It can be really difficult for someone to share they've been sexually assaulted, abused, or experienced harm. It can also be difficult to know how to respond, if you've never dealt with this before. The Sexual Assault Prevention Committee (SAPC) has created a short set of Google slides that provide additional information on supporting survivors and fulfilling your responsibility as an employee. Read on for some best practices for implementing your duty to report. The full document is linked here.

Inform Students of Your Role

First and foremost, disclose your reporting responsibilities as an employee of Cal Poly Humboldt, ideally before they disclose an incident that you must report. Some recommendations include:

• post a copy of the Title IX Door Flyer on your office door
• Digital Version with Links
• Printable Version
• include a statement in your syllabus and on your Canvas course page
• some examples to get you started

When necessary, interrupt students to inform them of your role. This can be awkward and feel insensitive, however, it is much more difficult to tell someone who wants confidentiality that you now must share their information with the Title IX Coordinator. Practicing this ahead of time will help you feel more comfortable in case the situation arises.

When a Student Chooses to Disclose

Remember your role

You are not a counselor or an investigator; you are a bridge to other resources, such as the Title IX Coordinator and the Campus Advocate Team

Keep the survivor's needs and feelings at the center of the process

• Listen respectfully and support the student
• Let the survivor know you care
• Don't overly express your own feelings
• Acknowledge your non-verbal expressions, when appropriate
• Don't define their experience for them
• Use the words the survivor uses to describe their experience
• Validate what happened to them was not okay

Establish clear boundaries to be a bridge to resources and support

Consider what support you can offer, such as adjusting deadlines on assignments or rearranging work schedules. Refer them to other campus or community resources for what is needed beyond your role.

Keep information private

If you need to talk about the impact on you of hearing about a student’s trauma, please call the Campus
Advocate Team or CAPS for support, rather than speaking to colleagues.

If a Student Discloses Committing an Act of Violence

File a report with our office. Do not let the student know you are reporting this information, as this could interfere with the investigation and/or could result in retaliaion.

Resources Linked Above:

• Best Practices for Implementing Title IX
• Campus Employee Reporting Obligations
• Short Google Slides - "Supporting Survivors and Fulfilling your Responsibility as an Employee"
• Syllabus Statement Examples
• Title IX Door Flyers for your office (Digital, Printable)

Additional Resources:

• Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Support Groups
• Know Your IX Friends and Family Resources
• Myths and Facts about Sexual Misconduct
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Support Others
• No More: Supporting Survivors
• OneLove: Help someone who may be in an abusive relationship
• OneLove: Help someone who may be abusing their partner
• Safer Campus Survey Results - please note that this report contains explicit descriptions of violence
• 2012
• 2020