Student Support Information

There are a variety of methods someone may use to exert control and power over you:

Jealousy & Possessiveness

Examples: following you or showing up uninvited, sexting, extreme jealousy, seeing you as property or “less than”

Emotional Abuse & Humiliation

Examples: making fun of your weight or clothes, telling you that you deserve abuse, constantly criticizing

Manipulation & Limiting Independence

Examples: using anger or silent treatment as punishment, controlling your finances, monitoring your alcohol intake

Sexual Abuse

Examples: using drugs to get sex, comparing you to past partners

Threats & Intimidation

Examples: threatening you with harm, warning you they will commit suicide if relationship ends

Academic Abuse

Examples: transferring into your class to monitor you, keeping you from class, checking on your grades

Isolation

Examples: controlling what you do and who you spend time with, pressuring you to choose between them and family or friends

Physical Abuse

Examples: punching, hitting, throwing objects

Experiencing violence such as sexual assault or an abusive relationship can be a traumatic event, and we all handle trauma and stress differently. There is no right or wrong way to act or feel. Though each person and situation is unique, the following list provides some examples of possible reactions. You may experience one, more, or none of these.

• Diminished capacity to cope with the demands of daily life
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Inability to concentrate and focus on the tasks at hand; slower recall and organization or information
• Lack of energy; fatigue
• Sleeping and eating disturbances
• Depression; anxiety
• Very calm or very upset
• Flashbacks (feelings of reliving the event), intrusive memories, and nightmares
• Changes in your relationship with your partner
• Hyper-vigilance (an elevated state of constantly assessing potential threats around you)

If you have experienced sexual violence, you may have immediate or long term physical or mental health concerns.

Mental Health

University Health Services Mental Health Services

(608-265-5600)

UHS Mental Health Services help students through issues that may interfere with their development, well-being, and academic productivity.

The Rainbow Project

(608-255-7356) | 831 East Washington, Madison, WI | info@therainbowproject.net

Provides counseling to children and families who experience trauma

Physical Health

Depending on the circumstances, the medical services you may consider include STI testing and treatment, pregnancy testing and emergency contraception. Victims of sexual assault have the right to be provided with the option of emergency contraception at all Wisconsin hospitals.

Anyone who has been strangled should also seek medical attention if they experience difficulty breathing, speaking, swallowing, or experience nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, headache, involuntary urination and/or defecation– especially pregnant victims. A medical evaluation may be crucial in detecting internal injuries and saving a life.

University Health Services Medical Services

(608-265-5600)

UHS Medical Services offers confidential medical services for students affected by sexual assault ad dating violence including treatment of injuries, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, HIV testing and counseling, and screening and treatment of other STIs. The UHS Women’s Health Clinic offers support to students who have experienced an unwanted sexual encounter. UHS does not perform forensic examinations.

Forensic Nurse Exams

Victims of sexual assault may obtain a medical forensic examination without incurring full out of pocket costs for that exam. This is regardless of their decision to report to law enforcement. Exams can be conducted by forensic nurses at the Emergency Department at UnityPoint Health-Meriter and are available 24/7.

If you believe someone gave you drugs in order to facilitate a sexual assault, you can also request a drug testing.

Forensic nurses will provide a safe, compassionate exam and empower the patients to determine their plan of care. Services include emotional support, physical examination and wellness check, collection of medical forensic evidence, assistance with reporting to police (mandatory reporting for children), assistance with concerns about sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy, assistance with safety planning, and development of a medical follow-up plan. If you believe someone gave you drugs in order to facilitate a sexual assault, you can also request a drug testing. A full drug panel testing may require additional cost.

Victims of sexual assault who seek emergency services at a hospital have the right to be provided with the option to receive emergency contraception at the hospital per Wisconsin Statute 50.375

You may have trouble focusing and concentrating at work or at school, or may no longer feel safe in these places. Many victims of assault or abuse know their abuser and thus, their school environment becomes difficult to navigate. We can help assist you with any impacts on your academics, work or housing due to an assault or harassment. See below for more details on how the university can better support you. Resources are not confidential.

Academic Support

We can advise and assist you with communicating with your instructors when you are dealing with a crisis. We can also help with making changes and adjustments to your academic schedule. Contact: Office of Student Assistance and Support (608-263-5700) or Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program (608-890-3788)

Housing Support

We can also provide help with housing as well if you are unable to continue living in your current housing or if you would like someone who is unsafe removed from your living area. Contact: Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program (608-890-3788)

Workplace Support

We also can advise and assist with communicating with your supervisor when you are dealing with a crisis or have ongoing safety concerns. Contact: Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program (608-890-3788) or Workforce Relations (608-265-2257)

Note: These resources are not confidential.

We can help assist you with impacts on your financial aid, transportation or immigration status due to assault or harassment. See below for how we can support you. Resources are not confidential.

On-Campus

Financial Aid Support

The University has resources that can help provide assistance with
your financial aid or to provide crisis financial aid support if you have experienced assault and harassment. Contact: Office of Student Assistance and Support (608-265-5700) or Financial Aid Office

Transportation Support

If your normal transportation options no longer feel safe, there are other options that might be available. SAFEwalk is one such option. All SAFEwalkers undergo training with UW Police and are able to assist in a variety of situations. Contact SAFEWALK at 608-262-9788 for more. Contact: Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program (608-890-3788) or Office of Student Assistance and Support (608-263-5700)

Immigration and International Student Support

If you are having difficulty with your classes or are falling behind in school, you may have trouble maintaining your legal student status. International students may be eligible to apply for asylum if they are a victim of a crime, such as assault and violence. International Student Services can help identify and clarify your rights as an international student and refer you to appropriate community or government resources when necessary. Contact: International Student Services (608-262-2044)

Note: Resources are not confidential.

Off-Campus

Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center

1-866-879-6636 | Works with Americans in foreign countries who need domestic violence and child abuse advocacy and support, and provides resources and tools to navigate jurisdictional, legal and social international landscapes.

RISE Law Center

1245 E. Washington Ave #102, Madison, WI |  A non-profit law office that provides culturally relevant legal representation in the following areas: family law, immigration law, civil injunctions/restraining orders, and immigration needs including U-Visas, T-Visas and VAWA self-petitions

The university has a variety of resources to help you maintain your safety. These services are available to you whether or not a formal investigation occurs. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

You may need assistance staying safe. Abusers can create hostile environments and can make it difficult to feel safe in class, at home, at work, or in other social spaces. Also, certain spaces may hold connections to your assault and harassment and make you fell unsafe or uncomfortable. We can help you make changes to your transportation methods. If you are worried about ongoing contact form someone, you may want to consider an official method of restraining contact:

University No Contact Directives

A No Contact Directive is issued by a university staff member and is a letter that prohibits someone associated with the university (student, employee, or community member) from having contact with you. It does not require any other disciplinary process to take place. Contact: Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program (608-890-3788)

Civil Restraining Orders

A Restraining Order is a court order limiting defined potential conduct of someone who has abused or harassed you, ordering them not to abuse or contact you. A restraining order is issued by a judge and is enforced by police; a restraining order can be issued to people not affiliated with UW-Madison. Contact: District Attorney’s Office (608-266-4211) or Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) (608-251-4445)

ROSA Clinic

The Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy (ROSA) Clinic provides direct legal services to victims/survivors of intimate-partner violence in Dane, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk Counties. Law students assist victims/survivors of intimate-partner violence by completing Restraining Order petitions, representing them at injunction hearings (restraining-order hearings), and providing relevant resources under the supervision of experienced clinical faculty. The Clinic works directly with community groups and agencies throughout the counties to provide services with no cost to the victim/survivor.

UW-Madison does not provide legal assistance or attorneys, but there are legal resources available in the Madison community.

Legal Resources

Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy (ROSA) Clinic

(608-263-9574)

Offers legal services for survivors of intimate-partner violence in Dane, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk Counties.

Dane County District Attorney’s Office, Victim Witness Unit

(608-266-9003) | 215 S. Hamilton St. #3000

Works with criminal cases that are referred to the District Attorney for prosecution.

Community Justice, Inc: Survivors Legal Program

(608-204-9642)

Offers pro bono, confidential legal services for those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment. Survivors Legal Program is not associated with UW-Madison.

Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS)

24-hour line: (608) 251-4445 or toll-free (800) 747-4045

Works to ensure the safety and well-being of domestic violence survivors and their families, and to change societal attitudes that perpetuate violence and the abuse of power. DAIS has a legal advocacy program for victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service

(800-362-9082)

Public service that helps identify the most appropriate resource for legal needs.

RISE Law Center

(608-256-1015) | 1245 E. Washington Ave #102, Madison, WI 53703 | info@riselawcenter.org 

A non-profit law office that provides culturally relevant legal representation in the following areas: family law, immigration law, civil injunctions/restraining orders, and immigration needs including U-Visas, T-Visas and VAWA self-petitions.

Victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and/or stalking are entitled to the following rights in UW-Madison Disciplinary Proceedings:

• Disciplinary proceedings that provide a prompt, fair, and impartial investigation and response
• Disciplinary proceedings that are conducted by panel members who receive annual training on the issues related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking and how to conduct an investigation and hearing process that protects the safety of victims and promotes accountability
• The same opportunity to have others present throughout disciplinary proceedings as the accused, including the opportunity to be accompanied to any related meeting or proceeding by an advisor of their choice. UW-Madison will not limit the choice of advisor for either the victim or the accused in any meeting for disciplinary proceeding.
• Both parties shall be simultaneously informed, in writing, of the outcome of any disciplinary proceeding that arises from an allegation of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and/or stalking; of the procedures for either party to appeal the outcome; of any change to the results that occurs prior to the time that such results become final; and of when such results become final. At no time can a victim be required to keep the outcome confidential, or be prohibited from discussing the case.
• Victims have equitable rights to the accused to appeal the outcome of a disciplinary proceeding
• Victims shall be informed of their options to notify law enforcement
• Students and employees will be provided written notification about existing counseling, health, mental health, victim advocacy, legal assistance, visa and immigration assistance, student financial aid and other services available to victims, both within the institution and in the community
• Victims shall be notified, in writing, of options for changing academic, transportation, work, living situations and protective measures
• Victims can obtain a free forensic exam from a Forensic Nurse Examiner without filing a police report or involving the police in any way. If additional treatment is sought, other hospital charges may apply
• For more information, visit Rights for Victims – University Health Services – UW–Madison

In addition to the rights given by federal and state law, UW-Madison is committed to ensuring that victims of violence also have the following rights:

• The right to a victim advocate of their choosing. (For additional information and resources about victim advocacy, services on campus, and in the community, see the UHS Survivor Services website)
• The right to access sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, emergency contraception, and pregnancy testing
• The right to be informed of and have access to their own medical, mental health, Forensic Nurse Examiner, campus disciplinary, and/or victim advocacy services
• The right to not be punished for underage drinking or personal drug use if reporting a sexual assault or other crime per UW–Madison’s Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence. Complainants and witnesses to incidents of sexual harassment or sexual violence will not generally be issued citations or be subjected to disciplinary sanctions for conduct at or near the time of the incident that would violate University policies regarding alcohol or personal drug use unless the University determines that the violation of University policy exposed others to serious risks to their health and safety
• The right to have options for offering their testimony in a campus disciplinary hearing, including via phone or video conference
• UW-Madison will disclose to the victim of a crime of violence or sex-offense, the results of any disciplinary hearing conducted by UW-Madison against a student who is an alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense. If the victim is deceased as a result of the crime or offense, UW-Madison will provide the results of the disciplinary hearing to the next of kin of the victim, if requested in writing

When a student or employee victim reports to a university office or official who is not explicitly designated as confidential, UW-Madison takes every precaution to protect victim privacy and confidentiality by sharing information only with university officials who have a legitimate educational interest and/or those who need to know for the purposes of providing an institutional response.

In an effort to protect victim safety and privacy, UW-Madison maintains information about sexual violence in a secure manner. If the University has notice of an incident, UW-Madison will balance the victim’s request to keep identifying information confidential with Title IX’s mandate to investigate hostile environments.

To the extent permissible by law, UW-Madison will endeavor to keep victim and necessary party information private. However, once a report is made to the University, or the University has notice of an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed unless that information is reported directly to one of the confidential resources listed.

UW-Madison will strive to maintain as confidential any supportive or protective measures provided to the victim, but keeping victim information confidential may limit UW-Madison’s ability to provide supportive or protective measures.

For victims aged 18 and older who report to non-confidential sources, reports of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and/or stalking are directed to the Title IX Coordinator, who will share relevant information only with those who need to know, such as Deputy Title IX Coordinators, complaint investigators, and other individuals who are responsible for handling the school’s response to incidents, or as necessary to comply with the Wisconsin Public Records law, a valid subpoena, a lawful discovery request, or a governmental inquiry or investigation. UW-Madison follows applicable Title IX guidance and the requirements of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g, when evaluating whether to disclose student information. In the case of minors, UW-Madison employees must report child abuse to Child Protective Services or local law enforcement.

For Clery Act reporting and disclosures, a victim’s name or identifying information will never appear in a Crime Warning, on the Daily Crime Log or in the Annual Security Report. UW-Madison will redact a victim’s identifying information when responding to requests for information pursuant to the Wisconsin Public Records law. The University also will not disclose identifiable information about research subjects if prohibited by an NIH-issued Certificate of Confidentiality, HIPAA regulations and state laws pertaining to the privacy of health information or promises of confidentiality made to research subjects pursuant to the federally required consent form and authorization form. UW-Madison must respond to valid subpoenas that are not prohibited by other applicable law, and may not be able to redact information when responding to a subpoena.