Northwest Christian University
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Sexual Assault Policies

Northwest Christian University does not tolerate any degree of sexual assault on or off campus. Sexual assault violates the values of our community as well as the school's vision, mission and values. Campus disciplinary action will be initiated against any student, staff, or faculty member charged with sexual assault. Possible sanctions include but are not limited to: expulsion, suspension, barring access to the campus, and criminal prosecution.

If a friend has been assaulted or raped: 

  • Listen and be supportive.
  • Let your friend make her or his own choices.
  • Encourage your friend to immediately contact the appropriate resources.
  • Stay with your friend during interviews and examinations if she or he wants you to.
  • Take care of yourself. You may need to talk with someone about how this has affected you. The resources listed in this section are for you as well.

If you have been assaulted or raped, you have control of the choices you can make. Following are recommendations to assist you in dealing with this crime. 

  • Do not blame yourself. Sexual assault is NEVER the survivor's fault.
  • Go to a safe location.
  • If you are injured, seek medical attention immediately.
  • Do not shower, bathe, or douche. The only way medical evidence can be collected is if it is left intact.
  • Do not straighten up the area where the assault has taken place. Put clothes in a PAPER bag. The impulse to clean is normal, but evidence that might be needed will be destroyed by these activities.
  • Get to a hospital. Transportation can be provided by a friend or roommate, Campus Security or any Resident Assistant. All transportation will be provided using discretion, keeping the survivor's confidentiality rights in mind.

Note: In order to collect evidence to later be used in legal proceedings, an exam should be administered at Sacred Heart Medical Center. This is performed at the survivor's discretion. Although the survivor may not want to press charges immediately, it is important that evidence is collected for potential future use as soon as possible after the assault takes place.

Local Resources 

  • Call 911 for emergency medical treatment or to report rape.
  • Call Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) for 24-hour help and support (541) 343-SASS.

Note: These clinics can provide emergency medical treatment for callers and will make sure the caller has appropriate transportation. All information is confidential.

Resources on Campus

Filing a report with Security - (541) 517-5197
Campus Security officers are on-call 24-hours a day, seven days a week and will initiate an investigation, if the survivor wishes. At the discretion of the survivor, Campus Security will assist in filing a report with the police. The survivor may request that the police investigate the crime and collect evidence at the time of the incident. The longer the survivor waits, the smaller the amount of evidence the police will be able to obtain. However, it is important that there at least be an incident report on file if the survivor later decides that he or she would like to take further action. The survivor may request that the police not investigate the crime itself but rather maintain the information of the crime and its particulars in its regular reservoir of crime data.

Academic or Residence Hall Changes

Initiating any academic or housing changes with the Dean of Students or the Director of Residence Life is fully confidential and voluntary on the survivor's part, as is seeking disciplinary action.

Imminent Danger to Community

If the Assistant Dean of Students concludes that a serious threat exists, the Dean (or his/her designee) will release a warning to protect the community while preserving the reporting survivor's anonymity.

Rape Trauma Syndrome

Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS) is an acute stress reaction to the threat of being killed or being seriously injured, resulting from either a completed or attempted sexual assault. Not all the reactions encompassed by RTS are experienced by each survivor. RTS represents a range of possible reactions. RTS reactions vary from person to person. RTS has two major phases; the immediate or acute phase, in which the survivor's lifestyle is completely disrupted, and the long-term phase in which the survivor must reorganize this disrupted lifestyle. Characteristics of the first phase include shock, disbelief, sleeping and eating pattern disturbances, difficulty in concentrating, fear, shame, guilt, mood swings, lack of self-esteem, and flashback to the incident. The reintegration is aided by support from friends, relatives, and others in the survivor's environment.

The Northwest Christian University Counseling Clinic provides free, confidential counseling to all students. Crime information can be forwarded to Campus Safety only with the consent of the client, unless there is an immediate threat to public safety. The NCU Counseling Center can be reached at (541) 349-7471.

Pertinent Federal Legislation

The Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 and the Campus Sexual Assault Victim's Bill of Rights Amendment of the 1992 Higher Education Reauthorization Act (copies of which can be found in the Resident Life Office) include protections that are intended to help the survivor of sexual assault by requiring colleges to report accurate statistics regarding sexual assaults and rapes. Additionally, if the assault or rape is reported, the survivor can choose to pursue disciplinary action on campus without needing to file charges with the police.