot get to a safe place to seek help call 911 immediately. Also, strongly consider calling a trusted friend to come to support you and make sure you are not alone.
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Preserve all physical evidence. If you have experienced sexual misconduct, evidence may be left on your body, clothing or at the crime scene. It is important to collect any forensic evidence as soon as possible as this can be helpful in a criminal or civil investigation.
Even if you are not sure that you want to report the incident to the police or Security, a medical center can collect physical evidence and preserve it anonymously while you take time to decide. If you later choose to file a criminal complaint or a complaint with the Law School or University, this forensic evidence may be pivotal in strengthening your case.
Do not wash your face or hands, bathe, brush your teeth, drink or eat, douche or change clothes. If you do change your clothes, put all clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault in individual paper bags (not plastic). It is important to preserve as much evidence as possible for investigation and processing of criminal and/or disciplinary charges.
Write down the details of the event as soon as possible, including the date and time that it occurred, the name and/or physical description of the perpetrator, the location, what happened and the names of any witnesses or people that saw you right before or after the assault took place. Keep this written account in a safe place. It may be helpful to you and to law enforcement should you later choose to prosecute.
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Contact Loyola Law School Security at (213) 736-1121 (or extension 1121 if dialing from a campus phone). Even if the incident occurred off campus, they can assist you in reporting a crime to the appropriate authorities. You may decline to report your experience to such authorities. If on the Westchester campus, dial (310) 338-2893 x1 (or extension 222 if dialing from a campus phone) for the Department of Public Safety.
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Seek immediate or prompt medical treatment (typically within 72 hours). Visit the Rape Treatment Center or review the other health care facilities. It is important to seek immediate or prompt and necessary follow-up medical attention for several reasons:
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To assess and treat any physical injuries you may have sustained.
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To determine the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy and take appropriate medical measures.
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If you choose, you may have evidence collected and preserved to aid in the investigation and processing of criminal prosecution and/or disciplinary action.
It is best for any physical evidence to be collected within the first 24 hours following the incident. The quality and quantity of evidence collected later than this may be substantially diminished.
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- Visit the Rape Treatment Center and/or utilize other resources in closer proximity to you or the Law School.
The Rape Treatment Center at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica can provide general medical treatment and, if you choose, collection of evidence. A medical exam could include treatment of any physical problems; evaluation of risks; various lab tests for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy; appropriate treatment; identification and collection of physical evidence of any Sexual Assault. A specially trained nurse will perform the evidence collection exam. A Sexual Assault advocate or a support person of your choice may be present throughout the procedure. The Rape Treatment Center hospital emergency department follows national standards for victim care, Sexual Assault exams and evidence collection procedures. If the decision is made to conduct an evidence collection exam, the anonymous evidence may be held for six months or longer. This means you do not have to decide immediately whether or not you want to press charges. The Rape Treatment Center also provides long term counseling support for victims of Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence, as well as advocacy and accompanying services. -
Schedule non-emergency medical treatment. Even if you choose not to go to the hospital or to seek immediate medical attention, it is still important to get medical attention to treat any physical problems and to conduct various lab tests for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. You may refer to this list of local resources.
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Utilize the counseling services of the Loyola Law School On-Campus Psychological Counseling Office or other resources.