If you are the victim of sexual assault some or all of these safety suggestions may guide you after an incident has occurred:
Go to a safe place and speak with someone you trust. Tell this person what happened.
Contact campus police at 911 or 903-675-6235 if you are on campus, or call 911 if you are off campus.
Consider securing immediate professional support (e.g.: counseling, victim advocacy, medical services, etc.) to assist you in the crisis.
If you are on campus during regular business hours, you may go to the counseling office located in the administration building room AD 123 for counseling services as well as Melinda Berry also located in the Administration building room AD 123 phone number 903-675-6224 for support and guidance. These are both confidential resources.
For your safety and well-being, immediate medical attention is encouraged.
Further, being examined as soon as possible, ideally within 120 hours, is important in the case of rape or sexual assault.
The hospital will arrange for a specific medical examination at no charge.
To preserve evidence, it is recommended that you do not bathe, shower, douche, eat, drink, smoke, brush your teeth, urinate, defecate or change clothes before receiving medical attention.
Even if you have already taken any of these actions, you are still encouraged to have prompt medical care, and evidence may still be recoverable.
Typically, if police are involved or will be involved, they will obtain evidence from the scene, and it is best to leave things undisturbed until their arrival.
Even if the police become involved, this does not mean that criminal charges will be filed. The decision to file criminal charges rests with you.
They will gather bedding, linens or unlaundered clothing and any other pertinent articles that may be used for evidence.
It is best to allow police to secure items in evidence containers, but if you are involved in transmission of items of evidence, such as to the hospital, secure them in a clean paper bag or clean sheet, to avoid contamination.
If you have physical injuries, photograph or have them photographed, with a date stamp on the photo.
Record the names of any witnesses, and their contact information.
This information may be helpful to the proof of a crime, to obtain an order of protection or to offer proof of a campus policy violation.
Try to memorize details (physical description, names, license plate number, car description,), or even better, write notes to remind you of details, if you have time and the ability to do so.
If you obtain external orders of protection (e.g. restraining orders, injunctions, protection from abuse), please notify Campus Police or the campus Title IX Coordinator so that those orders can be observed on campus.
Even after the immediate crisis has passed, consider seeking support from,
Summer Allen Wilson, LCSW ...............................903-677-4800
Dian Gard, Ph. D................................................... 903-887-0697
Julianne Davis Ph. D .............................................903-675-7710
Bill McBride Ph D ...................................................903-675-9570
Bonnie McBride LCSW ..........................................903-675-9570
Joan Freidman LPC ...............................................214-415-1258
Melinda Berry the campus victim’s advocate......... 903-675-6224
East Texas Crisis Center....................................... 903-595-5591 or 800-333-0358
Contact the Campus Police at 903-675-6235 located in the Student Union building suite 103, Student Judicial office 903-675-6256 located in the Administration building suite AD127, or the Director of Human Resources 903-675-6215 located in the Administration building suite AD 214 if you need assistance with Trinity Valley Community College-related concerns, such as no-contact orders or other protective measures.
The Campus Police, Director of Human Resources, and Councilor will also assist in any needed advocacy for students who wish to obtain protective or restraining orders from local authorities. The College is able to offer reasonable academic accommodations, changes to living arrangements, transportation accommodations, escorts, no contact orders, counseling services access and other supports and resources as needed by a victim.
College Resources
For offenses including domestic violence and dating violence, sanctions range from warnings through expulsion. Serious and violent incidents and acts of non-consensual sexual intercourse (the policy equivalent to the crime of rape) usually result in suspension, expulsion or termination of employment. This policy can be found online.
Procedurally, when the College receives a report of sexual misconduct, gender-based violence, or other sex or gender discrimination the campus Title IX Coordinator is notified. If the victim wishes to access local community agencies and/or law enforcement for support, the College will assist the victim in making these contacts.
Contact the Campus Police at 903-675-6235 located in the Student Union building suite 103, Student Judicial office 903-675-6256 located in the Administration building suite AD127, or the Director of Human Resources 903-675-6215 located in the Administration building suite AD 214 if you need assistance with Trinity Valley Community College-related concerns, such as no-contact orders or other protective measures. The Campus Police, Director of Human Resources, and Councilor will also assist in any needed advocacy for students who wish to obtain protective or restraining orders from local authorities. The College is able to offer reasonable academic accommodations, changes to living arrangements, transportation accommodations, escorts, no contact orders, counseling services access and other supports and resources as needed by a victim.
