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  1. Title IX
  2. Immediate Assistance Resources

Immediate Assistance Resources

Reporting

  1. The Title IX Office handles allegations of sexual misconduct. If you believe the incident you are reporting is a form of sexual misconduct, you may use our online incident report form or email TitleIX@Vanderbilt.edu. If you are not sure whether the incident is sexual misconduct, please contact the Title IX Office by phone (615-343-9004) or email for assistance.
  1. Reporting an allegation of sexual misconduct is your choice. You may submit an incident report directly to the Title IX Office. You may speak with a faculty or staff member, who will then submit an incident report on your behalf. You may speak with a confidential resource, who is not required to disclose sexual misconduct (see question 4 below). Finally, if you are seeking a criminal process instead of a Vanderbilt process, you may report to local law enforcement. See Section XI of the SMP for more information on reporting.
  1. If you are a Mandatory Reporter (see Section X of the SMP), you are required to immediately disclose the incident of Sexual Misconduct, including all details you know, to the Title IX Office. If you are not a Mandatory Reporter, it is your decision as to whether you report. If you would like to submit an incident report, please use our online reporting form.
  1. Confidential resources are those who will not disclose your experience to the Title IX Office without your permission. At Vanderbilt, these resources include the UCC and Employee Assistance Program. To see a complete list, please view the Resources webpage for a list of all confidential and non-confidential resources.
  2. The Project Safe Center is a limited confidential resource on campus available to all members of the Vanderbilt community. Project Safe will not disclose your personal information without your permission, though they may share the general details of what you experienced to the Title IX Office.
  3. Link to our Resources webpage
  1. Mandatory Reporters cannot submit an anonymous report to the Title IX Office (see question 6 below). All other individuals can make an anonymous incident report of sexual misconduct using our online reporting form. Vanderbilt’s ability to respond and investigate an anonymous incident report may be limited with respect to the collection of evidence and provision of supportive measures.
  1. Vanderbilt defines all faculty and staff as Mandatory Reporters with the narrow exception of confidential and limited confidential resources (see question 4 above, and Section VIII of the SMP). All Mandatory Reporters are required to report to the Title IX Office any knowledge they have regarding possible violations of the Sexual Misconduct Policy. This includes but is not limited to the names of involved individuals, the nature of the incident, and the time and location of the incident. Mandatory Reporters are encouraged to use the online reporting form.

Safety

  1. People who have experienced sexual misconduct may have concerns about their physical and emotional safety. The VUPD Campus Service Officers is available to aid students through programs like VandyRide. Link to more information about the VU CSO program.
  2. In the event of an emergency, please contact your local law enforcement agency
  3. Find more VUPD info at this link
  1. Supportive measures are available to all members of the Vanderbilt community affected by sexual misconduct. The Title IX Office works with community members to determine what their needs are and help implement those resources. Please see the supportive measures webpage and contact the Title IX Office for more information.

Title IX Process

  1. A Title IX Office staff member will contact you to schedule an informational meeting where more details about the process and supportive measures will be shared with you. If you have any questions, please email TitleIX@Vanderbilt.edu.
  1. The Title IX process aims to equitably resolve allegations of sexual misconduct for both parties. To assure fairness, there is a defined process used for every case, which generally includes an informational meeting, an investigation stage, a hearing stage, and a determination regarding responsibility including sanctions, as appropriate. Please see the Process Timelines webpage for a walk through of each step in the process. Contact TitleIX@Vanderbilt.edu with any additional questions.
  1. We will not notify the person you are reporting, until you have signed a Formal Complaint requesting that we begin the formal investigation process. The initial incident report form is not a Formal Complaint and will not cause the reported person to be notified or cause an investigation to begin.

Preserving Evidence

  1. To help preserve evidence, we advise you not to change clothes or bedding, take a shower, douche, or clean up until evidence has been collected by the police or SANE. Evidence may still be available even after you have changed clothes or cleaned up/showered. You should leave clothes or bedding that may contain evidence unfolded and undisturbed, if possible. If you must move clothing or bedding, you should keep each item separate to prevent transfer of bodily fluids or other trace evidence.
  2. Also retain any potentially relevant video, audio, photographs, text messages, messages through other social media applications or outlets (e.g., Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tinder, Grindr, etc.), emails, voicemails, written notes, or any other media, including hard-copy documents.
  3. While the types of evidence listed above are helpful, the lack of this evidence does not prevent the Title IX Office from investigating a Formal Complaint.
  1. Vanderbilt University Medical Center has SANE’s available for all members of the community. There are no fees or charges for individuals requesting an exam by a SANE. Info for VU SANE
  2. The Sexual Assault Center ("SAC") is a local resource for all members of the Nashville community to receive support following sexual misconduct. The SAC is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can provide free transportation to and from the center. Info for SAC and free transport. Link to Sexual Assault Center website
  1. A SAFE is designed to document available evidence following a sexual assault. SAFEs are conducted by specialized nurses known as SANEs. Nothing will happen during the exam without your consent, which you can withdraw at any point during the exam. The exam begins with an interview about your medical history and what happened during the assault. A variety of samples will then be taken, potentially including blood, urine, and swabs from your body. Photographs may be taken to document any visible injuries. The exam usually takes two hours to complete. Link to VUMC page on SAFE exams