Faculty, Staff and Administrator Protocol | Sexual Misconduct

As a faculty or staff member, you may be the first point of contact for a victim of sexual assault. You may also become aware of a sexual assault from a source other than the victim. Please note that Marquette University and its employees are subject to various state and federal reporting laws. In short, it’s important that you report all crimes, including sexual assault, to the Department of Public Safety immediately. If you have questions about your role in reporting an incident, please contact Public Safety.

The information below should help you understand what to do, should a victim of sexual assault want to talk to you.

You should not act as a counselor, investigator or medical professional. It is crucial that you offer support and get the student to the appropriate professional resources. Be sure to obtain consent from the victim before calling other offices or personnel.

As soon as you are made aware of an incident of sexual violence, your first responsibility is to ensure the immediate safety of the victim, regardless of when the incident occurred.

Determine if the victim requires medical assistance. For sexual assaults occurring within 96 hours of you learning about the incident, refer the student to the Sexual Assault Treatment Center at Aurora Sinai Medical Center (414-219-5555). All contact with the Sexual Assault Treatment Center is confidential. After 96 hours, refer to SATC or the Student Health Service if medical assistance is required.

Refer the victim to the sexual violence advocate at the Student Health Service.

There are several resources on and off campus that are available to the victim. You can inform her or him about these options:

An on-campus sexual violence advocate works out of the Marquette University Medical Clinic (formerly Student Health Service). The advocate can explain options relating to reporting, student conduct, resources, and housing and assist them in the decision-making process. The advocate can be contacted at 414-288-5244. The advocate is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of victims to the extent allowed by law.

Professional counseling services are available at the Counseling Center.

Resources are available to report the incident to law enforcement. The university strongly encourages students who have been victimized by sexual violence to report, seek assistance, and to pursue action for their own protection and that of the whole campus community. Any student who believes she or he is a victim of sexual violence is encouraged to promptly report the incident to the Department of Public Safety. DPS is required by law to report the incident to the Milwaukee Police Department’s Sensitive Crimes Unit. An officer from that division will contact the student. Those filing reports may choose to pursue both criminal prosecution and university conduct processes. Students can receive support and guidance throughout the reporting process from DPS officers and Marquette’s sexual violence advocate, as well as from MPD’s Sensitive Crimes officers or the District Attorney’s sexual violence advocate.

A small number of university employees have what is called privilege, meaning that communications cannot legally be disclosed without the reporter’s consent, except in certain circumstances such as the threat of imminent danger to one’s self or others. At Marquette, examples of privileged communication resources include:

University Counseling Staff (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers)
University Marquette University Medical Clinic (physicians, nurses or physician assistants)
Campus Ministry (ministers only)

If you have questions about your duty to report a crime, including a sexual assault, please contact Sr. Lt. Paul Mascari in the Department of Public Safety.

FACULTY AND STAFF PROTOCOL

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