What to do if you have been assaulted

• Go to a safe place. Your RA’s room, a friend’s room, URI police department or any open offices on campus.
• Call someone you trust. A friend, family member or VPAS are all good resources. You do not have to go through this alone.
• Preserve evidence. After sexual violence, you are able to have a no-cost sexual assault forensic exam within 96 hours of the assault. You do not need to make a formal report or press charges to have a sexual assault forensic exam. Save the clothes you were wearing (unwashed) in a paper or cloth bag. After sexual violence, relationship violence, and/or stalking, take photos of any damage or injury and keep communication records (i.e. texts, emails, letters).

Within 24 hours

• Seek out support. You may want to turn to a VPAS or any of the on or off campus resources (hyperlink to box of resources)  for support and information. They will talk with you about your options for additional support services and reporting.
• After unwanted physical contact, get medical care. A medical provider can check and treat you for physical injury, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy. URI Health Services offers confidential medical care at no cost to URI students following a sexual assualt.

At any time

• Consider making a formal report. You are encouraged to report what happened to both the police and Title IX. Keep in mind that Title IX is a University office and there are differences between reporting to Title IX and filing criminal charges with the police. You can decide how much you would like to participate in any investigation process.

You do not need to make a formal report or press charges to receive help from URI. VPAS can offer assistance with the following resources:

• support
• connecting students with appropriate service (medical, counseling, and legal)
• providing information about the reporting procedures, both on and off campus 
• assistance with securing legal restraining orders, on-campus no contact orders
• coordinate academic accommodations (enrolling in different courses, extensions on assignments, etc.) and housing  accommodations (moving to a different residence hall or off-campus)

if you have been accused