What to do if you are sexually or physically assaulted:

1. Find a safe location immediately. Ask a trusted friend to be with you for moral support.

2. Know that what happened was not your fault.

3. Preserve all evidence of the attack.

• Do not bathe, wash your hands, brush your teeth, eat, or smoke.
• If you are still in the location at which the crime occurred, do not clean or straighten up or remove anything.
• Write down all the details you can recall about the attack and the perpetrator (or ask someone to help you do this).

4. Report the Assault - Contact USCA Police Department at 803-648-4011.

• Reporting the assault is not the same as prosecuting the assault. Weigh your options before making a decision about filing a criminal complaint.
• If you want more information, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE or online.rainn.org. A counselor can help you understand the reporting process.
• If you live in Housing, contact your Resident Mentor, Community Director, or Assistant Director:

• To make an anonymous report, go here.

5. Even if you do not want to report the assault, seek medical care as soon as possible. Even if you do not have any visible physical injuries, you may be at risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease. Women may also be at risk for pregnancy.

• Go to Aiken Regional Medical Center at 302 University Parkway, 803-641-5000. Ask the health care professional to conduct a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE).
• If you suspect you have been drugged, request that a urine sample be collected to preserve evidence.
• Confidential medical attention and referrals can also be obtained from the USC Aiken Student Health Center, located in the Student Activity Center, Room 106, 803-641-2840.
• If not in the local area, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE. The hotline will connect you to your local crisis center, which can provide information on the nearest medical facility, and, in some instances, send an advocate to accompany you through the evidence collection process.

6. Seek Professional Assistance. You can contact the Cumbee Center at 803-649-0480. Advocates are on call 24 hours a day to provide information, referrals, and support. If after hours, follow emergency prompt directions. The advocate will provide assistance at the hospital and throughout any potential legal processes.

7. Seek Emotional Support. Recognize that healing takes time. Give yourself the time you need and know that it is never too late to get help. Free, CONFIDENTIAL counseling is available at the USC Aiken Counseling Center, located in the Business and Education Building, Room 126, 803-641-3609.

8. The Cumbee Center also provides free, confidential counseling, 803-649-0480.

9. Seek Judicial Support.

• The Office of Student Conduct can assist with filing a complaint against the alleged assailant, help initiate a “No Contact Order,” arrange interim protective measures (such as room changes, class schedule changes, etc.), and complete the investigation. Involving Judicial Affairs is not the same as filing a police report. The Office of Judicial Affairs is responsible for the judicial process for students in violation of the Student Code of Conduct. To make a report, contact Kevin Nolan at 803-641-3611. You have the right to file a complaint with the Office of Judicial Affairs without involving police, with police involvement, or filing no report at all.
• You can also file a complaint with the Title IX Coordinator, Carla F. Hayes, 803-641-3645 or with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Ahmed Samaha, 803-641-3411.

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Quick List of Helpful Phone Numbers

USC Aiken Police Department: 803-648-4011    

USC Aiken Counseling Center: 803-641-3609   

USC Aiken Student Health Center: 803-641-2840

USC Aiken Office of Student Conduct: 803-641-3611

Pacer Crossings: 803-349-5915   

Pacer Commons: 803-349-5916

Pacer Downs: 803-0349-5917    

Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons: 803-649-0480 

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673