Procedures Survivors Should Follow

If you have been affected by dating violence, domestic violence, gender-based harassment, retaliation, sex discrimination, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or stalking, the procedures below may be helpful as you decide the next steps that are best for you.

 

Seek Medical Attention

Medical exams can address physical needs or trauma and assess for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or pregnancy. If you request it or if you have already reported the incident to a law enforcement official, a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) or doctor will conduct both a forensic and medical exam and collect evidence. Having a forensic exam conducted does not require you to file a police report, proceed through the criminal justice process, or submit a report to Collin College, but it will preserve evidence in the event you decide to do so at a later time. 

 

For evidence collection to take place, it is best for an exam to occur within five (5) days (i.e., 120 hours) of the incident. It is advised that you do not shower, bathe, douche, eat, drink, wash your hands, change your clothes, brush your teeth, smoke, use the toilet, clean the location where the incident occurred, or do anything that may interfere with the collection of evidence. If you do change your clothes, save the clothing you were wearing and be sure to take it with you to the hospital in a paper (not plastic) bag. It is also important to share as much information as you can remember with medical personnel. To learn more about the sexual assault exam process, visit RAINN's Getting a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) website.

 

Collin County has a mobile SANE program coordinated through The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center in partnership with local area hospitals and emergency departments. If you go to any hospital in Collin County, the staff can contact the mobile SANE team, and they will come to that hospital to assist you.

 

You can receive attention at any medical facility; however, the following local hospitals have specially-trained staff to assist survivors of prohibited conduct. Victims 17 years of age and under must be seen at a hospital with an approved colposcope. These hospitals are noted with an asterisk (*) below. Collin College does not provide transportation to any of these hospitals.

Report to Law Enforcement

For immediate notification to local law enforcement or in a life-threatening emergency, dial 911. 

 

Collin College encourages anyone who is the victim of or a witness to any crime to promptly and accurately report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement official(s) when the victim of a crime elects to, or is unable to, make such a report. Many complainants find law enforcement to be a great resource, and others choose not to report to law enforcement. We always encourage reporting, but only you can determine whether doing so is the right decision for you. Making a police report does not obligate you to file criminal charges, but it does create a record of the incident. The police report will include your name, the respondent’s name, witnesses’ names, and details of the incident.

 

It is important to note that the law enforcement agency you report to can vary depending on the specifics of your case and where the incident occurred. To report an incident that occurred on a Collin College campus or property owned or controlled by Collin College to the Collin College Police Department, call 972.578.5555 or dial extension 5555 from any campus phone.

 

If the incident occurred off campus, contact the appropriate police department in your home city and/or the city in which the incident occurred. Contact information for local law enforcement agencies is available on the Reporting Prohibited Conduct website.

 

If you need assistance with reporting to law enforcement, you can ask the medical professionals at the hospital if you received medical attention. Additionally, if you request assistance with reporting to law enforcement, a Collin College official will help you with the process.

 

Note: Victims have the right not to report a crime or to decline to notify authorities, including law enforcement, if they so choose.

 

Consider Counseling and Support Services

This is a difficult and stressful time, and you may need assistance now or in the future. Consider utilizing the following counseling and support services to help you process what happened and begin healing.

Keep a Journal

It may be helpful to keep a journal in which you write down everything you can remember about what occurred, including, but not limited to, the events that led up to the incident, date the incident occurred, time the incident occurred, and names of any potential witnesses or persons who may have additional information.

 

If applicable, keep any emails, harassing letters, online postings, photos, texts, voicemails, etc., as evidence.

 

Preserve Evidence

Collin College recognizes that making the decision to report dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking may take time. Nevertheless, pending the decision to report, all individuals are strongly encouraged to take immediate steps to preserve evidence that may assist in proving the alleged criminal offense occurred; be helpful in obtaining a protective order; or assist with an investigation by the police, Collin College, or both, should the victim choose to report the incident. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to, the following:

 

1. A forensic sexual assault examination completed within five (5) days (i.e., 120 hours) of the incident.
2. Any clothing, sheets, towels, or other materials containing bodily fluids. These items should be stored in cardboard boxes or paper bags, not plastic.
3. Electronic exchanges to the extent that they can be captured or preserved (e.g., emails; text messages; social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X [formerly Twitter], etc.).
4. Gifts and notes.
5. Photographs, including photographs stored on smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices.
6. Records of phone calls and voicemail messages.
7. Any other physical, documentary, or electronic data that might be helpful or relevant in an investigation.