Offer Support
If it is an emergency, dial 911 immediately!
Whether you’re a friend, parent, partner, faculty, or staff, offering support to someone involved in sexual violence, relationship violence, or stalking may be one of the hardest and best things you’ll ever do. During this difficult time, Stockton is committed to supporting you.
Find information and resources to best support others and yourself.
Friends and family members of survivors of sexual violence often want to help a survivor through her or his experience but don’t know how. The resources below provide advice for friends and family about how to provide support without unintentionally increasing the stress that survivors experience, or otherwise doing harm.
This 23-page guide from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape contains a general overview of sexual violence. It includes some tips on communication, the common questions and concerns, the long-term effects, and how significant others can be affected.
A Guide for Friends and Family of Sexual Violence Survivors
In addition to the support a faculty or staff member may offer a survivor of sexual assault, most university employees, including student employees, are considered "responsible employees" under Title IX which requires employees to report any information they might have regarding a Title IX violation to the university.)
All members of the Stockton community are encouraged to be aware of what is happening around them, and:
- Be willing to intervene or take action; don’t assume someone else will report it. Students can take direct action and personally intervene if they feel it is safe to do so, or take passive action—tell someone, call for help or report what you see. Contact Stockton Police at 609-652-4390 or file a report on the tip line.
- Know how to help—know who to call and attend bystander intervention training to learn skills that could help. Women's Gender & Sexuality Center (WGSC).
All students are entitled to certain rights throughout the fact-finding investigation and conduct process.
If you are a respondent in a complaint of sexual misconduct, you may have an advisor of your choice to assist you during the fact-finding process and hearing process.
There is a difference between confidential and non-confidential, so please choose carefully, especially if you are not sure whether you want to report your case to the authorities at this time.
