Reporting A Sexual Assault

Notify the police. The University strongly encourages you to report sexual assault to the police. On the Oxford campus, if the assault occurred on campus, a report should be made to the University Police (513-529-2222); off-campus assaults should be reported to the Oxford Police (513-523-4321). The City of Oxford has law enforcement authority for off-campus residences including fraternities and sororities, but the city and university do have a mutual aid agreement that allows them to communicate with and assist each other when students are involved in off-campus incidents. On the Hamilton campus, reports should be made to the Hamilton Police (513-868-5811); on the Middletown campus to the Middletown Police (513-425-7700).

The police are, first and foremost, concerned about your well-being. The University Police has adopted and implemented a set of promises to survivors of sexual assault. These promises include a pledge to treat every survivor with respect and sensitivity and to take every case seriously and investigate it thoroughly, regardless of the gender of the survivor or assailant. Every effort will be made to accommodate your preference as to the gender of the reporting officer. The police will also assist you in obtaining medical attention and counseling as well as navigating the legal system. For a complete copy of these promises, see the Miami University Police website.

It is important to know that, if you report your assault to the police, they are obligated to investigate, although this does not necessarily mean your case will go to court. Reporting an assault to the police ensures that the incident will be included in the University's annual crime statistics report. It does not commit you to pursuing the charge but does allow you to keep your options open.

If you are calling the police soon after the assault has occurred, you can expect that an officer will meet you at your residence and arrange for transportation to the hospital. Police departments provide officers trained in assisting survivors of sexual assault. The investigating officer who works with you will ask you a number of detailed questions about what happened. In addition to taking your statement and gathering evidence, the officer will interview any witnesses and suspects. He or she will also explain to you the process for criminal prosecution and discuss other available options. Even if you decide later that you don't want to prosecute, it's still a good idea to report the incident to the police because it keeps your options open. It's important to remember that many forms of evidence are available to substantiate a sexual assault charge. It's also important to take steps to preserve evidence (like going to the hospital as soon as possible and not bathing, using the restroom, eating or drinking, or changing clothes before you go).

If you are 18 or older, your parents will not be notified unless a life threatening circumstance requires it. Regardless of your age, names and other identities are not given to the media, published in crime alerts, or listed on the front page of initial police reports (which are public records). General details, with no specifics, are sometimes given to the media because they help generate investigative leads.

If you are the victim of a personal crime, neither the Miami Police Department nor Miami University will take disciplinary action against you because you were drinking underage.

Survivors of sexual assault have the right and are encouraged to pursue prosecution of the accused under criminal law as well as a complaint under the Code of Student Conduct. In addition to legal and disciplinary action, a sexual assault survivor may consider retaining a private attorney to pursue a civil action for the recovery of damages.

The Miami University Police patrol the Oxford campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Campus Security (Securitas) patrols the Hamilton and Middletown campuses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Under Ohio's Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) law, responsibility for registration of sexual predators has been assigned to the sheriff's office. Information concerning the presence of registered sex offenders is available at the Butler County Sheriff's Web site at http://www.butlersheriff.org.

File a complaint with the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution. If the accused is a student, you have the right to file a disciplinary complaint through the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (247 Gaskill Hall, 513-529-1417). It doesn't matter whether you are also pursuing criminal charges. The policy on sexual assault is found in Section 103.A (Sexual Misconduct or Assault) of the Code of Student Conduct in The Student Handbook. See the next page for more information on campus judicial procedures.