Sexual Assault Resources

Cal Poly has many available resources if you have experienced a sexual assault or any other type of sexual abuse.  Whether the event(s) occurred before you were a student or since you have come to campus, we are here to help.  Please reach out to any of the following resources at any time:

 

Organization/Department	Services Offered	Who They Report To
Safer Campus Advocate  805-756-6081 Location: Building 27, Ground Floor Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm Schedule online Email: safer@calpoly.edu	CONFIDENTIAL state-certified rape crisis and domestic violence counselors/advocates Accompany to medical, legal, and Title IX appointments Referrals Assistance with reporting Assistance with academic accommodations, housing, leaves of absence, etc.	No one
Lumina Alliance (Previously RISE & Stand Strong) 805-545-8888 (24/7) Location: 51 Zaca Ln #100, SLO Email: contact@LuminaAlliance.org Website	•    24-Hour crisis services •    Free counseling/therapy •    Legal & advocacy services •    SART exams & restraining orders •    Shelter services •    Emergency and transitional housing •    Bilingual services	San Luis Obispo Police Department (only for SART exams)
Counseling Services 805-756-2511 (24/7; crisis line after hours) Counseling Services Email: counseling@calpoly.edu Location:  Building 27	•    Free counseling/therapy •    Workshops •    Outreach & consultations •    Referrals	No one
Student Ombuds (Patricia Ponce) 805-756-1380 OMBUDS Email: ombuds@calpoly.edu Location: Building 35, Room 113	•    Mitigations •    Discussion of other options/referrals on campus	Title IX Coordinator
Dean of Students Office 805-756-0327 Email: deanofstudents@calpoly.edu Dean Of Students Location: Building 52, Room E11	Discussion of options/referrals on campus Assistance with academic accommodations, housing, academic leaves of absence, etc.	Title IX Coordinator
Director of Equal Opportunity, Campus Title IX Coordinator (Maren Hufton)   805-756-6770 Email:  equalopportunity@calpoly.edu Equal Opportunities  Location: Building 33, Room 290	Report any sexual assault involving a member of the Cal Poly community (as student, staff, faculty) Discuss other options/referrals available	Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 805-756-1211 Email: health-counseling@calpoly.edu Cal Poly Health Services  Location: Building 27	STI screening/medical evaluation SART exams Medication (if necessary for sleep, anxiety, etc.)	Cal Poly PD (student does NOT have to talk to officer)
San Luis Obispo Public Health Department Suspected Abuse Response Team (SART) 805-781-4878 OR 4550 SLO County Health	SART exams  **Note: “Restricted” SART exams are available that do NOT involve any reporting/police**  STI testing and emergency contraception as needed	San Luis Obispo Police Department**
Cal Poly Police Department 805-756-2281 Cal Poly Police Location:  Building 36	File a report (have an officer who specializes in Sexual Assaults) *can request to remain confidential	Title IX Coordinator;      SLO Sheriff’s Department*

* Campus Security Authorities (including, but not limited to, campus police, individuals with responsibility for campus security, and officials responsible for student activities such as student housing, student discipline, campus judicial proceedings, and most staff members who work directly with students) are required to report cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking to Cal Poly PD, who in turn report these cases to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.  Students are not required to speak with officers.

 

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I EXPERIENCE SEXUAL ASSAULT, AN EPISODE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, OR STALKING?

1. Get to a safe place.  This can include going to your dorm room/apartment, a friend’s house, your car, the police station, a hospital/medical clinic, etc. 
2. Consider talking to someone you trust.  This can be a friend, roommate, resident assistant, instructor, counselor, or any of the resources listed here.
3. Consider getting medical attention (as applicable).  A medical provider can provide treatment for any physical injuries and can also provide emergency contraception and testing/treatment for STIs.  You can also consider requesting a SART exam.  These are forensic exams that are conducted by a trained medical professional for the purpose of providing medical care and collecting and preserving evidence of a sexual assault.  Even if you are unsure if you want to report the assault, getting a SART exam allows you to preserve evidence until you make this decision.  Due to the nature of evidence collection in these situations, exams must be performed within 3 days of the assault.  If you are considering a SART exam, avoid changing clothes, showering, washing, brushing your teeth, urinating, etc., as these activities can destroy evidence.  SART exams are provided free of charge at both Health Services and area hospitals.
4. Remember that the assault, episode of interpersonal violence, or stalking was not your fault.  It is common for people who experience these types of trauma to wonder what they could have done to prevent it, especially as this may give them the illusion of having some kind of control over it; however, it is important to keep in mind that the perpetrator is the one who choose to act in a violent way, and thus is the only one responsible for their actions.
5. Remember that your reactions to the trauma are understandable based on your individual experiences.  Speaking with a professional who is trained in the treatment of trauma can help to provide additional perspectives on why you are having specific reactions, especially if those reactions are confusing or upsetting.
6. Take time to take care of yourself.  It can be tempting to try to push the trauma out of your mind and pretend that it didn’t happen.  While it can be helpful to find ways of distracting yourself in the short term, it can become problematic if trying to avoid thinking about the trauma becomes your main coping mechanism.  Engage in activities that you enjoy or that make you feel better, even if for brief amounts of time.  This can include engaging in an enjoyable activity, getting coffee with a friend, etc.
7. Consider reaching out for professional psychological assistance.  Even when a survivor has friends and family who are supportive, talking with a professional who is trained in the treatment of trauma can help to facilitate healing.

 

HOW CAN I HELP PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT?

Contrary to what many people believe, sexual assault is not about sex.  It is about one person wanting to have power and control over another and can happen to anyone. 

 

Below are some tips that everyone can use:

1. Learn the facts about sexual violence.  Know that sexual violence does not only include rape, but also unwanted touching/grabbing/kissing, verbal harassment (e.g., “cat-calls”), photographing sex acts without the person’s permission (or sharing the photos without permission), etc.
2. Do or say something.  Speaking up shows that you think the issue of sexual violence is an important one to address, and that you are a safe person for survivors to talk to.  Doing nothing or remaining silent when sexual assault is discussed causes perpetrators to assume that you are complicit in their behavior, and survivors to assume that you either don’t believe them or think what happened to them “isn’t really a big deal.” 
3. Challenge sexist language.  Because language shapes perception and perception shapes how we act, changing language is a powerful tool to help change a culture that supports or is complicit with sexual violence.
4. Challenge traditional gender norms.  In a traditional binary gender system, men often feel pressured to fit into a narrow box of what it means to “be a man” (e.g., don’t cry, don’t show weakness, don’t ever ask for help, etc.) while women are often pressured to not speak up too much or advocate for themselves.  These narrow definitions of gender harm everyone by restricting all people from fully experiencing their emotions, interests and behaviors in a manner that is healthy for them. 
5. Support gender and sexuality equality.  While sexual violence can impact anyone, it overwhelmingly affects women and people in the LGBTQ+ community.  Supporting gender and sexuality equality also means that you object to violence targeted toward members of these groups.
6. Support survivors.  See “What should I do if someone I know experiences a trauma?” for additional information on how to do this.
7. Hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable.  Most perpetrators deny that they did anything wrong and rely on a “system of silence” that discourages and intimidates survivors from reporting and getting support.  While perpetrators may claim that they are being falsely accused, research indicates this is actually relatively rare.  It is much more common for survivors not to report.
8. If you have ever participated in sexual violence, get help.  There are programs that are specifically designed to assist people who have perpetrated violence to change their behaviors.  See the following for more information: 

        Men Stopping Violence

        STOP IT NOW FAQs

       ATSA