The university is committed to creating and sustaining an educational and working environment free of
sexual violence (e.g., sexual offense, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking). If you experience any of these forms of violence, you are strongly encouraged to utilize the various on and off campus resources described below. Your safety and well-being is the university’s priority. This page is intended to help you understand your rights and options, as well as provide you with information regarding support and assistance.
All individuals who report that they have experienced sexual or relationship violence will be provided with a written Sexual and Relationship Violence Rights and Options booklet.
For a full description of DePaul’s policy, refer to
DePaul’s Sexual Relationship Violence Prevention and Response Policy.
Individuals who would like to obtain more information about laws related to sexual and relationship violence in the State of Illinois can find that information here:
Illinois Law Definitions.pdf
What Should I Do?
You have several reporting options, and you may pursue one or all of these options at any time.
You have the right to decide who and when to tell about sexual violence.
Call 9-1-1 if you are in the midst of any kind of emergency, immediate harm or threat of harm.
The
director of Gender Equity (campus Title IX coordinator) can assist you in notifying the police if you choose.
It is your right to have an advocate of your choice (a friend, family member, sexual assault advocate, or other representative) present with you while reporting the incident. You also have the right to have a sexual assault counselor and support person of your choice present with you during a rape examination.
The Importance of Preserving Evidence
It is important that you take steps to preserve and collect evidence; doing so preserves the full range of options available to you, be it through the university’s administrative complaint procedures or criminal prosecution. To preserve evidence: (1) do not wash your face or hands; (2) do not shower or bathe; (3) do not brush your teeth; (4) do not change clothes or straighten up the area where the assault took place: (5) do not dispose of clothes or other items that were present during the assault, or use the restroom; and (6) seek a medical exam immediately. If you already cleaned up from the assault, you can still report the crime, as well as seek medical or counseling treatment.
Where Can I Report?
We encourage individuals impacted by sexual violence to talk to someone about what happened – so you can get the support you need, and so the university can respond appropriately. The complaint can be submitted orally or in a written statement via the
SRV Reporting form.
Whether – and the extent to which – a university employee may agree to maintain confidentiality (and not disclose information to the
director of Gender Equity/Title IX coordinator) depends on the employee’s position and responsibilities at the university. As described below, various reporting and confidential disclosure options available to you. The university encourages speaking with someone identified in one or more of these groups.
You can report to:
Local Law Enforcement
Loop and Lincoln Park Campuses:
Chicago Police Department
911—Emergencies
311—Non-emergencies
Rosalind Franklin Campus:
North Chicago Police Department
911- Emergencies
847-596-8774—Non-emergencies
Public Safety can escort you to a safe place and transport you to a hospital or a sexual assault response center for a medical examination, if needed. It is very important that you get confidential medical attention after being assaulted. Public Safety can also provide access to a confidential advisor.
Public Safety
Lincoln Park: 773-325-7777
Loop: 312-362-8400
The director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) can provide you with written and verbal information on your options, rights and remedies, and/or a confidential advisor (survivor support advocate) or counselor.
The director of Gender Equity is available to assist you in notifying the police, if you wish.
The director of Gender Equity will also discuss with you any reasonable interim measures the university may offer prior to the conclusion of an investigation or student conduct process and provide you with available assistance.
Confidential Reporting Resources
Office of Health Promotion and Wellness
Survivor Support Advocates (Confidential Advisors)
773-325-7129
hpw@depaul.edu
Survivor Support Advocates in the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness provide support to individuals. This includes students and employees, and includes complainants, potential referred individuals, and others. This support may include informing individuals of their options and available on- and off-campus resources such as counseling, medical assistance, emergency housing, legal/law enforcement, academic accommodations and safety planning. For a full list of on- and off-campus resources available, including 24-hour resources, please see the policy or visit the Office of Health Promotion & Wellness website at GO.DEPAUL.EDU/SRV. If requested by the individual, Survivor Support Advocates can assist the individual with navigating DePaul or external processes, such as the student conduct process.
University Counseling and Psychological Services
773-325-CARE (2273)
Professional counselors and psychiatrists are available to students for confidential reporting as defined by the counselor or psychiatrist's professional confidentiality obligations.
Mission and Ministry
773-325-7902
Ordained individuals or otherwise recognized religious leaders engaging in pastoral care are available for confidential reporting as defined by the religious leader's professional confidentiality obligations.
Misconduct Reporting Hotline
877-236-8390
www.depaul.ethicspoint.com
The misconduct reporting hotline is available for anonymous, electronic reporting. Please see the Misconduct reporting policy for more information http://policies.depaul.edu/policy/policy.aspx?pid=232
With the limited exception of the confidential reporting resources listed above, all university employees must report to the director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) all relevant details about any sexual violence incidents of which they become aware. The university will need to determine what happened – and will need to know the names of the survivor(s) and the perpetrator(s), any witnesses, and any other relevant facts, including the date, time and specific location of the incident.
