Separate safety, support and reporting
If there is immediate danger, move to a safer place and contact local emergency services. Medical care, confidential advocacy, academic or housing support and a formal complaint may be available through different offices.
Before sharing details, ask whether the person or office is confidential, private with limited sharing, or required to report certain information. A job title alone may not answer that question.
Ask what each route does
The answer should include both available support and information flow.
- Is this conversation confidential?Ask what exceptions apply and whether records or billing create other disclosures.
- What supportive measures are available?Ask about class, work, housing, transportation, no-contact and safety options without assuming a formal complaint is required.
- What starts a formal process?Clarify the written step, notice to other parties, timeline, evidence process and appeal route.
- Can I pause or change routes?Ask what remains optional and what the institution must continue once it has notice.
- What external options exist?Ask an advocate about law enforcement, civil-rights complaints or community services without assuming they replace campus support.
Match the route to the immediate need
More than one route may be appropriate, and policies vary by institution and jurisdiction.
- Confidential supportMay help with emotional support, safety planning, medical options and understanding choices.
- Campus administrative reportMay involve Title IX, civil rights, student conduct, human resources or campus safety depending on the concern.
- Emergency or police reportAddresses immediate danger or possible crime through the relevant local agency.
- Federal civil-rights complaintOCR accepts complaints involving covered discrimination or retaliation; current filing rules and jurisdiction should be reviewed directly.
Preserve options without investigating yourself
Document what you know and avoid confronting someone in a way that increases risk.
- Write the factsRecord dates, locations, people, exact words or actions and how the concern affected access or safety.
- Save original materialKeep messages, emails, images and related records in a secure location without editing the originals.
- Identify the desired first outcomeChoose safety, information, support, a record, investigation or another concrete need.
- Ask about information flowConfirm what the office will record, share and do before providing more detail when possible.
- Track follow-upSave confirmations, assigned contacts, promised actions, deadlines and any retaliation or new incident.
