If you have recently been assaulted or have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence, here is some information about possible resources and next steps. What happened is not your fault. You are in charge of what you choose to do next. You don’t have to deal with this alone. There are resources and supports available to you.

What to do if an Incident Occurs

Go to a safe space as soon as possible.

Try to preserve all physical evidence.

Try not to bathe, use the restroom, rinse your mouth, or change your clothing if it can be avoided. If it is necessary, put all clothing that was worn at the time of the incident into a paper bag.

Contact University Department of Police or Local Police:

If you do not feel safe, need immediate police or medical assistance, or would like to submit a report to the police, please call 911. On-campus, please call 703-993-2810 to be connected to University Police. Police can also take you to the hospital or meet you there if you request it.

Seek Medical Attention:

Sometimes medical injuries are not immediately apparent. This is also important in case you decide to later criminally report the incident(s) and to get tested for sexually transmitted infections. You do not need to know if you intend on perusing criminal action before having a physical evidence recovery kit.  Also, you have the right to submit an anonymous kit if you do not wish for your name to be attached to the kit. The hospital will work with you to get you an assigned case number for your kit. For more information about the INOVA Ewing Forensic Assessment Consultation Team (FACT), please visit https://www.inova.org/about-inova/inova-your-community/community-access-care/inova-fact or call 703-776-4001.

While Student Health Services cannot facilitate a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit, you may also follow-up with Student Health Services for after-care, injury support, and testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Student Health Services can be reached by visiting https://shs.gmu.edu or calling 703-993-2831.

Seek Out Support:

Contact someone you trust such as a friend, a family member, a faculty member, or another resource.

The Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) has confidential advocates who can work with you 1/1 to talk about all of the resources and options available to you and to discuss sources of support. To get connected with an advocate with SSAC, please call us at 703-993-3686, email at ssac@gmu.edu, or submit an online referral to be connected to a member of our staff.

Also, some students find that seeking out counseling is helpful in healing and processing the traumatic incident. To reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), visit caps.gmu.edu or call 703-993-2380.

If you would like to speak to an advocate immediately, call the Fairfax County Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 703-360-7273 to be connected to a hotline advocate with Fairfax County Domestic and Sexual Violence Services.

Know that you can also report the incident to the University by contacting Title IX in Compliance Diversity and Ethics (CDE). To reach Title IX in CDE, visit https://diversity.gmu.edu/sexual-misconduct or call 703-993-8730. CDE can also assist with exploring your options, providing support and interim measures, and connecting you to resources.

Regardless of when the incident took place, you have access to resources and options.

Students may want to meet with an advocate to explore resources and options and to be supported as they navigate their journey of healing.

Resources

The Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) has confidential advocates who can work with students one on one to talk about all of the resources and options available to them and to discuss sources of support. To get connected with an advocate with SSAC, call us at 703-993-3686, email at ssac@gmu.edu, or submit a self online referral to be connected to a member of our staff.

SSAC can assist you in exploring your options regarding:

    • Academic support
    • Campus and community reporting options
    • Emotional support
    • Financial needs
    • Housing options
    • Medical resources
    • Safety planning
    • Problem-solving around additional challenges and needs that arise

Trauma can have an impact on us long after we experience the incident and some people find it helpful to work with a counselor to process the incident(s) and to received support. To reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), visits caps.gmu.edu or call 703-993-2380.

Students may also want to consider the following resources: