"Sexual violence is more than just a crime against individuals. It threatens our families, it threatens our communities; ultimately, it threatens the entire country. We have the capacity to stop sexual assault, support those who have survived, and bring perpetrators to justice." - President Barak Obama, January 22, 2014
Unfortunately, sexual violence continues to be one of the most common categories of crime experienced on college campuses, and also one of the most underreported. Though it can be difficult to seek help, there are numerous resources available to provide compassionate support and guidance for our students.
If you have been sexually assaulted, stalked, sexually harassed, experienced relationship abuse or any other behaviors falling under Title IX, the Psychological Counseling Center (PCC) will respect your privacy and confidentiality while helping you sort out the next steps. It’s important to know that you’re not alone, and are not to blame for what happened. Healing from sexual violence is a journey, and survivors need not do it alone. A PCC clinician can provide therapeutic support, and/or can help you access additional on- and off-campus resources, including referral to a local specialized counselor with whom you will feel comfortable to continue therapy.
Our clinicians also offer crisis support to any students who may be struggling with their mental health while engaged in judicial processes on campus.
For more information, take a look at the categories below, or scroll down for more information about contacting the PCC and other campus resources. Additional resources and tips for coping can be found on our Self-Help & Resources page.
Sexual violence is a broad category that refers to any form of non-consensual or coercive sexual actions – including sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment/exploitation, stalking, non-consensual sharing of intimate photos/videos, and intimate partner violence or domestic violence (IPV and DV are patterns of coercive and abusive behaviors which can be physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, financial and/or emotional in nature).
We recognize that many people define their experiences in personal and differing ways, but University policies (and NY State and Federal laws) have specific definitions for these actions. The SUNY New Paltz Student Handbook outlines how these forms of sexual violence are defined and prohibited among our student community, and the Title IX Brochure outlines the Student Bill of Rights.
Amongst other definitions, the Student Handbook states, "No person or group of individuals shall engage in sexual behavior towards any individual against their will and without their affirmative consent."The Handbook also provides a definition of "affirmative consent" as follows:
Affirmative consent is a knowing, voluntary, and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create clear permission regarding willingness to engage in the sexual activity. Silence or lack of resistance, in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. The definition of consent does not vary based upon a participant’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
The Principles of Consent are:
a. Consent to any sexual act or prior consensual sexual activity between or with any party does not necessarily constitute consent to any other sexual act.
b. Consent is required regardless of whether the person initiating the act is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
c. Consent may be initially given but withdrawn at any time.
d. Consent cannot be given when a person is incapacitated, which occurs when an individual lacks the ability to knowingly choose to participate in sexual activity. Incapacitation may be caused by the lack of consciousness or being asleep, being involuntarily restrained, or if an individual otherwise cannot consent. Depending on the degree of intoxication, someone who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants may be incapacitated and therefore unable to consent.
e. Consent cannot be given when it is the result of any coercion, intimidation, force, or threat of harm.
f. When consent is withdrawn or can no longer be given, sexual activity must stop.
The following tips are most relevant if the attacker is unknown, but may also be helpful if the assaulter is someone you know.
Get to a safe place as soon as possible.
If you are in immediate danger, call University Police at 845-257-2222 if you are on campus or 911 if you are off campus.
The University has a Good Samaritan Policy – so you can reach out for help without worrying about repercussions for violating code of conduct regarding alcohol and/or drug use
If you are not in immediate danger and are not yet sure if you want to make a police report, you can still obtain medical care and collect evidence for possible use in the future. Depending on the kind of assault you experienced, a hospital emergency room can provide medical treatment, check for additional injury, provide medications to help prevent STIs and pregnancy, and help set you up with counseling and other resources.
The hospital can also collect evidence through a sexual assault forensic exam without requiring you to make a report with the police or press charges; it just preserves these options for the future.
For the purposes of evidence collection, you should avoid changing your clothes, using the restroom, showering, bathing, combing your hair, douching, brushing your teeth, or eating or drinking before going to the hospital (if possible).
Refraining from doing these activities may feel difficult, as it’s common to want to go through many of these motions after a traumatic experience. If you have done any of the above activities, you can still have an exam performed. You may want to bring a spare change of clothes with you to the hospital or health facility where you’re going to have the exam.
New York State has a crime victim compensation program that can assist you with ongoing medical and counseling expenses and other expenses related to the assault. The hospital and/or a local crisis program can help with this.
Seek support from friends, family, and/or professionals if needed as you navigate any contact with hospitals and/or law enforcement. You can ask a friend or family member to go with you or call the following agencies for phone or in-person support, including volunteer accompaniment to a hospital or precinct.
You also have the option of contacting the PCC for immediate crisis support and/or follow up. A PCC clinician can provide therapeutic support, and/or can help you access additional on- and off-campus resources, including referral to a local specialized counselor with whom you will feel comfortable to continue therapy. See below for contact information.
While everyone’s experience is different, many people who have experienced sexual assault, sexual abuse, or other gender- & sexual-based violence commonly experience the following:
Shock, numbness, disbelief, withdrawal, avoidance
Fear, panic, anxiety
Depression, irritability, emotional volatility
Guilt, shame, thoughts of self-blame
Confusion, difficulty making decisions
Inability to focus on academics or other important tasks
Preoccupation with thoughts about the incident
Flashbacks, nightmares, sleeplessness
Physical aches, appetite changes
It’s important to know that with the right help, these feelings can shift over time. Though the experience can never be undone, it is possible to find healing.
If someone you know tells you they have been a victim of harassment or assault, relationship violence or stalking, it’s not always easy to know what to say or how to help. Here are some suggestions for how you can be supportive and helpful:
First, believe your friend! Be careful not to dismiss or minimize their experience.
Listen to your friend; be patient as they talk about the incident; limit your questions.
Do not blame your friend for the harassment, assault, stalking or violent incident.
Offer to accompany your friend to seek medical assistance.
Offer to accompany your friend if they choose to report the incident, but do not pressure them to report if they are uncertain about doing so. You can help them understand their options (and you can always check with a college official about important timelines).
Do not pressure your friend to engage in activities they may not be ready for; remember that the timeline for healing from trauma is individual; be patient with your friend.
Provide information about campus and community resources for help (see bottom of page). You can offer to accompany your friend to the Psychological Counseling Center to speak with a professional.
Take care of yourself as well! You are also welcome to talk to someone from the PCC if you are struggling with supporting someone.
Bystanders are the largest group involved in violent, oppressive, and insensitive acts. They greatly outnumber perpetrators and victims/survivors, and they have the power to stop abuse and get help for those being victimized.
Active bystanders are people who witness a conflict or an unacceptable situation, including an abusive, oppressive, or violent situation, and choose to speak up or do something, without putting their own safety at risk.
Some micro- or macro-aggressive behaviors that a SUNY New Paltz student may observe that could prompt active bystander interventions are:
Rude, inconsiderate behaviors or language
Offensive or derogatory humor
Escalating conflict
Dangerous behaviors or threats
Harassment or bullying
Pressuring advances
Safe active bystander choices may include:
Telling someone else about what you are observing
Deescalating the situation by redirecting the persons involved
Asking if the offended person wants help
Asking if the distressed person wants to leave; if so, leave with others
If there is immediate danger – Call University Police (845-257-2222) if on campus or 911 if off campus
How to help yourself and your friends be safe:
Make a plan
Stay with your group and watch out for one another
Call for help if needed
Use the campus Student Walk Service (845-257-3338) for late night walks across campus, 10pm – 4am
The University has a Good Samaritan Policy that states: “A bystander acting in good faith or a reporting individual acting in good faith that discloses any incident of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to SUNY New Paltz officials or law enforcement will not be subject to New Paltz’s campus code of conduct action for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies occurring at or near the time of the commission of the domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault.”
A recent survey found that 13% of college students experienced nonconsensual sexual contact since enrollment at their institution. (1)
Most survivors (79% - 88%) knew their assaulter; over half of assaults occurred on a date. (3)
Women, TGQN (trans, genderqueer, & nonbinary), and undergraduate students face the most significant risks for sexual violence. Statistics are broken down as follows (1):
Women – Undergraduate 25.9%, Graduate 9.7%
TGQN – Undergraduate 22.8%, Graduate 14.5%
Men – Undergraduate 6.8%, Graduate 2.5%
Men are also still at risk – male college students are 5x more likely to experience nonconsensual sexual contact vs male non-students of the same age range. (2)
First- and second-year students are at greater risk for sexual assault than junior and seniors. (3)
Sexual assaults are most likely to occur in the fall months, on Friday or Saturday nights, and after midnight. (3)
Over half of sexual assaults against women occurred in off-campus parties. (3)
In 1/3 of sexual assaults, the perpetrator was intoxicated. (3)
Alcohol is more frequently associated with campus sexual assault than drugs. (3)
Over half of rape or assault survivors will not tell anyone about the incident. (3)
The top reasons women gave for not contacting support services were thinking it could be handled alone, it didn’t seem serious enough to seek help, or feeling embarrassed, ashamed, or fearing that it would be too emotionally difficult. (1)
The most common type of program or resource contacted after a victimization was counseling. (1)
The PCC is a confidential campus resource. Though it can be scary and difficult to talk about these experiences, our clinicians all have trauma-informed training, and can offer flexible support tailored to your specific needs.
Students reported that the most common situations related to sexual assault and misconduct they witnessed were someone making sexual comments that made others feel uncomfortable or offended, a situation they believe could have led to sexual assault, someone behaving in a controlling or abusive manner, and witnessing sexually harassing behavior. (1)
How to Contact the PCC After Experiencing Sexual Violence and/or Interpersonal Violence
Weekday/daytime hours: Counseling services are available to all students and can be accessed by walking into the PCC office in the Student Health and Counseling Center building (map) or by calling 845-257-2920 to make an appointment.
Students who have experienced sexual violence (or are experiencing any other crisis) may inform the administrative assistant of their urgent need and request a same-day appointment.
After hours or on weekends: Any student may contact the PCC’s "Emergency Contact for Student Consult" (ECSC) via phone.
On campus students may call the PCC directly and follow the automated prompts to reach our answering service – a PCC clinician will then return your call shortly. On campus students may also talk with their RA or RD for help accessing the ECSC.
Students living off campus should call the PCC office and follow the automated prompts to reach our answering service. Ask to be connected to the PCC "Emergency Contact for Student Consult" (ECSC); the answering service will in turn alert a PCC clinician and the student will receive a return call promptly.
When utilizing the answering service, please keep your phone near you, ensure that your phone is charged, and ensure that the PCC clinician can leave you a voicemail in the event that the call is missed. The phone number of the PCC clinician will appear as a blocked, private, or unknown number (or as the main SUNY New Paltz number 845-257-6800), so please also make sure your phone can receive these kinds of calls.
HAVEN, the confidential peer support hotline for dealing with unwanted sexual experiences, is available to call at 845-257-4930. Haven walk-in support is located at Lenape Hall - North Entrance - (facing Ridgeview Hall) from 8pm - 12am. This service is available when classes are in session.
