UI Police announce sexual assault response guarantee

In coordination with Sexual Assault Awareness month, the UI Police Department has developed a sexual assault response guarantee for survivors.

The guarantee is designed to ensure that all survivors who report sexual assault to UI police understand the reporting process, all available options, and how to remain in touch with police throughout the subsequent investigation process.

Though UI police have always had these policies in place, Dave Visin, interim director of UI public safety, says the guarantee is being posted now to ensure survivors, and friends looking to assist survivors, have as much information available as possible when determining their next course of action.

“We are always trying to improve our response to sexual assault and the information victim/survivors need to effectively consider their options,” says Visin. “The University of Iowa, through its participation in the Violence Against Women Campus Grant, are always looking to increase offender accountability and victim-survivor safety. This is just one part of that initiative.”

The sexual assault response guarantee, which is posted on the UI police website, reads as follows:

Sexual assaults, including non-stranger sexual assault, are a very serious concern of the university. If you feel you are the victim of a sexual assault on campus, your University of Iowa Police Division will guarantee you the following:

1. We will meet with you privately, at a place of your choice in this area, to take a police report.
2. We will not release your name to the public or to the media, except as provided by law. If your name is requested to be released, we will attempt to notify you prior to its release so you can exercise your rights under law.
3. Our officers will not prejudge you, and you will not be blamed for what occurred.
4. We will treat you and your particular case with courtesy, sensitivity, dignity, understanding, and professionalism.
5. If you feel more comfortable talking with a female or male officer, we will do our best to accommodate your request.
6. We will assist you in arranging for any hospital treatment or other medical needs.
7. With your permission, we will assist you in contacting counseling and advocacy services, in addition to other available resources that will continue to provide you with additional support throughout the investigation.
8. We will fully investigate your case. You will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the investigation. Each investigation is forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review, with your input taken into consideration as to the best possible outcome.
9. We will continue to be available for you, to answer your questions, to explain the systems and processes involved (prosecutor’s office, court proceedings, university investigation), and to be a listening ear if you wish.
10. We will consider your case seriously regardless of your gender or sexual orientation, and regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the suspect.
11. It is our policy not to pursue alcohol or drug charges on survivors who chose to report sexual assaults.

If we fail to achieve any part of the above guarantee, the Director of Public Safety, David Visin, will meet with you personally to address any problems. The University of Iowa Police want to continue to make the campus safe for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

The only person responsible for sexual misconduct is the perpetrator. It is a violation of university policy to engage in sexual activities without affirmative consent from your partner. Someone incapacitated due to alcohol or drugs cannot consent to sexual activity. This is reflected in university policy: dos.uiowa.edu/assistance/consent. A university student or employee in violation of sexual misconduct policies faces sanctions up to and including expulsion or termination.

If you feel you are the victim of a sexual assault, call the Rape Victim Advocacy Program at 319-335 6001 or 1-800-228-1625. It is a confidential resource and recommended for victims and survivors of sexual assault. To file a police report, or to get more information about filing a police report, feel free to contact the University of Iowa Police at 319-335-5022, and say you want to like information on reporting a sexual assault. Both numbers are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.