Sexual Assault Prevention and Advocacy
Statement of Commitment
Here at Rhode Island College, we are dedicated to protecting and serving our community. To preserve the safety of all students, faculty, and staff, we strictly adhere to our policies that do not tolerate any sexualized violence. This includes, but is not limited to, acts of sexualized violence, sexual harassment, gendered violence, cyber bullying (including harassment, as well as the distribution of content without consent), and stalking, as well as any other acts deemed sexual misconduct. To ensure the adherence to these policies, we hope to create a collaborative relationship in our community free of sexual violence. We have created this page in the hopes of facilitating such a relationship through education, resources, and support.
We are here to support you. For more information on support for students, please continue reading, or click here to access the Student Code of Conduct directly. For Faculty or Staff Members, please click here for information on our Illegal Harassment policy.
If You Need Immediate Assistance
Please know that you are not alone, and support is out there for you. If you are in crisis, please make sure you are in a safe place. Consider contacting someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or RA if on campus.
If you need help right away, please consider contacting the 24-hour helpline offered through Day One’s Sexual Assault and Trauma Center at 1-800-494-8100. Advocates provide confidential support, information, and advocacy over the phone, as well as in-person support at local hospitals and/or police stations for victims of sexualized violence, sexual exploitation, domestic violence and hate crimes.
RIC’s Counseling Center also offers free, confidential support during business hours Monday-Friday. To make an appointment, contact 401-456-8094.
After An Assault
Medical Assistance
For your own safety and health, please consider seeking immediate medical attention at the nearest hospital following sexualized violence or rape. It is important to treat or prevent sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), prevent pregnancy and collect evidence should you decide to take legal action in the future. It is completely up to you as to whether you want a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner to collect evidence. However, it’s important to know that if you choose to have evidence collected, you are not required to create a report. Any evidence gathered may be held for up to a year before the decision on a report is made.
Please know that all survivors are worthy of support and help, regardless of gender identity or sexuality. Women & Infants Hospital can be most helpful to women; Rhode Island Hospital also offers an emergency response for survivors of all genders. RIC Campus Police can arrange for transport from campus to the nearest medical facility. Call 401-456-8201, but please be aware that doing so initiates a report of the event. If you are unable to transport yourself, but would like to do so without involving a report, please contact 911 for emergency transportation.
You also can obtain medical attention from RIC Health Services, which can provide testing and treatment for STI’s and advice about pregnancy prevention. However, the staff cannot collect evidence to be used to press charges or perform time-sensitive screening for any drugs that may have been used to facilitate an act of violence.
Law Enforcement
Campus Police can help provide student safety and assist in filing an order of protection. They will also file a report that includes the names of the survivor and the alleged perpetrator. Contact them at 401-456-8201 only if you are ready to create a report of violence that occurred on campus. If you want to report an event that took place off campus, local police have jurisdiction. If you need support, campus police can also help you through the process of filing a police report with your local police department.
