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Campus Victim Resources

Sexual assault prevention/anti-violence education programs


Education programs to promote the awareness of rape, acquaintance rape, and other sex offenses are offered throughout the year by the following offices:



Violence awareness and prevention programs for students are offered as part of the New Student Orientation by the Campus Advocacy Network, Office of Women's Affairs, and Student Development Services. Violence prevention curriculum was developed for LAS 100 classes by the Campus Advocacy Network, and Counseling Center. In Rockford, counseling is available by referral through the UIC College of Medicine at Rockford Department of Psychiatry.


Procedures for a victim to follow when a sex offense has occurred


In Illinois, Sexual Assault is defined as penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina, anus or mouth by a sex organ, other body parts or objects without consent.

Consent is the freely given agreement to sexual activity and can be rescinded at any time during the sexual activity. If consent is rescinded and the sexual activity does not stop, this constitutes rape in Illinois. Illinois law states that the manner of dress does not constitute consent.

Consent can't be given in conditions where there is force or a threat of force or where the victim is unable to understand the nature of the act as would be the case if the person was unconscious or significantly altered by drugs or alcohol.

Being the victim of a sexual assault or abuse can be a very traumatic and confusing experience. Here is a list of possible options one may pursue subsequent to experiencing a sexual assault or other sex offense:

  1. It is important to get to a safe place. If safety is not jeopardized, point out the perpetrator to other people.
  2. Call a close friend or Campus Advocate (in Chicago, 312.413.8206 available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) for support and accompaniment to the hospital and/or police station.
  3. Seek immediate medical attention at an Emergency Room.
  4. Hospital emergency rooms are equipped to collect evidence and treat physical injuries, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Prophylactic HIV, STD, and emergency birth control needs to be administered as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours.
  5. If date rape drugs are suspected, do not urinate until you go to the emergency room so that the drugs could be detected.
  6. Evidence collection will take place only with consent and needs to be gathered as soon as possible but evidence can still obtained as late as 96 hours after the attack.
  7. Consider not bathing, changing clothes or douching before going to the emergency room because this will destroy evidence that would be helpful in future prosecution.
  8. The hospital will inform the police if they were not previously called.
  9. Call the UIC Police (312-355-5555) or the local police emergency line (911).
  10. Reporting a rape does not mean one must prosecute. Reporting alerts the police, increasing the chances of quick apprehension of the rapist and preventing other attacks. For cases that will be prosecuted, it is best for the victim:
    • Not to destroy evidence by bathing or changing clothes. Bring those clothes to the ER or police station to be processed for evidence.
    • Not to disturb the scene of the attack or touch objects that were touched by the attacker.
    • To try to remember as many details about the attacker as possible, such as age, height, weight, hair, eye and skin color, clothing, scars and other distinguishing marks, brand of cigarettes, make of car and license plate numbers, and verbal or body language habits.
    • To keep a record of what happened and add details as they are remembered.
  11. Even if you do not go to the Emergency Room immediately after the assault, medical attention is important for all victims of sexual assault. This medical attention can be sought from the Emergency Room or your medical care provider. Remember, rape kits can be conducted up to 96 hours after the assault although it is best for these to be conducted as soon as possible after the assault.

The victim also may contact any of the campus offices listed below to request assistance in notifying the proper authorities and to learn of options for, and get assistance with, changing academic and living situations after an assault (if desired changes are reasonably available) or for help coping with the emotional consequences of being attacked.



Additional Resources

Rape Victim Advocates: (312) 663-6303

Available at several area hospital emergency rooms, including the University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital, 1740 West Taylor St., (312) 996-7296. RVA provides free medical advocacy and counseling to survivors and their friends and families.

Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-888-293-2080

Horizons Community Services: (312) 871-CARE

(24-hour hotline) provides antiviolence information and counseling to the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community.

Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-877-863-6338


Victim assistance follow-up procedures


All criminal incidents that are reported to the UICPD, for which the victim is a UIC student or employee, will be treated according to the following guidelines:

Police Involvement

Incident should be reported to all proper law enforcement authorities (i.e., UICPD, local police, etc.) so that an investigation may ensue. It is customary for the police to contact Student Affairs with the details regarding incidents that affect students. Students also should be referred to Student Affairs, which provides a central support system during and after the reporting of the incident. Employees should be referred to the Employee Assistance Program.

