Get Answers: Understanding Your Options After an Assault
Immediate help: If you or someone you know has been assaulted in the last five days (120 hours):
Go to a safe place as soon as you can. Call the Boston College Police, SANet, or University Counseling Services. Taking care of yourself is the first step in the healing process after an assault.
24-Hour Services:
- Boston College Police: 617-552-4444. The BC Police can also be reached by activating the blue light boxes located throughout campus. The BC Police can assist you in reporting an assault that occurred off campus to the appropriate municipal authorities.
- SANet: 617-552-2211
The Sexual Assault Network is a 24-hour/seven-days-a-week hotline staffed by trained advocates to provide resources and support the survivor or friend of the survivor as they embark on the healing process.
- University Counseling Service: Call 617-552-3310 during the day or the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC) at 617-552-3227 on nights and weekends.
Reporting options: How to file a complaint at Boston College:
The decision to report sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual misconduct is solely up to you. Deciding whether or not to report is very difficult for most survivors and may simply not be a step that is possible for you right now. However, please know that the University cares about you and has many resources available to help you in the healing process, and we encourage our students to come forward.
There are three avenues to file a complaint at Boston College:
Office of Student Conduct: 617-552-3470
Melissa Woolsey, M.A., Associate Dean, studentconduct@bc.edu
The Office of the Dean of Students offers a number of options to students wishing to file a complaint, request a No Contact or Stay Away Order, or learn more about what the investigation process entails.
Title IX Coordinator: Melinda Stoops, melinda.stoops@bc.edu or assaultreport@bc.edu | 617-552-3482
The Title IX Coordinator is available to meet with students to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to address complaints and protect the safety and well-being of survivors.
Boston College Police: 617-552-4444 (emergency); 617-552-4440 (non-emergency), Maloney Hall
BC Police are trained and available to respond immediately to Boston College survivors and provide:
- Assistance with medical treatment
- Assistance in pursuing adjudication both on and off campus
If you choose to report the incident to the Boston College Police, a specially trained officer will conduct an interview which involves asking you to describe the assailant and what happened. An officer may ask questions about the scene of the crime, any witnesses, and what happened before and after. The officer will collect any evidence, including assisting you to a hospital to have a sexual assault evidence collection kit performed if you choose, and will assist you in meeting with a Victim Witness Advocate. If you choose to speak with the District Attorney’s Office or the Office of Student Conduct, the officer will assist you in meeting with them. The officer will support you through the investigation process.
Understand Your Privacy
SANet services can be either private or anonymous (if the caller gives a false name or no name).
Cases in which SANet might need to take outside action include imminent threats to oneself or others:
- If a caller is under the age of 18 or over the age of 65 and is currently being abused by a caretaker/ legal guardian/parent
- If a caller threatens homicide and/or suicide
Please note that no information shared in the course of a call with SANet is shared with Melinda Stoops, the Title IX Student Coordinator, unless the student elects to do so or the call falls under one of the cases listed above.