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Seeking Help and Reporting Sexual Assault Seeking Help
If you have been a victim of unwanted sexual attention or activity we urge you to seek professional assistance immediately. The Colby Counseling and Health Centers provide confidential professional help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, members of the student affairs staff (deans, chaplains, and Campus Life staff) and Campus Security staff are always available to provide professional guidance, information about resources, and personal support regarding issues of sexual misconduct. Note: Detailed emergency response information about sexual assault is listed on the Colby website Confidential Support
Colby understands that a student who has been the victim of sexual misconduct may wish to talk about the incident with the assurance that the discussion will be confidential. There are several support resources that students may utilize on a confidential basis. These include:
Students are encouraged to consult these sources for confidential emotional support. Because these services are confidential, a discussion with any of these sources does not automatically result in a formal complaint being filed with the College or result in action being taken by the College to respond to the incident.*
It's also important to note that counselors are often the first 'witnesses" to a case and with the victim's consent, may be called as a witness to a disciplinary hearing. Reporting Sexual Assault The College encourages you to report incidents of sexual assault, harassment, or other sexual misconduct to the Dean of Students and/or the Colby Security. Reporting a sexual assault does not mean that a student must take an action. Decisions about what, if any, actions to pursue are made later. Filing a report preserves evidence and documents the incident to protect your rights.Students are also encouraged to explore the ways in which the matter can be addressed. Formal disciplinary action can be taken through Colby’s disciplinary process, the criminal justice system off campus, or both. The College also offers means for informal responses to instances of sexual misconduct. Colby can provide support and assistance in a variety of ways as you consider your options. These options can be explained by one of the deans, one of the counselors at the health center, by a volunteer victim advocate, and/or members of the Security staff. Students should know that any report of sexual assault, on or adjacent to Colby campus, made to a member of the dean’s office, faculty, volunteer victim advocates, coaching staff, hall staff, or security must, under Federal law be counted in the data the College publishes annually regarding campus crime statistics. Published crime statistics do not identify the parties. Members of the clergy, the Counseling Services staff, and the Health Services professionals are exempt from reporting. Incidents reported to the Office of the Dean of Students or Department of Security will result in immediate notification to the local police. In the interest of protecting the well-being of students and other members of the Colby community, the College will report details of the case, including the name of the victim, the person suspected of misconduct, and the names of persons with information. The local authorities will usually contact the victim in order to provide information regarding his or her rights. This meeting does not require nor will it automatically result in a formal investigation. The decision to file a formal report is made by the student and can be made at a later date. Please note that any delay in reporting the incident may hamper the investigation and prosecution of the case.In addition to notifying local authorities, the College may post a safety advisory in order to alert the Colby community that an incident has been reported. Reporting Sexual Harassment The equal employment opportunity officer is the primary resource to the Colby community for issues regarding harassment. The officer is available to formally investigate complaints and maintain appropriate records in accordance with the College document retention policy, review and recommend policies and procedures, conduct harassment prevention training, and convene the Harassment Advisory Group. The equal employment opportunity officer also is available informally for impartial advice or assistance regarding conflicts of a harassing nature. In addition to the equal employment opportunity officer and other sources of support (Office of the Dean of Students, residence hall staff, Counseling Services, chaplains, faculty members, coaches, the Dean of Faculty Office, supervisors, Human Resources), Colby College has established a Harassment Advisory Group (HAG). The group, all volunteers, is composed of two faculty members, four students, two administrators, two support-staff members, and one person with counseling training experience. The group strives to be broadly representative of the Colby community. Members of HAG will be available to assist a student, faculty member, or staff member who believes that he or she may have been the victim of harassment to serve as a confidential means by which to gather information and identify options for the individual. HAG also participates in the review of policies and procedures.The names and phone numbers of members of the Harassment Advisory Group are posted on bulletin boards around campus or can be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Students, the Dean of Faculty Office, Human Resources, the President’s Office, Security, or online at www.colby.edu/administration_cs/eeo/harassment-advisory-group.cfm |  |
Sexual Assault Policies |