Appropriate Referrals

Physical Health Victim(s) should be referred immediately to the hospital or doctor to diagnose and treat any injuries. Psychological/Emotional Health Victim(s) should be given a referral to (or appointment with) the Counseling Center, Campus Advocacy Network, or similar community-based victim rights/assistance resources that can help the victim work through any emotional trauma resulting from the incident. o Academic Responsibilities (for students) Student Affairs (i.e., Student Development Services) will check with the student to see what needs she/he has (i.e., contacting instructors regarding missed classes, dropping classes, withdrawal from the university, etc.). Other Administrative Referrals Victim(s) should be referred to other appropriate administrative or service units on campus for assistance. Advocacy Victim(s) can explore pursuing criminal, civil, and student judicial remedies with the assistance of the Campus Advocacy Network.

On-campus disciplinary procedures for cases of criminal activity perpetrated by a student

The student judicial process is carried out by the Dean of Student Affairs Office under the auspices of the UIC Senate and follows the procedures outlined in the Student Disciplinary Procedures (ratified in September of 1997). The accused student may be subject to one or more of the following penalties: Expulsion, dismissal, suspension, probation, fines, reprimand, or warning (Section 3). In emergency circumstances, the student may be immediately removed from campus for their own protection, the protection of others, or to maintain the normal operation of the university (Section 9).

In on-campus disciplinary cases, both the accuser and the accused are entitled to have witnesses and an adviser present. After the proceedings have concluded, the accused student will be notified in writing as to the outcome including what, if any, sanctions have been imposed through the judicial processes.

These written policies may be obtained through the Dean of Student Affairs Office (312) 996-4857 or (815) 395-5630 in Rockford.

Procedures for Notifying the Campus Community of Extraordinary Criminal Incidents

Although it is standard for reports of criminal activity to appear in the UICNews, “News in Action” or “The Pulse,” certain situations warrant more immediate attention. Circulating important details of a criminal incident, while protecting the identity of the victim, may assist in the apprehension of suspects and help each of us protect ourselves better through enhanced awareness. The criteria for determining when an incident should be immediately reported to the campus community, and the procedures to be followed are described in the following:

The media for notification about such incidents may include any or all of the following:

  • Electronic mail messages to faculty, staff, and students
  • Distribution of flyers posted strategically on campus (may include police sketch and details of incident)
  • Memoranda to university departments
  • Word-of-mouth

The review process prior to the dissemination of information will include conferral with appropriate campus groups as follows:

  1. The crisis response team includes representatives from the following units:
    • Public Affairs
    • Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
    • UIC Police Department
    • Counseling Center
    • Faculty Senate
    • Student Government
    • Others as appropriate (e.g., Office of Women's Affairs, Chancellor's Committees, etc.)
  2. The crisis response team will assess the situation in terms of the following criteria in making the decision as to whether the alleged incident mandates the dissemination of information before it can be reported in the next issue of the UIC News.

Was it a Campus Crime?

  • Did the incident occur on or in close proximity to the campus?
  • Was a student, employee, or visitor of the campus either the victim or suspect?

Type of Incident

  • Was the incident a violent crime?
  • Was the incident a hate crime? (May include sex crimes or other crimes against women, and all crimes motivated by hate based on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, etc.)
  • Was the incident serious enough to warrant special notification efforts?

Potential for Recurrence

  • Is notification likely to prevent a recurrence of the crime/incident?
  • Is this likely to be one (or the first) in a series of such crimes?
  • Did the victim(s) know the alleged assailant(s)?
  • Was this a random act?

Responsibility of Members of the Campus Community

  • Administrators may be asked to disseminate specific information within unit/department on short notice.
  • Departments may be asked to post flyers regarding the incident for a specific period of time.
  • Questions regarding this policy may be directed to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Campus Advocacy Network (CAN)

The Campus Advocacy Network is comprised of a network of university staff who provide support and assistance for the victims of hate crimes. The network serves as the initial point of entry in the university's system of victim support and assistance, disciplinary process, and/or criminal prosecution of the offender(s). The Campus Advocacy Network directs the victim(s) to an array of services and information to assist them physically, emotionally, and legally. CAN is currently reviewing a confidential intake form that will be used by university staff to report criminal activity without duplicating statistics. The coordination of this form will be processed in the Office of the Ombudsperson.

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