The Title IX Coordinator will offer assistance to victims in the form of interim or long-terms measures such as opportunities for academic accommodations, changes in housing for the victim or the responding student, visa and immigration assistance, changes in working situations and other assistance as may be appropriate and available on campus or in the community (such as no contact orders, campus escorts, transportation assistance, targeted interventions, etc).
If the victim so desires, they will be connected with a counselor on- or off-campus, as well as an on-or off-campus victim’s advocate. No victim is required to take advantage of these services and resources, but the College provides them in the hopes of offering help and support without condition or qualification. A summary of rights, options, supports and procedures, in the form of this document, is provided to all victims, whether they are a student, employee, guest or visitor.
When appropriate upon receipt of notice, the Title IX Coordinator will cause a prompt, fair and impartial process to be initiated, commencing with an investigation which may lead to the imposition of sanctions, based upon a preponderance of evidence (what is more likely than not), upon a responding student or other accused individual. Procedures detailing the investigation and resolution processes of the College can be found online.
The investigation and records of the resolution conducted by the College are maintained confidentially. Information is shared internally between administrators who need to know, but a tight circle is kept. Where information must be shared to permit the investigation to move forward, the person bringing the accusation will be informed.
Privacy of the records specific to the investigation are maintained in accordance with Texas law and the federal FERPA statute. Any public release of information to comply with the open crime logs or timely warning provisions of the Clery Act will not release the names of victims or information that could easily lead to a victim’s identification. Additionally, the College maintains privacy in relation to any accommodations or protective measures afforded to a victim, except to the extent necessary to provide the accommodations and/or protective measures.
In any complaint of sexual misconduct, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence or other sex or gender-based discrimination covered under the federal law, Title IX, the person bringing the accusation and the responding party are entitled to the same opportunities for a support person or advisor of their choice throughout the process, including any meeting, conference, hearing or other procedural action. Once complete, the parties will be informed, in writing, of the outcome, including the finding, the sanctions (if any) and the rationale therefore. Delivery of this outcome to the parties will occur without undue delay between notifications. All parties will be informed of the College appeal processes, and their rights to exercise a request for appeal. Should any change in outcome occur prior to finalization, all parties will be timely informed in writing, and will be notified when the results of the resolution process become final.
Go to a safe place and speak with someone you trust. Tell this person what happened.
Contact campus police at 911 or 903-675-6235 if you are on campus, or call 911 if you are off campus.
Consider securing immediate professional support (e.g.: counseling, victim advocacy, medical services, etc.) to assist you in the crisis.
If you are on campus during regular business hours, you may go to the counseling office located in the administration building room AD 123 for counseling services as well as Melinda Berry also located in the Administration building room AD 123 phone number 903-675-6224 for support and guidance. These are both confidential resources.
For your safety and well-being, immediate medical attention is encouraged.
Further, being examined as soon as possible, ideally within 120 hours, is important in the case of rape or sexual assault.
The hospital will arrange for a specific medical examination at no charge.
To preserve evidence, it is recommended that you do not bathe, shower, douche, eat, drink, smoke, brush your teeth, urinate, defecate or change clothes before receiving medical attention.
Even if you have already taken any of these actions, you are still encouraged to have prompt medical care, and evidence may still be recoverable.
Typically, if police are involved or will be involved, they will obtain evidence from the scene, and it is best to leave things undisturbed until their arrival.
Even if the police become involved, this does not mean that criminal charges will be filed. The decision to file criminal charges rests with you.
They will gather bedding, linens or unlaundered clothing and any other pertinent articles that may be used for evidence.
It is best to allow police to secure items in evidence containers, but if you are involved in transmission of items of evidence, such as to the hospital, secure them in a clean paper bag or clean sheet, to avoid contamination.
If you have physical injuries, photograph or have them photographed, with a date stamp on the photo.
Record the names of any witnesses, and their contact information.
This information may be helpful to the proof of a crime, to obtain an order of protection or to offer proof of a campus policy violation.
Try to memorize details (physical description, names, license plate number, car description,), or even better, write notes to remind you of details, if you have time and the ability to do so.
If you obtain external orders of protection (e.g. restraining orders, injunctions, protection from abuse), please notify Campus Police or the campus Title IX Coordinator so that those orders can be observed on campus.
