Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

Sexual Assault Response and Educational Policy: It is the goal of the University to prevent sexual assaults from occurring if possible and to provide a response which will limit the potential emotional damage to the victim.

The University of South Alabama encourages any victim of sexual assault to report the assault to the University Police. The police will assist the victim with obtaining emergency medical care and crisis counseling. The University Police Department conducts investigations involving sexual assaults on campus and coordinates efforts between assisting agencies and the District Attorney's Office for Mobile or Baldwin Counties. The University Police will also assist a victim of an off campus assault make contact with the appropriate police agency. The police will also notify, at the victim's request, the University's Victim Advocate. The Victim's Advocate will respond and begin assisting the victim as needed. The Victim's Advocate will assist, if requested to do so, with making request for change of on campus living arrangements and class schedules. In instances of sexual assault, the University will work with victims to grant request for changes in living arrangements if it is reasonably available. University Police officials and Victim's Advocate volunteers will assist the victim throughout the process regardless of victims wishes for adjudication. University Police will also provide victims of sexual assault with victim's rights information as required by Alabama law.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness: Various means of educating the campus community is undertaken in an effort to prevent sexual assaults. University faculty and staff are provided opportunities to participate in training programs conducted by University Police and other campus organizations each year. Students who reside on and off campus are afforded several opportunities throughout the academic year to participate in various types sexual assault prevention and awareness programs. In addition to programs made available through the University Police Department, Student Health Center, Peer Sex Educators, Counseling Services, Housing, Residence Life, Jaguar Productions, Greek Affairs also participate by conducting Health fairs, workshops, arrange for speakers and conduct student panel forums in an effort to promote awareness and assault prevention.

Criminal and Administrative Proceedings: In most instances, the wishes of the victim will determine the pursuit of criminal and or administrative proceedings.

Criminal Proceedings: The University Police Department will submit cases involving sexual assault to the Mobile County or Baldwin County District Attorney's office for review and consideration for presentation to Criminal Court and or the Grand Jury. The District Attorney's office has available to a victim of assault a victim's advocate who is trained in assisting the victim with the legal processes.

Administrative Proceedings: At the request of a sexual assault victim, the University Police Department will submit cases of sexual assaults involving a student as the alleged perpetrator to the Dean of Students for consideration for University's Disciplinary Committee (UDC) proceedings. The "Bill of Victim's Rights" as published in the "LowDown" ensures the victim has the right to be present during hearings, right to present evidence, right to have and advisor present, right to question witnesses, the right to discover outcome of disciplinary proceedings and the right to appeal the UDC's decision. Sanctions that may be imposed following a finding that a student has committed prohibited conduct will be determined by the Dean of Students or the Judicial Affairs Officer. Possible sanctions include but are not limited to: