Sexual assault support services
Furman University is an academic community
committed to the goal of educating men and women to become responsible
citizens and leaders in society. The university aims to develop
individual excellence and to prepare students for life during and after
college. Student Services, University Police, and Counseling Services
Departments all provide educational programs. Furman is committed to
having a campus environment which will neither tolerate nor condone
sexual violence.
The Furman University Police Department staff are
available on a 24-hour basis to receive and investigate reports of rape
and sexual assault, assist and accompany victims in securing medical
attention, participate in evidence preservation and collection, conduct
investigations, and inform the victim of legal and administrative
options both on and off campus.
What to do if you are a victim of sexual violence:
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Find a friend for support.
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Get medical attention. A physical
examination will help to assure that any injuries will be identified and
treated and that sexually transmitted disease testing will be provided
and followed up.
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Evidence may be obtained and kept in
case the victim decides to pursue criminal charges. Do not bathe,
shower, douche or change clothes before the exam.
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Report the crime. The decision to
report is the victim's. There are several ways to take action, including
criminal prosecution, going through the university's disciplinary
system, or both. Contact the University Police or Vice President for
Student Services.
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If you are a victim of an off-campus
assault, you should report this to the local police authority having
jurisdiction. If you want assistance from the University Police Department
with this process, a Furman police officer will accompany you upon
request. We provide these types of support services and have a victim
advocate in the department.
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Seek counseling. Support through a trained counselor can help the victim understand and work through the trauma.
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The Office of Student Services is
responsible for university disciplinary procedures following a report of
rape or sexual assault between students. Both accuser and accused are
entitled to have an advisor present at all hearings and proceedings.
Both parties shall be informed of the outcome of any disciplinary
hearing. Possible sanctions for being found guilty include but are not
limited to, expulsion, probation, counseling and other sanctions as
deemed appropriate by the hearing body. The victim's academic and living
situation will be changed upon request if reasonably available.
Surviving crime with assistance
The issue in life is not whether we will
experience tragedy; the issue is how will we recover from it. If you are
a victim of crime, it is helpful to recognize that the experience is
traumatic. Feeling violated and vulnerable because someone has
forcefully entered your private space and rifled through your personal
belongings is an understandable reaction to property crime. Fear that
other types of crimes may happen is also a common reaction. Responses to
a crime range from temporary sleep or appetite problems to problems of
concentration or irritability. Most of these symptoms are temporary and
may gradually fade after you talk with friends, family or a counselor.
If you have been a victim of a personal crime by a stranger or
acquaintance that involved a physical, armed or sexually aggressive
confrontation, we encourage you to seek support. All services listed
below are confidential
On-campus support
Counseling Services 294-3031
Chaplain's office 294-2138
Earle Infirmary 294-2180
Vice President for Student Services 294-2202
Director of University Police 294-3555
University Police Victim Advocate 294-2111
Off-campus support
Rape Crisis 2- hour line 232-8633
Victim-Witness Assistance, Solicitor's office 268-8612
The Furman University Police Department (FPSD) is
committed to protecting the state and federal civil rights of all
individuals. Any acts or threats of violence, property damage,
harassment, intimidation, or other crimes designed to infringe upon a
person's civil rights will be treated seriously and given high
priority. The FPSD will use every necessary resource to identify the
perpetrators rapidly and decisively, and to arrest and prosecute them
while at all times taking into consideration the victim's desire on how
to proceed.
A hate crime is any occurrence of criminal homicide, sex offenses,
robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson and any
other crime involving bodily injured reported to FPSD or other law enforcement agency that manifest evidence that the victim was
intentionally selected because of the perpetrator's bias.