Sexual Assault Information & Resources

Reporting Options/Confidentiality

What happens if I report a sexual assault to campus authorities?
When you report an incident of sexual assault, the first concern of any staff person will be to ensure that your physical and emotional needs are met. Depending upon your situation, we may recommend that you get medical care and/or speak with a counselor. If you choose to access these services, a staff member can accompany you.

You may report a sexual assault to Public Safety in the following ways:

Anonymous Report:
You may anonymously report a sexual assault to Public Safety. Public Safety will then be able to review your rights and options which will aid in the decision to file a formal complaint or not. A police investigation of the assault will not be conducted if you file an anonymous report. This does not preclude you from choosing to file a formal complaint at a later date.

Formal Complaint:
You may file a formal complaint with Public Safety. In this instance, a Rape Investigator from the Boston Police Department will be contacted to meet with you. The Simmons College Public Safety Officer will write a brief, confidential report.

Questions about Confidentiality:
We take your confidentiality very seriously and understand that reporting a sexual assault can be very difficult. Because of this, we will work to ensure that only those staff that can be most helpful to you will be informed. Above all, it is important that you feel comfortable with the process and that you have as much control as possible over what happens.

In instances when there is a risk of imminent harm to the victim or other members of the Simmons community, the College has a legal and ethical responsibility to do whatever is necessary to safeguard the community. Any and all actions taken by the College staff, including the release of a possible warning to the community, will be designed to protect the victim’s anonymity.

Parental Notification:
If you are eighteen years of age or older, your parents will not be contacted without your consent. In all instances, the College will work with you to communicate with and involve parents as desired/needed. Exceptions to this practice may be made in life-threatening circumstances or if the student is hospitalized due to serious injuries sustained from an assault.