if you experience one of these crimes (dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking)
Your immediate safety is a top priority. If you are in immediate danger, call Pitt Police at 412-624-2121 or call 911. If possible, as quickly as you can, find a safe place away from the perpetrator or any other potential danger. Once you are out of danger, here are a few next steps to consider:
- 1. Seek immediate medical attention
You are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention for your own physical health and to preserve all physical evidence. You can receive treatment at any medical facility; hospital emergency departments are in the best position to treat you and collect physical evidence. The following locations have specially trained staff, sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), to help survivors of sexual assault and/or can offer a sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE):
- UPMC Magee Womens Hospital, 300 Halket Street, 412-641-4933
- UPMC Mercy, 400 Locust Street, 412-232-8111
Medical facilities have an obligation to notify law enforcement of any injuries they treat that are the result of a crime. Survivors can remain anonymous to police and this notification does not obligate a survivor to speak to law enforcement, file a police report, or press charges against a perpetrator.
- 2. Contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX
You may contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX at 412-648-7860 (during University business hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday). This office can assist with accommodations, if requested and reasonably available. This office also can connect you with other resources and services available to you on and off campus. You also may file a report online through the Pitt Concern Connection.
- 3. Contact the University Counseling Center
Students may contact the University Counseling Center at 412-648-7930 (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) or 412-648-7856 (after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends). Counselors will advise survivors of reporting options, can guide students through the process of receiving a medical exam, and will assist survivors in notifying campus or local police authorities if desired. (Walk-in appointments may be available Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Wellness Center in Nordenberg Hall.)
- 4. Contact Life Solutions
Employees may contact Life Solutions at 1-866-647-3432. Life Solutions is the University of Pittsburgh's Faculty and Staff Assistance Program that provides a broad range of services to assist University employees and their household members to balance work and the stresses of daily life. Life Solutions offers personalized care services, 24-hour support, online resources and tools, and more, all at no cost to you.
- 5. Notify Law Enforcement
You have the right to notify the proper law enforcement agency of the crime, to be assisted in notifying law enforcement authorities by university officials if you so choose, and to decline to notify such authorities. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Pitt Police at 412-624-2121 or the City of Pittsburgh Police by dialing 911 to report the situation. The police can assist with transportation to a facility for a SAFE exam if you so choose.
You have the right not to press charges if you call the police. However, after reviewing the report, Pitt Police may determine that a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community exists and may be required to issue a campus crime alert. Crime alerts do not contain personally identifying information about the survivor.
Pitt Police are required to include crimes reported to the Pitt Police occurring within Pitt Police patrol jurisdiction in the daily crime and fire log. The daily log does not contain personally identifying information about the survivor.
If you do not want to call the police after an incident but feel the need to leave the current environment, Pitt’s SafeRider program may be able to offer you transportation back to your residence by calling 412-648-CALL (2255). More information about SafeRider can be obtained at www.pts.pitt.edu/transportation/shuttle-services/saferider.
There are community resources available 24/7 to assist survivors. Community resources include Pittsburgh Action Against Rape at 1-866-363-7273 (answers 24 hours a day) and the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh at 412-687-8005 (answers 24 hours a day). Both groups provide an advocate/escort to accompany survivors through the medical and/or legal process. Survivors who seek assistance from these organizations are not obligated to press charges against the perpetrator.