Staff Name _____________ Date____________
Residence Hall Address _________________

Instructions: the RA, Residence Hall Coordinator and Resident Faculty Leader working with the student reporting an assault should initial each item in the protocol he or she completed. Please refer to attached discussion for additional information about each step. When this form is completed it should be forwarded to the Associate Dean for Residential Education who will in turn forward the original to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator with a copy of the Incident Survey Form.

____1. The RA will inform the reporting student of the RA’s obligation to share information with his or her superior immediately. RAs are required to keep this information as confidential other than what is shared on a need to know basis.

____2. The RA will immediately contact the Residence Hall Coordinator or Resident Faculty Leader to file an Incident Survey Form.

____3 The RA should encourage the student to speak with the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (293-1377) for support in understanding, evaluating, and choosing among the services available and will offer to facilitate such a meeting.

____4. The RA will provide immediate support and short-term problem solving. The primary goal will be to help the student secure needed professional services.

____5. Encourage the student to get medical care. Student Health Service (SHS) is available to students Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 PM. Any other times a student needing medical attention should go to the Emergency Room at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Student Health can offer the sexual assault victim a medical examination and consultation, testing for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), and follow-up as needed. If the student requests a sexual assault evidence collection (rape kit) , and if within 96 hours of the assault, Ruby Memorial Hospital Emergency Room or SHS will complete an evidence collection kit. SHS will pay the charges related to administering the kit.

____6. The Resident Assistant will report the allegations to his or her superior and the Department of Public Safety (296-3136).

____7. The RA will inform the student about counseling at Carruth Center (293-4431). Remind the student that all contacts with Carruth Center are voluntary and confidential.

___8. Ask the student if they have a safe place to go. If not the student can contact the Residence Hall Coordinator, Resident Faculty Leader or Student Life (293-5611).

____9. It is important that the student understand that WVU has a hearing process for dealing with incidents of sexual misconduct. Details of this process can be confidentially discussed with the Student Life Staff (293-5611) or the Associate Dean of Residential Education (293-4686). Student Life may initiate the disciplinary process on its own initiative.

____10. The Office of Social Justice (293-5496) is also available to all students. This office works to protect the rights of all students and is available for questions concerning those rights.

____11. The Campus Ministry Center will offer the student counseling support, crisis- intervention services, and spiritual care. All services are strictly voluntary. Appointments can be made at 292-4061 or 296-0650.

_____12. Residence Hall Coordinators and Resident Faculty Leaders receiving Protocol Checklists from RA's should turn them in to the Associate Dean for Residential Education, who in turn should keep a copy on file and forward the original to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.

_____13. Refer media/press inquiries to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator or Student Affairs. This will insure accuracy and consistency.

Your Role as a Victim Contact...

You are a member of a web-like network of trained contacts that includes caring people from Campus Ministries, Carruth Center, Student Health Service, WVU Police Department, Student Life, Student Organizations, Office of Social Justice, Residential Education, Morgantown Police Department and Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center. Each contact is prepared to offer services to the student and advise concerning other contacts and their services.

The successful contact-victim interaction is one in which the contact has shared information concerning services available to them and the victim feels free to make a choice as to what, if anything should happen next. A good contact person will listen objectively and not blame the victim. Self-blame is common. The victim needs your support, guidance and understanding. Assure them that it was not their fault.

Confidentiality is a very important issue. Discuss the limits to confidentiality prior to discussing the details of a sexual assault. Under no circumstances should the individual be given the impression that the fact that a sexual assault occurred will remain with you. Explain to the victim that basic information about the incident will be shared with the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. The Coordinator will share the information with those individuals who are on “need to know basis”, including the WVU Police Department. Individuals should discuss the type of information to be released and should obtain a signature regarding the release information and /or have the person sign the bottom of the protocol checklist Only the student’s birth month and day are used as identification. A victim born on February 13th will receive the incident number 132. The victim also needs to be told that you are bound as a WVU employee to share that accusation with Office of Social Justice and WVU Police Department. Sharing this information with the victim will help him/her stay in control of their case.

The victim of sexual assault may be in shock when you speak with them. They may have trouble staying focused on your instructions. Be patient, speak slowly, and repeat information as necessary. Provide handouts to the victim whenever possible.

Additional information for completing the Incident Checklist:

1. Because of the profound impact that sexual assault has on the student and the residence hall community, Resident Assistants (RAs) may not be able to keep knowledge of a sexual assault confidential. RAs are required to report the information to their supervisors, and are required to share information with administrators or the WVU Police Department (293-3136) on a “need to know” basis.
   
   
2. The RA will immediately contact the Residence Hall Coordinator or Resident Faculty Leader to file an anonymous Incident Survey Form.
   
   
3. The RA should encourage the student to speak with the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (293-1377) for support in understanding, evaluating, and choosing among the services available and will offer to facilitate such a meeting. The student should be helped to understand that their conversation with the Coordinator is voluntary and confidential, although the Coordinator may share information with the campus administration and the WVU Police Department.
   
   
4. The RA will provide immediate support and short-term problem-solving. The primary goal will be to help the student secure needed professional services. The RA does not need to provide ongoing peer counseling, but will touch base with the victim as needed.
   
   
5. Encourage the student to get medical care. Student Health Service (SHS) is available to students Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 PM. Any other times a student needing medical attention should go to the Emergency Room at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Student Health can offer the sexual assault victim a medical examination and consultation, testing for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), and follow-up as needed. If the student requests a sexual assault evidence collection (rape kit) , and if within 96 hours of the assault, Ruby Memorial Hospital Emergency Room or SHS will complete an evidence collection kit. SHS will pay the charges related to administering the kit. The evidence is given to the appropriate law enforcement agency. While in the ER the local crisis shelter, Rape and Domestic Violence and Information Center RDVIC will offer counseling and support to the victim at no cost. The victim may have a support person with them at anytime. The services are voluntary and any procedure can be terminated at any time.
   
   
6. If the allegations are of off-campus activity, the RA should encourage the student to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency to make a report. If the allegations are of on-campus activity, inform the student that you are obligated to the WVU Police Department (293-3136).
   
   
7. Residential Education Staff will inform the student about counseling at Carruth Center (293-4431). Remind the student that all contacts with Carruth Center are voluntary and confidential (except for the filing of an anonymous Incident Survey Form with the Coordinator).
   
   
8. Ask the student if they have a safe place to go. If the student does not have a safe place to go he/she can contact the Residence Hall Coordinator, Resident Faculty Leader or Student Life (293-5611) for emergency safe housing.
   
   
9. It is important that the student understand that WVU has a hearing process for dealing with incidents of sexual misconduct. Details of this process can be confidentially discussed with Student Life Staff (293-5611) or the Associate Dean of Residential Education. Student Life may initiate the disciplinary process on its own initiative. The Student Life staff can offer other services to the student including but not limited to; possible changes in living arrangements for safety reasons and managing academic needs.
   
   
10. The Office of Social Justice (293-5496) is also available to all students. This office works to protect the rights of all students and is available for questions concerning those rights.
    
    
11. The Campus Ministry Center will offer the student counseling support, crisis- intervention services, and spiritual care. All services are strictly voluntary. Immediate appointments can be arranged by calling 292-4061 or 296-0650 .
    
    
12. Residence Hall Coordinators and Resident Faculty Leaders receiving Protocol Checklists from RAs should turn them in to the Associate Dean of Residential Education, who in turn should keep a copy on file and forward the original to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.