As a UNCW faculty or staff member, you may be concerned about your own or a student’s safety. Even though ours is a safe, secure campus, the threat or experience of violence can occur anywhere. Recent data regarding violence indicates:
- At least 1 in 5 college women has been the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault.
- Of women who are assaulted, more than 8 in 10 knew their assailants.
- In the United States, 5 in 100 women and 1 in 100 men reported at last one stalking incident that resulted in a high level of fear during the past year.
- 4 of 10 stalking incidents occur at the end of a relationship.
- More than 1 in 5 women in the United States reported being assaulted by a partner during their lifetime.
- Incidents of women assaulting partners have increased, with 1 in 14 partners reporting an assault by a woman.
UNCW has created a comprehensive violence prevention and education response, led by several offices on campus, including the University Police, CARE: Collaboration for Assault Response & Education, and the Office of the Dean of Students. These offices work closely with Student Heath Services, Housing and Residence Life, the Counseling Center and off-campus agencies, including Rape Crisis Center and Domestic Violence Services.
CARE: Collaboration for Assault Response & Education works confidentially with students who may need information and support after experiencing assault or attempted assault, relationship abuse or stalking. We collaborate with the University Police and other offices in a confidential manner.
The CARE office recognizes the importance of faculty and staff relationships with students. If a student discloses a violence-related concern to you, it is important that the information disclosed not be kept confidential. Rather, the student should be referred to an appropriate office which can support them in reporting the violence, or can use UNCW’s anonymous notification procedures to inform the University of the assault without identifying the student. The following guidelines may be helpful:
Do’s:
- Do provide information about how to connect with CARE by calling 962-CARE. The CARE responder may also be contacted 24/7@512-4821.
- Do help the student to contact University Police if they desire to do so @962-2222 or 911(EMR.)
- Do allow the student to make their own decisions about how to proceed.
- Do get information and support for yourself as a helper, (especially if the student does not want to talk to anyone else) by calling 962-CARE.
Don’ts:
- Don’t ask for details. Good intentions may be experienced as intrusion.
- Don’t tell students what they “should” or “must” do.
- Don’t make statements or ask questions that unintentionally imply victim-blaming (“How much were you drinking?”)
- Don’t make judgments about the student’s reactions or behaviors. It is normal for people to respond to a traumatic experience in a wide variety of ways.
Remember that the sooner you refer a student to CARE or other campus resources, the more effective and easier the referral process will be.
University Employee Responsibilities
It is not your responsibility to determine whether an assault actually occurred or to confront alleged perpetrators. Always refer students who report possible sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking to the CARE office and/or the University Police for additional information and support. To refer a student does not mean that the student will be required to pursue any legal or judicial action.
There are designated university employees who are required by law (Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990) to notify University Police that a sexual assault has been reported to them. This is an Anonymous Notification that an incident has occurred; it is not an official report and does not name the reporting victim. These required-to-report employees are those from the following offices: University Police, Dean of Students, Campus Recreation, University Union and Athletics.
Other faculty and staff are encouraged to share information regarding violent or criminal activity that may assist University Police in maintaining community safety. This can be accomplished while maintaining the anonymity of the person who alleged an assault or other crime. For example, the Student Health Services and the Counseling Center, while not required by law to use the anonymous notification, typically will do so with student consent.
Sexual Harassment
In contrast, when sexual harassment is alleged, all faculty and staff are required to report. If the alleged harasser is an employee, this must be reported to the Human Resources office. Cases in which a faculty or staff member is notified of possible sexual harassment by a student require a report to the Office of the Dean of Students.
The following summarizes faculty and staff responsibilities:
Anonymous notification of sexual assault to University Police is required from:
University Police
Dean of Students
Campus Recreation
University Union
Athletics
Report to the Dean of Students of sexual harassment by a student is required from all faculty and staff.
Report to Human Resources of sexual harassment by an employee is required from all faculty and staff.
For more information regarding required notification or reporting contact University Police, Dean of Students or Human Resources, as appropriate.
When a student or fellow faculty member discloses sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking, referral to the CARE office for information, support, crisis response or referral, as appropriate, is always a recommended option. Remember that CARE can also help you effect a referral to CARE, even when the one who discloses may be understandably reluctant to talk to another person.
The CARE office will support faculty and staff to in their roles as student mentors, and will help to clarify appropriate responses to students who need assistance. If you are unsure of the appropriate contact, CARE can help with connection and use of the many on-and off-campus resources.
UNIVERSITY RESOURCES
University Police Department 962-2222 or 911(EMR)
CARE 962-CARE or 512-4821
Office of the Dean of Students 962-3119
Student Health Services 962-3280
Housing and Residence Life 962-3241
Counseling Center 962-3746
Human Resources 962-3160
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Rape Crisis Center 392-7460 or 392-7408
Domestic Violence Services 343-0703
Wilmington Police Department 343-3600 or 911 (EMR)
Sheriff’s Department 341-4200
New Hanover Medical Center 343-7000
Cape Fear Hospital 452-8100
The UNCW Police Department has trainings for faculty and staff specifically designed to instruct you in ways in which the University Police will respond and protect the campus community in instances requiring rapid response. All staff and faculty are strongly encouraged to attend these safety trainings.
For more information regarding faculty/staff resources for you and for the students you work with, please go to: www.uncw.edu/care or www.uncw.edu/safe-relate.