Even after the immediate crisis has passed, consider seeking support from,
Summer Allen Wilson, LCSW ...............................903-677-4800
Dian Gard, Ph. D................................................... 903-887-0697
Julianne Davis Ph. D .............................................903-675-7710
Bill McBride Ph D ...................................................903-675-9570
Bonnie McBride LCSW ..........................................903-675-9570
Joan Freidman LPC ...............................................214-415-1258
Melinda Berry the campus victim’s advocate......... 903-675-6224
East Texas Crisis Center....................................... 903-595-5591 or 800-333-0358
Contact the Campus Police at 903-675-6235 located in the Student Union building suite 103, Student Judicial office 903-675-6256 located in the Administration building suite AD127, or the Director of Human Resources 903-675-6215 located in the Administration building suite AD 214 if you need assistance with Trinity Valley Community College-related concerns, such as no-contact orders or other protective measures.
The Campus Police, Director of Human Resources, and Councilor will also assist in any needed advocacy for students who wish to obtain protective or restraining orders from local authorities. The College is able to offer reasonable academic accommodations, changes to living arrangements, transportation accommodations, escorts, no contact orders, counseling services access and other supports and resources as needed by a victim.
College Resources
For offenses including domestic violence and dating violence, sanctions range from warnings through expulsion. Serious and violent incidents and acts of non-consensual sexual intercourse (the policy equivalent to the crime of rape) usually result in suspension, expulsion or termination of employment. This policy can be found online.
Procedurally, when the College receives a report of sexual misconduct, gender-based violence, or other sex or gender discrimination the campus Title IX Coordinator is notified. If the victim wishes to access local community agencies and/or law enforcement for support, the College will assist the victim in making these contacts.
Contact the Campus Police at 903-675-6235 located in the Student Union building suite 103, Student Judicial office 903-675-6256 located in the Administration building suite AD127, or the Director of Human Resources 903-675-6215 located in the Administration building suite AD 214 if you need assistance with Trinity Valley Community College-related concerns, such as no-contact orders or other protective measures. The Campus Police, Director of Human Resources, and Councilor will also assist in any needed advocacy for students who wish to obtain protective or restraining orders from local authorities. The College is able to offer reasonable academic accommodations, changes to living arrangements, transportation accommodations, escorts, no contact orders, counseling services access and other supports and resources as needed by a victim.
The Title IX Coordinator will offer assistance to victims in the form of interim or long-terms measures such as opportunities for academic accommodations, changes in housing for the victim or the responding student, visa and immigration assistance, changes in working situations and other assistance as may be appropriate and available on campus or in the community (such as no contact orders, campus escorts, transportation assistance, targeted interventions, etc).
If the victim so desires, they will be connected with a counselor on- or off-campus, as well as an on-or off-campus victim’s advocate. No victim is required to take advantage of these services and resources, but the College provides them in the hopes of offering help and support without condition or qualification. A summary of rights, options, supports and procedures, in the form of this document, is provided to all victims, whether they are a student, employee, guest or visitor.
When appropriate upon receipt of notice, the Title IX Coordinator will cause a prompt, fair and impartial process to be initiated, commencing with an investigation which may lead to the imposition of sanctions, based upon a preponderance of evidence (what is more likely than not), upon a responding student or other accused individual. Procedures detailing the investigation and resolution processes of the College can be found online.
The investigation and records of the resolution conducted by the College are maintained confidentially. Information is shared internally between administrators who need to know, but a tight circle is kept. Where information must be shared to permit the investigation to move forward, the person bringing the accusation will be informed.
Privacy of the records specific to the investigation are maintained in accordance with Texas law and the federal FERPA statute. Any public release of information to comply with the open crime logs or timely warning provisions of the Clery Act will not release the names of victims or information that could easily lead to a victim’s identification. Additionally, the College maintains privacy in relation to any accommodations or protective measures afforded to a victim, except to the extent necessary to provide the accommodations and/or protective measures.
In any complaint of sexual misconduct, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence or other sex or gender-based discrimination covered under the federal law, Title IX, the person bringing the accusation and the responding party are entitled to the same opportunities for a support person or advisor of their choice throughout the process, including any meeting, conference, hearing or other procedural action. Once complete, the parties will be informed, in writing, of the outcome, including the finding, the sanctions (if any) and the rationale therefore. Delivery of this outcome to the parties will occur without undue delay between notifications. All parties will be informed of the College appeal processes, and their rights to exercise a request for appeal. Should any change in outcome occur prior to finalization, all parties will be timely informed in writing, and will be notified when the results of the resolution process become final.