Colby Community College values the health and safety of every individual on campus and expects its students to treat other persons with respect and dignity. Any behavior, which causes the sexual abuse/assault of another person, will not be tolerated, is a violation of the College's Student Code of Conduct, and may result in sanctions ranging from probation to expulsion. Disciplinary action on the part of the College does not preclude the possibility of criminal charges against the individual.

The term sexual assault as used by the College is synonymous with sexual battery (also referred to as rape). Sexual battery is a violation of state law, and defined as the oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration by another with any other object (Kansas Statute, 21-3517).

Sexual assault may take many forms including gang rape, acquaintance rape, date rape, and stranger rape. Sexual assault can occur any time of the day or night. Both men and women have been sexually assaulted by strangers, people whom they have known and trusted, and people whom they have dated.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED

• Get to a safe place. For your protection, call the Dean of Students or the police immediately, especially if the assailant is still nearby. Campus Security will assist you whether or not you choose to prosecute the assailant. Call a friend or family member for support. The Director of Counseling and Student Health Director at CCC are also available to assist you. A number of college personnel are willing and able to assist in reporting assaults to the proper authorities.
• Get medical attention immediately. The primary purpose of a medical examination is to check for physical injury, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy as a result of the assault. The secondary purpose of a medical examination is to aid in the police investigation and legal proceedings.
• Don't bathe or douche. Bathing or douching might be the first thing you want to do. But, don't, even though you may want to. You might be literally be washing away valuable evidence. Wait until you have a medical examination.
• ave your clothing. It is all right to change clothes, but save what you were wearing. Place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag and save for the police. Your clothing could be used as evidence for prosecution.
• Reporting the incident to the police. It is up to you, but reporting is not the same thing as prosecution. Prosecution can be determined later. College personnel are willing and able to assist you in reporting assaults to the proper authorities.

If you are a victim of a sexual assault and decide not to notify Campus Security or the police, please secure medical attention and contact any of the victim support resources listed in this publication.

Many sexual assault cases go unreported because the victim fears retaliation or possible humiliation if word gets around she/he has been the victim of a sex offense. Victims tend to feel guilty as though they did something to bring it on themselves and often keep the incident to themselves or share some of the incident with a close friend. While this might be helpful in the immediate sense, we encourage you to talk to a knowledgeable counselor about your reactions to being victimized. The various services on and off campus available to all victims of violent acts are designed to assist in overcoming the trauma of the attack and proceeding with their goals and responsibilities.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED

If you know someone who has been sexually assaulted, you can be of help. In the aftermath of a sexual assault, the victim may be experiencing fear, insecurity and frustration and may need care and support from others. You, as a friend (or spouse or family member), can play an important role by providing reassurance and support.

Allow your friend to reflect upon what has happened and the feelings experienced, but do not press for details. Let her/him set the pace. Listening is one of the best things you can do at this time. In short, be a trusted friend.

If your friend has not received medical attention, encourage her/him to do so. Know that there is a possibility the medical facility will notify the police. However, it is up to your friend to make the final decision as to whether a formal police report will be initiated.

You can be a valuable resource to your friend by seeking out and providing information that will assist in understanding available options. For example, you can let your friend know that reporting the rape and collecting evidence does not automatically lock her/him into pursuing prosecution of the offender. What it does do is assist the police in identifying the method and possible identity of the assailant. Since rapists tend to rape more than once, any information that can be provided may prevent the sexual assault of someone else.

Making the decision to report a sexual assault and to undergo the subsequent processes of evidence collection and possible judicial proceedings will be very difficult for your friend. Although it is only natural that you will want to give advice, you must avoid trying to control the situation. A sexual assault victim needs to regain control and must be allowed to make her/his own decisions.

SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AND ACCESS TO RELATED INFORMATION

Incarceration may remove a sex offender from the streets but it does nothing to prevent the offender from committing another crime when released. The federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, enacted Oct. 28, 2000, went into effect Oct. 28, 2002. The law requires institutions of higher education to issue a statement advising the campus community where law enforcement agency information provided by a state concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained. It also requires sex offenders already required to register in a state to provide notice, as required under state law, of each institution of higher education in that state at which the person is employed, carries on a vocation, or is a student.

The State of Kansas maintains a system for making certain Registry information on sex offenders publicly available by means of the Internet. The web site address for this related information is:  http://www.accesskansas.org/kbi/ro.shtml