Title

Education and Outreach

• Notice the situation. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t assume everything is “just fine.”
• Interpret it as a problem. Does it look like someone needs help? How would you or a friend feel in their place?
• See yourself as part of the solution. To be active is to act.
• Know what to do. Not every situation calls for the same solution. Educate yourself on different solutions to different problems.

• Take action but keep yourself safe. You can’t help if you’re in danger.
• Make others aware of the situation. Having the support of a group will help keep you and the victim safe.
• Ask the person you are worried about if they are okay. Provide support and a listening ear.
• Distract or redirect individuals in unsafe situations. Try to take the perpetrator’s attention away from the victim.
• Mention to others that someone has had too much to drink. Intoxicated or drugged individuals may be more difficult to reason with.
• Ask the victim if they want to leave. If they exit the area, make sure they get home safely.
• Call the police (911) if the situation escalates. Don’t be a hero. Adrenaline won’t protect you from physical harm.

• What are all the options available to you? What can you do to ward off the perpetrator and/or help the victim get away?
• Who else might be able to assist you in this situation? Do you have friends, family or colleagues nearby? Does anyone else seem uncomfortable with the situation?
• What are the pros and cons of acting? What is the tone of the situation? Is one solution better than another?
• How can you avoid violence in this situation? Can you de-escalate the situation if necessary?

• Have a plan. Talk with your friends about your plan before you go out. Where do you want to go and what do you want to do? Planning ahead helps people look after one another.
• Go out together. Go out as a group and come home as a group. Never leave a friend behind—if you have to split up, split up into groups of two or three.
• Watch out for others. You may be out with your friends, but if you see someone who needs help or seems like they need a support system, invite them to join you.
• Diffuse situations. If you see a friend coming on too strong to someone who may be too drunk to make a consensual decision, interrupt, distract or redirect them. If you are too embarrassed or shy to speak out, get someone else to step in.
• Trust your instincts. If a situation or person doesn’t seem “right” to you, trust your gut. Remove yourself from the situation if/when possible.
• Take care of each other. You aren’t alone, but neither are your friends. Lend one another support.

Adapted from University of New Hampshire’s “Bringing in the Bystander.”

• Victims of sexual assault may find themselves in a state of shock. Keep them warm by wrapping them in a blanket or coat.

• Victims of sexual assault are advised to preserve evidence whenever safely possible. In this way, the crime can be more easily proven in a court of law.
• Place clothing worn at the time of an assault in a paper or plastic bag. Bring this clothing to the emergency department as soon as possible.
• If possible, preserve physical evidence of the assault at the location of the assault with items such as towels and sheets.
• Write down identifying facts about the accused and the assault in order to remember important details.
• Victims of sexual assault are advised not to clean up after the incident. In this way, authorities can preserve physical evidence of the crime. Until advised to do so, avoid the following:
  • Washing, bathing or showering
  • Brushing teeth or gargling with mouthwash
  • Removing tampons or pads
  • Urinating or defecating
  • Washing clothes worn during the assault
  • Eating, drinking or smoking

• Whether a victim decides to call local law enforcement or campus Safety Services, it is extremely important to attend to their emotional needs.
• Talking with a trusted friend or relative or someone who is professionally trained to deal with sexual assault can help an individual come to terms with the incident.
• Professional counseling and support can be beneficial to victims of sexual assault immediately, or months or even years after the incident. Visit the Title IX Resources page for a list of counseling and support services available to the Ashland University community.

• It is important to seek medical attention at the emergency department as soon as possible. A medical examination will ensure appropriate medical treatment as well as enable the collection of physical evidence. A Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) will help ensure that physical evidence is preserved in the event that a report is made to city law enforcement. A SAFE can be obtained within 72 hours of an assault.
  • Staff from the local Safe Haven Rape Crisis & Domestic Violence Center or Ashland University Safety Services can accompany victims of sexual assault to the emergency department or a health provider.
  • The victim should bring a change of clothes—if they haven’t already prepared to provide the clothes worn during the assault as evidence, they may do so now.
• The hospital will notify local law enforcement of the arrival of a victim of sexual assault. The victim has no obligation to talk to the police, pursue prosecution of the assailant or provide evidence of the assault.
  • However, allowing law enforcement to collect evidence will help keep options available to the victim and fulfill obligations toward different courses of action. Collecting evidence can assist the authorities in pursuing criminal charges, should the individual decide later to do so.