When an assault or violent interaction happens on-campus, the incident may be dealt with by campus officials before the police are involved. This can mean that victims of assault can feel concerned or worried that the incident that they unfortunately had to experience will not be taken care of appropriately.
As a student or prospective student, it is important that you understand how your college handles assault, fights and other complaints regarding campus-related crime. This is so that you are well-prepared for how the process functions if an incident does occur.
What are my options if I have been assaulted or am a victim of violence at university?
When you are a student on-campus and you are the victim of a violent assault, you have the choice of whether you want to make a report to the police, to the university campus or not at all.
The benefits of reporting to the university is that the records will be kept confidential, and there will be disciplinary actions rather than a lengthy legal procedure. However, going through the university process may mean that the offender may not be held to justice, and as a victim, you may be concerned that your complaint is not being treated seriously.
What are the markers of a university that takes campus crimes seriously?
A university with high report rates of campus crimes and assault is likely to be one that takes appropriate action with complaints. It is a good idea to look at the reporting rates of your college over the last five years.
Considering what action to take after an assault can be a difficult decision to make. However, understanding the likely consequences at your college is a good place to start.
Source: Nova Bucks, “Campus Crime,” accessed Feb. 22, 2018
