Support Services for Victims of Rape & Assault

What to Do if You are Assaulted

Rape and Sexual Assault Emergency Contact Information

If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, please contact 24-hours a day/7 days a week:

If the assault occurred recently:

  • Get to a safe place.
  • Avoid washing, douching, brushing your teeth, or changing your clothes. While this may be difficult, preserving any evidence is important in the event that you decide to report the assault to the police.
  • Call someone. No matter how late it is, you should not be alone, and there are many people at the University who can help and support you. Call a friend, your rector, assistant rector or RA, Notre Dame Security (574-631-5555), the University Counseling Center (574-631-7336), or University Health Services (574-631-7497). Or, if you prefer to speak to someone off campus, call the 24-hour S-O-S hotline at 289-HELP.
  • Seek medical attention at the Emergency Room of either St. Joseph Regional Medical Center (574-237-7264) or Memorial Hospital (574-647-1000) in South Bend, where the staffs are specially trained and equipped to handle cases of sexual assault. All tests and procedures are free of charge to the victim; insurance will not be billed. University Health Services can assist you by arranging transportation and can provide confidential and professional follow-up medical care.
  • Consider reporting the assault. You may report the assault to the University or to local police. Going to the hospital to seek medical attention does not obligate you to report the crime.

It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, ideally within 96 hours of the sexual assault. By law, Emergency Room staff must contact the police when they treat sexual assault victims. The police will ask you if you’d like to file a report, but this is your decision. You do not need to speak to the police if you do not wish to do so. Filing a report does not obligate you to follow through with pressing charges. Also, an anonymous exam may be performed, and evidence collected will be held for a 90-day period, giving you time to decide whether or not to file a police report. After 90 days, all evidence will be destroyed.

If more than 96 hours have passed since the assault:

Seek medical attention to address any injuries or symptoms related to the assault. University Health Health Services can provide confidential and professional medical care and/or make an appropriate referral to a local physician.

Consider seeking confidential counseling and/or pastoral support, either through the University’s Counseling Center (574-631-7336) or Campus Ministry (574-631-7800).

Consider contacting the University’s Victim’s Resource Person, Ava Preacher (574-631-7728), to receive academic or administrative assistance, to learn about your options with regard to pursuing campus judicial processes, or for assistance in reporting the assault to the local police.

Remember, the sexual assault was not your fault, and you are not alone.