1. The community has a sexual assault response team

The Story County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) provides victims' access to specially trained professionals who can enact a community coordinated response to sexual assaults. In individual cases, a three-person team consisting of a police officer, sexual assault nurse examiner, and advocate respond to sexual assault reports, offering their services but leaving all decisions to the victim/survivor. The SART process can be enacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 515-292-5378.

2. Off-campus assaults are covered by ISU policy

Jurisdiction

According to the university Student Disciplinary Regulations, sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3, this policy shall cover both on-campus and off-campus conduct, as those terms are described below.

On-Campus Violations: The campus includes the geographic confines of the university, including its land, institutional roads and buildings, its leased premises, common areas at leased premises, the property, facilities and leased premises of organizations affiliated with the university, such as the Memorial Union, university housing, and university-recognized housing. University housing includes all types of university residence housing such as halls and apartments. University-recognized housing includes fraternity and sorority chapter dwellings.

Off-Campus Violations: Students should be aware that off campus violations that affect a clear and distinct interest of the university are subject to disciplinary sanctions. As examples, sexual misconduct and harassment are within the university's interests when the behavior:

• Involves conduct directed at or by a university student or other member of the university community (e.g., private house party, outside employment);
• Occurs during university-sponsored events (e.g., field trips, social or educational functions, university-related travel, student recruitment activities, internships and service learning experiences);
• Occurs during the events of organizations affiliated with the university, including the events of student organizations;
• Occurs during a Study Abroad Program or other international travel; or
• Poses a disruption or threat to the university community.

3. Some resources are confidential

CONFIDENTIAL: Under Iowa law, communications with some individuals are confidential. This means that any information shared by the victim/survivor with a specific individual will not be used against him or her in court or shared with others. This individual cannot be subpoenaed to testify against the victim/survivor in a court of law.

Students should always confirm whether confidentiality applies to the communication. Generally, confidentiality applies when a student seeks services from the following persons:

• ACCESS advocate
• Psychological counselor (including counselors at ISU Student Counseling Services)
• Health care provider (including medical professionals at ISU Thielen Student Health Center)
• Personal attorney
• Religious/spiritual counselor

PRIVATE: Iowa State University is committed to creating an environment that encourages students to come forward if they have experienced any form of sexual misconduct. The university will safeguard the identities of the students who seek help or who report sexual misconduct. That is, university employees will seek to keep the information private (other than a counselor or medical provider).

A university employee cannot guarantee complete confidentiality, but the individual can guarantee privacy. Information is disclosed only to select officials who have an essential need to know in order to carry out their university responsibilities. As is the case with any educational institution, the university must balance the needs of the individual student with its obligation to protect the safety and well being of the community at large. Therefore, depending on the seriousness of the alleged incident, further action may be necessary, including a campus security alert. The alert, however, would never contain any information identifying the student who brought the complaint.

4. ISU can help with housing changes or class conflicts after an assault

The Dean of Students office staff can assist a student in filing formal complaints or, if the student is not ready to file a formal complaint, the staff can work with him or her to address concerns over housing, class assignments or schedules, leaves of absence, withdrawal or other academic concerns. The office staff can also assist the student in notifying ISU Police or local law enforcement, if the student so requests.

www.dso.iastate.edu
1010 Student Services Building
515-294-1020

5. Victims or witnesses who used alcohol/drugs should not be afraid to report the assault.

Students are strongly encouraged to report incidents of, or share information about, sexual misconduct as soon as possible. This is true even if the student with a complaint or a witness may have concern that his or her own alcohol or drug use, or other prohibited activity were involved. The Office of Judicial Affairs will not pursue disciplinary violations against a student with a complaint or a witness for his or her improper use of alcohol or drugs if the student is making a good faith report of sexual misconduct.