Unwanted Sexual Experience

An Unwanted Sexual Experience is any sexual act committed against a person without their consent. Consent is a voluntary, communicated agreement between equal and unimpaired partners, without coercion. For our full consent definition, and more information, please visit our Sexual Violence Prevention page.

There is support at UB and in the community to help you as you decide what to do. Getting help does not mean you have to prosecute. Professionals trained in crisis intervention are available free to UB students and can help guide you through what services are available to help you choose what happens next.

• UB hosts a confidential On-Campus Advocate from Crisis Services who can help you explore your options, provide support, and assist with access to campus and community resources. To reach the Advocate, call or text 716-796-4399, or email campusadv1@crisisservices.org.
• UB is committed to providing options, resources, and support to ensure you can move forward as you choose. View the Sexual Violence Victim/Survivor Bill of Rights on the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) webpage. Staff in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, our Title IX office, or the Dean of Students Office can assist you with reviewing and understanding your options.
• Free counseling is available on campus through UB Counseling Services. Call 716-645-2720 to schedule an initial appointment or speak to a counselor on call, press 2 if after hours. Crisis Services is available for crisis response and referrals by calling 716-834-3131. Their hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

As you are considering your options, it is vital to remember:

• It is not your fault
• Your experience counts, don’t hesitate to reach out for support
• Every rape or sexual assault is different
• It doesn't matter what you did or did not do during the assault
• Healing from a sexual assault takes time
• It is never too late to get help, even if the assault happened years ago

You have the right to choose whom you tell. You may consider talking to a trusted friend or family member or to any of the university offices listed below. Your parents will not be called without your permission. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, the hospital may call your closest relative, but the nature of your injuries will not be disclosed.

You don't have to decide if you want to report what happened right away, but preserving the evidence helps if you decide to report at a later date. To help preserve evidence:

• Don't bathe or brush your teeth, drink, or smoke before evidence collection.
• If you have already changed your clothes, place them in a paper bag (NOT plastic) to preserve them.
• To collect evidence, ask the hospital to conduct a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (or SAFE). If you suspect that you may have been drugged, ask for a urine sample to be collected and try not to pee before the sample is collected.

If or when you are ready, you can report the assault to University Police 24 hours a day by calling 716- 645-2222, or completing the Sexual Assault Anonymous Reporting form.

Call 911 to report to your local Police. It is never too late to report. You won’t need to go to court unless you want to press criminal charges, and you don't have to make that decision right away. You can report to the Dean of Students Office or EDI. Staff in these offices can review campus and community options, resources, and support, including a campus student conduct process if that is appropriate. You can seek a court issued order of protection to keep the person who hurt you away. If you need a court issued order of protection, a report needs to be filed with the jurisdiction in which the assault occurred; the On-Campus Advocate from Crisis Services can assist with this. A campus no-contact order can be issued to direct no contact between students; staff in the Dean of Students Office or EDI can assist you with this.

You may have injuries that aren’t yet evident. Seek Medical Attention Immediately. Even if you have no physical injuries, immediate medical care is important to reduce risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. You do not have to file a report to seek medical attention. If you don't have transportation to the hospital, you can call University Police for assistance.

For HIV/STI, pregnancy, or injury concerns: You can go to any local emergency room in Erie County for emergency medical care, and/or evidence collection – a specialized nurse (SANE) and an Advocate will be called to help you. Efficacy for emergency contraception, HIV prophylaxis, and evidence collection is highest closest to point of exposure, and HIV prophylaxis needs to be started within 72 hours. The drug facilitated sexual assault kit can be collected within 96 hours, forensic evidence can be collected up to 120 hours, and both can be collected anonymously at your request. You can visit Student Health Services for HIV/STI testing 6-8 weeks post-exposure.

Emergency contraception (EC) is available without a prescription for $10 at Student Health Services and Health Promotion, or via vending machines located in the Student Union and Ellicott Complex Food Court on North Campus, in Clement Hall on South Campus, and at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on the Downtown Campus. Student Health Services can assist with access. EC is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy AFTER unprotected intercourse or the failure of other birth control methods that can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse.

Believe Them. Listen, be there, support them, and don't be judgmental.

Inform them of the options (see information above) and remember it’s their decision how to move forward.

Be patient. Remember, it takes time to process and time to heal. Let them know that professional help is available. Encourage them to contact a Crisis Services Advocate at 716-834-3131 or UB Counseling Services at 716-645-2720.

Get support for yourself, Counseling Services is also available to you.

If a friend has been sexually assaulted, it is not uncommon for them to experience:

• Shock
• Disbelief
• Anger
• Laughter/joking
• Irritability
• Denial
• Fear
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Helplessness
• Embarrassment
• Inability to concentrate or relax
• Disturbances in eating/sleeping

The health and safety of UB students is always the highest priority. UB recognizes that students who have been drinking and/or using drugs (whether such use is voluntary or involuntary) at the time a sexual violence incident occurs may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct.

UB strongly encourages students to report incidents of sexual violence to campus officials. A bystander reporting in good faith or a victim/survivor reporting sexual violence to UB officials or law enforcement will not be subject to campus conduct action for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies occurring at or near the time of the sexual violence. At a minimum, students/student organizations should make an anonymous report by calling University Police at 716-645 2222 that would immediately put the student in need in touch with professional helpers.