Find a Safe Space
Go to a safe place where people will be able to assist you.
Safety Assessment
- Are you safe now?
- If you’re not safe, and if on campus, call University Police (in Lathrop Hall) at (585) 395-2222; If off campus, call 911 (The Brockport Police Department is located at 1 Clinton Street, Brockport, NY. )
Seek Medical Attention
It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. You may have hidden injuries and also may want to explore options for preventing pregnancy and STIs.
Drugs used for emergency contraception and to prevent HIV and STIs have a limited time within which to work. The following can provide these services:
- Student Health Center, Hazen Center for Integrated Care, Hazen Hall, (585) 395-2414
- Strong West Emergency, 156 West Avenue, Brockport, (585) 758-1010.
- Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, (585) 275-2100.
- Unity Hospital, 1555 Long Pond Road, Rochester, NY 14626, (585) 723-7100.
Evidence Collection
Seeking medical attention allows you to have evidence collected. You do not have to make a decision right away about contacting the police and making a criminal report. However, having evidence collected within 72 hours preserves your right to decide at a later date whether you wish to go forward with making a criminal complaint.
To preserve evidence, do not take a shower, change clothes, or brush your teeth. This evidence may be used later if you decide to press charges. If you want to change your clothes, set your clothes aside in a plastic bag.
These hospitals can provide sexual assault nursing exams (rape kits):
- Strong West Emergency, 156 West Avenue, Brockport, (585) 758-1010
- Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, (585) 275-2100
- Unity Hospital, 1555 Long Pond Road, Rochester, NY 14626, (585) 723-7100
You may want a friend to accompany you to the Emergency Department. A RESTORE advocate is on call and available at (585) 546-2777 to meet you at the Emergency Department to offer support. Emergency Department charges for the Rape Evidence Collection Kit visit are billed directly to the New York State Crime Victims Board on a routine basis.
This process allows victims of sexual assault to bypass their private medical insurance carrier. This is especially important if you do not have medical insurance or do not want your parents to learn about the Emergency Department visit.
You do not need to decide whether you want to file a criminal report about the incident immediately, but you do need to have the evidence collected as quickly as possible.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception (EC), also known as “the morning after pill,” provides an opportunity to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. There are two options.
- “Plan B” is an over the counter medication that works best if taken within 24 hours after unprotected intercourse, but can still work up to 3 days afterwards.
- “Ella” is a prescription medication that may be taken up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected intercourse and maintains its effectiveness for the entire 5 days.
The hormones in EC work primarily by delaying or preventing ovulation. They may also change the lining of the uterus, so that a fertilized egg cannot implant itself. EC does not interfere with an existing pregnancy. It only works to prevent a pregnancy from being established in the uterus.
Obtaining Emergency Contraception
Plan B and Ella may be obtained by visiting Hazen Student Health Center and signing into Self Check-In. An appointment is not required. Plan B is available for purchase by women or men without a prescription. A prescription for Ella is also available at Hazen.
Effectiveness
When used correctly, EC is between 75-90% effective in preventing an unplanned pregnancy. The sooner the medication is initiated after unprotected intercourse, the higher the effectiveness may be. At any time, a woman’s risk of becoming pregnant when having unprotected intercourse depends on where she is in her menstrual cycle.
Side Effects & Risks
Temporary side effects may include breast tenderness, headache, and menstrual irregularities. EC is safe for almost all women. Even women who have been told they cannot take oral contraceptive pills on a regular basis can generally use EC safely. EC is not recommended for use during pregnancy because it simply will not work.
There are instances when Emergency Contraception may be unsafe:
- During a current migraine headache, especially if accompanied by neurological complications
- If you have a history of stroke
- If you have problems with blood clotting
A woman should use Emergency Contraception when:
- A condom broke or fell off
- She had sex without using any other method of birth control
- The diaphragm slipped out of place
- She has missed more than two days of birth control pills
- She has been sexually assaulted or raped
Get Support
- Talk with friends who make you feel safe.
- Talk to someone confidentially:
- Contact RESTORE sexual assault services at (585) 546-2777 to speak with an advocate/counselor.
- See a counselor at Hazen Counseling Center: (585) 395-2414 (walk-in hours 8 – 4 pm, Monday – Friday).
- Contact Willow Domestic Violence Center at (585) 222-SAFE (7233) or text (585) 348-SAFE (7233).
It is not unusual to face a myriad of reactions including depression, anxiety and fear, difficulty trusting others, and self-harming behaviors as well as many, many other emotions. Everyone reacts differently. Some people may experience reactions immediately. Others may seem to function “fine” initially, but react later, long after the event occurred. Getting help right away may reduce the impact the experience has on your life later on. Take care of yourself. You have been through a traumatic event. It is vitally important that you attend to your physical and emotional health needs as you cope and recover.
Proxy Report
If you decide not to press charges, you may consider asking for a Proxy Report to be completed. Filing a Proxy Report with RESTORE provides you with an anonymous way to report a sexual assault that will not result in charges being pressed, but does allow your story to be heard.
If you do decide to proceed either through the Title IX Grievance or student conduct process or criminally, by pressing charges, Denine Carr, the Title IX Coordinator can help.