Sexual Assault
If you are in immediate danger, call Campus Security at (626) 395-5000 or if off campus, 911.
For after-hours and weekend response, call the Student Counseling Services main line (626) 395-8331 and press "2" to be connected to a clinician. You may experience a brief hold while your call is connected; please stay on the line.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, we encourage you to speak to Student Counseling Services.
Your physical safety is the first priority. If you are in immediate danger, call Campus Security at (626) 395-5000 or if off-campus, 911.
We encourage the reporting of all crimes but respect and support your individual choices. Student Counseling Services is a confidential resource available to provide emotional support to survivors of violence or related crimes, as well as offer information and resources for reporting and any other options available to you. We are also available to assist students who wish to support a friend who has been victimized.
Evidence Collection: Caltech Student Health Services cannot collect evidence that can be used in a criminal case against an assailant, should the student decide to press charges. Evidence collection must be done by a SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) program in a medical facility.
The closest SART facility to Caltech is:
San Gabriel Medical Center located at 438 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, CA. The San Gabriel SART provides comprehensive treatment and forensic evidence collection (the rape kit). SART assists individuals of all ages: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For help, call the SART Hotline at (877) 209-3049 or, for more information, call (626) 289-5454.
Additional SART facility:
Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center for forensic evidence collection (the rape kit), advocacy, support, and a 24-hour hotline: (424) 259-7208
All medical providers (but not psychological counselors), such as physicians, staff in urgent care centers and emergency rooms, etc., must notify the police that an assault has taken place. This includes SART facilities. However, a survivor has the right to have an advocate present throughout the process. The advocate will guide you through decisions about treatment and reporting options. Every sexual assault victim has the right to decide how much or how little to cooperate with the police investigation. Please don't let the worry about police involvement prevent you from getting the medical assistance you need; including evidence collection if you consent. The SART staff knows how to manage the delicate balance between providing service to an assault victim and complying with the legal requirement to notify the police.
Student Health Services is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Student Health Services is committed to providing compassionate and quality medical help to a student who has been sexually assaulted. Any student who has been assaulted may need a medical exam/treatment for any injuries they may have suffered as a result of the assault. In addition, the Health Services staff member will discuss testing and treatment for any possible exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, as well as pregnancy prevention. If additional or specialized medical care is needed, Health Services staff can help facilitate that care. Students will also be offered a visit with a Counseling Services clinician for confidential consultation and support.
Confidentiality: Because personal medical information is protected by law, a student can come to Student Health Services, report the assault, and be treated for injuries without concern that your private information will be shared with anyone else at Caltech, except whomever the student decides to tell. Note that medical providers (but not psychological counselors) in California, including Student Health Services, are required to notify law enforcement when they receive a report of sexual assault.
A student in need of medical care can go to any urgent care or emergency room. However, an urgent care or emergency room will refer a person who has been assaulted to the nearest SART facility. We recommend going directly to a SART center, such as those listed above.
Sexual violence is defined as physical sexual acts which take place against a person's will, or where that person is incapable of giving consent. While most people think of sexual violence as being limited only to rape, in fact, sexual violence includes sexual assault (rape), forced sodomy, forced oral contact, statutory rape (sex with a minor), sexual assault with an object, sexual battery (non-consensual touching), dating or intimate partner violence of a sexual nature, sexual coercion, sexual intimidation, sexual exploitation, and threat of sexual assault. Sexual violence is all of these things. Related crimes that are non-sexual in nature include harassment, stalking, battery, intimate partner or dating violence of a non-sexual nature.
Consent is the voluntary, informed, affirmative, uncoerced agreement through words and/or actions, which a reasonable person would interpret as a willingness to participate in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Sexual activity should only occur when all participants willingly and affirmatively choose to engage in particular acts. See https://titleix.caltech.edu/resources/healthy-interactions/consent for additional information.
Students often turn to another student in a time of crisis; we understand and encourage reaching out to friends. At the same time, sexual violence and other related crimes have a significant emotional impact and often help and support from a professional is needed.
Student Counseling Services can provide emotional support both in the immediate crisis and afterward. Student Counseling Services staff provides support that is CONFIDENTIAL. This means that your personal experience is protected and is not reported to anyone else. We strongly encourage you to reach out to someone to talk about your experience.
All other employees of Caltech, including the Title IX Coordinator, RAs, RLCs, Deans, faculty, and others, are required to make it known that an assault has taken place in order to protect students and the campus community. Any member of the Caltech community who wishes to file a complaint of sexual violence should do so as soon as possible after the assault, although complaints may be filed at any time. Complaints can be made orally or in writing. Complaints should be brought to the attention of the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@caltech.edu.For more info about Title IX policies, resources for the community, and the complaint resolution process, see http://titleix.caltech.edu/.
Peace Over Violence
Peace Over Violence for advocacy, support, and 24-hour crisis hotline: (626) 793-3385 (West San Gabriel Valley)
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country. RAINN offers support, information, advice, and referrals from trained support specialists. All services are free, confidential, and available 24/7 for all survivors. RAINN can help survivors find care and treatment anywhere in the US - making it an excellent resource for students traveling in the US during college breaks.
800-656-4673 / online.rainn.org
FORGE
FORGE's mission is to support, educate and advocate for the rights and lives of transgender individuals and SOFFAs (Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies). Forge offers referrals, workshops, and guides to healing for survivors and SOFFAs.