If you have been sexually assaulted, Stanford encourages you to make a report both to the University and to local law enforcement. If you need help in understanding your options, that help is available, too.
Understanding Your Options
Information about reporting an incident to police and to the University is below. You may have questions about these processes and the options available to you -- and if so, Stanford wants to help.
Contact one of Stanford's confidential counselors or the YWCA Stanford Rape Crisis Hotline for anonymous assistance. More information is available on the Getting Help page.
Reporting to Police
The Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) is a multi-service agency providing law enforcement, security, safety, crime prevention and emergency services on campus. The department is staffed by sworn peace officers trained to investigate allegations of sexual assault. If you have an emergency, call 911, or 9-911 from a campus telephone. During normal business hours, the department can be reached at (650) 723-9633.
Any police investigation of a sexual offense that occurs within the jurisdiction of the department will be forwarded to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, which is responsible for prosecution. An individual who has suffered a sexual assault may elect to have a case investigated by the police and/or by the University through the University's processes (see next section). A criminal investigation is separate from Stanford's own internal investigative processes, and the two distinct processes may proceed simultaneously.
If you have experienced a sexual assault, you are encouraged to request collection of medical/legal evidence. The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is the dedicated facility in Santa Clara County for providing evidence collection and has specially trained staff to do so. Stanford Police will provide students with transportation to this medical center. Students also have the right to have a victim's advocate from the YWCA Rape Crisis Center support them through the process and to provide confidential and anonymous services throughout the medical, legal and administrative procedures.
Reporting to the University
Reports of incidents relating to student-involved sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence or stalking should be reported to Stanford's Title IX Office at 650-497-4955 or titleix@stanford.edu.
Whereas a law enforcement investigation seeks to determine if a crime has been committed, the University's processes seek to determine whether interim measures need to be provided for the impacted party; whether University policies have been violated; and, if so, what remedies, including discipline for the perpetrator, are appropriate. The University is required to promptly and equitably respond to all reports of sexual assault under Title IX, which prohibits discrimination in educational institutions based on sex or gender, including through sexual harassment and sexual assault.
A Stanford investigation of a report of sexual assault occurs whether an incident is under criminal investigation or not, and occurs even if a criminal investigation has terminated.
Stanford's new pilot process for investigating and adjudicating cases of prohibited sexual conduct is provided in its entirety here and is summarized here. The process, known as the Stanford Student Title IX Investigation and Hearing Process, takes effect as a pilot in February 2016.