If you are a university employee and a member of the DePaul community has shared information with you related to sexual or relationship violence, please refer to this Step by Step Faculty and Employee Guide.pdf
When you tell the director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) or another university employee about a sexual violence incident, you have the right to expect the university to take appropriate steps to respond to what happened promptly and equitably. In all cases, we strongly encourage individuals to report sexual violence directly to the director of Gender Equity.
Yes, university policies prohibit retaliation against a person who:
- Reports an issue of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment or sexual and relationship violence;
- Assists someone with a report of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment or sexual and relationship violence; or
- Participates in any manner in an investigation or resolution of a complaint involving sex discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual and relationsip violence.
No officer, employee or agent of the university shall retaliate, intimidate, threaten, coerce, or otherwise discriminate against any individual for exercising his/her rights or responsibilities. Retaliation includes threats, intimidation, reprisals, and/or adverse actions related to employment or education. Retaliation, if proven, is a violation of university policies and may result in discipline, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from the university.
Individuals wishing to report non-emergency information electronically, and who would like an immediate response may report here.
The university’s primary concern is your safety and the safety of the campus community. Remember the Blue Demon Duty.
What Processes are Available to Me?
The university has policies and processes in place to respond to reports of sexual and relationship violence. The director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) will inform you prior to starting an investigation and will, to the extent possible, only share information with people responsible for handling the University’s response.
The university will not require you to participate in any investigation or disciplinary proceeding if you do not wish to participate. A survivor may serve as the complainant or as a witness in the investigation and Student Conduct Process. DePaul prohibits retaliation against anyone raising complaints or participating in a process related to Title IX.
The university has procedures that provide for a campus investigation of reports of sexual violence. Your campus director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) can explain these procedures in detail and you can refer to them here.
If the report is made against a student at DePaul, upon the completion of an investigation, the matter will be referred to the Dean of Students for handling within the Student Conduct Process (SCP). Information about the SCP can be found here.
At the conclusion of the university’s investigation and conduct process, any employee or student found to have violated university policy against sexual violence will be subject to discipline. Sanctions imposed may include probation, suspension or dismissal. Discipline would be administered consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements (for employees), university policies and legal requirements.
Disciplinary procedures for sexual and relationship violence will:
- Provide a prompt, fair and impartial process and resolution;
- DePaul uses a “more likely than not” standard in its SCP to determine if a violation occurred.
- Be conducted by officials who receive annual trauma informed training on sexual and relationship violence and how to conduct a hearing process that is fair and impartial;
- Provide the survivor/complainant and the referred student the same opportunity to be accompanied to any related meeting or proceeding by the advisor of their choice, including an attorney;
- Simultaneously inform the survivor/complainant and the referred student in writing of:
- The outcome of the disciplinary proceeding;
- The university’s procedures for the accused to appeal the results of the disciplinary proceeding;
- Any change to the disciplinary results that occurs prior to the time such results become final; and
- When disciplinary results become final.
Response
The director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) will remain mindful of your well-being, and will take ongoing steps to protect you from retaliation or harm, and work with you to create a safety plan. Retaliation against you, whether by students or employees, will not be tolerated. The university and director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) will also:
- Provide interim measures requested by you, if they are reasonably available, regardless of whether you choose to report sexual violence to campus or local police;
- Assist you in accessing other available advocacy, academic support, counseling, disability, medical/health or mental health services, and legal assistance;
- Provide other security and support, which could include issuing a no-contact directive, helping arrange a change of campus-based living or working arrangements or course schedules (including for the referred individual pending the outcome of the investigation) or adjustments for assignments, tests or work duties; and
- Inform you of your right to report a crime to university or local police – and provide you with assistance if you wish to do so.
NOTE: If the university determines that the referred individual poses a serious and immediate threat to the campus community, a designated Campus Security Authority under the Clery Act may be called upon to issue a timely warning to the community. Any such warning will not include any information that identifies the reporting/affected party.
Because the university is under a continuing legal obligation to address the issue of sexual violence campus-wide, reports of sexual violence (including non-identifying reports) may also prompt the university to consider broader action – such as increased monitoring, supervision or security at locations where the reported sexual violence occurred; increased education, training and prevention efforts, including to targeted population groups; conducting climate assessments/surveys; and/or revising its policies and practices.
You may choose to report to the police and proceed with a criminal complaint.
You may also choose to obtain a protective or restraining order (such as a domestic violence restraining order or a civil harassment restraining order). Restraining orders must be obtained from a court in the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. Restraining orders can protect victims who have experienced or are reasonably in fear of physical violence, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Your campus director of Gender Equity (Title IX coordinator) can offer assistance with obtaining a protective or restraining order.
Download flowchart PDF
You may choose to file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator, whether or not criminal charges have been filed. A civil lawsuit provides you the opportunity to recover actual damages, which may include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering and emotional distress.