Provide Ongoing Support
There are a variety of things you can do to provide ongoing support to students who disclose sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, or harassment. Your response may vary depending on how recent the event took place and the involvement of the Office of Equity & Diversity/Title IX Office. The following recommendations are things to consider:
Academic Accommodations
Sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and harassment can have a dramatic impact on survivors’ sense of safety, ability to sleep and eat well, and ability to concentrate, all of which can affect academic performance (Artime et al., 2018). If the student is still in a state of crisis, you may want to consider providing extensions on assignments or tests, arranging for class notes or tutoring, or even providing an Incomplete grade for the semester. If the student has chosen to report the incident to the Office of Equity & Diversity/Title IX Office, you may receive a letter from the Title IX Coordinator requesting such options.
Safety Planning
If the assault occurred in the context of an abusive relationship or the survivor still has ongoing contact with the assailant, the survivor may need to consider how to stay safe. Safety plans can include identification of safe places and safe forms of transportation, creating codewords to be used to elicit help, putting the police on speed dial, using other apps to reach out for help in an emergency, and taking precautions with technology. and are excellent websites to give to survivors who need help with safety planning.
Check-Ins
Take the time to check in with the student a week or two later. Try inviting the student to walk with you after class or inviting the student to your office hours. Tell the student that you want to check to see how they are doing and assure the student that you are happy to listen and provide support whenever needed. Reassure survivors that you are glad they spoke to you and that you respect their decisions.
References:
Artime, T., Buchholz, K., & Jakupcak, M. (2018). Mental health symptoms and treatment utilization among trauma-exposed college students. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication.
Back to Protocol of Engagement
