Get Help in an Emergency

Your safety is the HIGHEST priority. Get away from the assailant quickly.

Call 9-1-1 or Dartmouth Safety & Security at (603) 646-3333.

You are not responsible for the actions of others. No one deserves to be sexually assaulted. No one deserves to be stalked. No one has the right to hurt you or touch you against your will or without consent. It is not your fault.

Call a friend, family member, or someone else you trust who can be with you and give you support. You can also call the WISE hotline (866-348-9473) or the Dartmouth Counseling Center (603-646-9442) to help you work through this experience and help you begin the healing process.

You have the right, and are encouraged, to seek medical care and assistance. After a physical or sexual assault, you may not know whether or not you have sustained any injuries. A healthcare provider can provide overall care; treat any injuries that may have occurred during the assault; provide emergency contraception; and/or offer preventive treatment for sexual transmitted infections (STIs). Medical care is available at the Dartmouth College Health Service (Dick's House) or Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC).

Evidence of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking should be preserved as soon as possible, even if you are unsure about reporting to the College or filing criminal charges. Preservation of evidence is essential for both law enforcement and campus disciplinary investigations.

Write down, or have a friend write down, everything you can remember about the incident, including a physical description of the assailant. You should attempt to do this even if you are unsure about reporting the incident in the future.

Forensic Evidence

If you choose to report the assault and pursue legal options, a prompt forensic examination can be crucial.

Steps to Preserve Forensic Evidence

• Avoid drinking, bathing, showering, brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, or combing your hair.

• Do not change clothes. If you have already changed your clothes, place your clothing and other items (sheets, blankets) in a brown paper bag (a plastic bag may destroy evidence).

• Go to a hospital emergency department, such as DHMC, which has the capability to provide a Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit and medical care for victims of sexual assault, dating violence, or domestic violence. A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), a healthcare provider trained to provide comprehensive care for a victim, can collect forensic evidence. 

• A sexual assault evidence collection can only be completed within 5 days of the assault. You have the right to refuse the entire exam or any part of it at any time. You may also decide to complete an evidence collection exam anonymously.

• By New Hampshire law, evidence collection expenses are covered at no cost to you.

If you suspect that you are the victim of a drug-facilitated sexual assault, ask the hospital or clinic where you receive medical care to take a urine sample. Drugs, such as Rohypnol and GHB, are more likely to be detected in urine than in blood. Rohypnol stays in the body for several hours and can be detected in the urine up to 72 hours after taking it. GHB leaves the body in 12 hours.

Consider bringing someone to the hospital with you for support.

The hospital automatically calls a WISE advocate to be available any time someone comes in for a SANE examination. You can decide whether or not you want to speak with the advocate. The advocate is a confidential resource who is not affiliated with the College. They can provide you with confidential support and talk with you about your options.

If you need a ride to or from the hospital, Dartmouth's Department of Safety & Security (DoSS) will escort you 24/7 at no charge.

Contact DoSS at (603) 646-4000

You do not have to specify the details of why you need to go to the hospital to the Safety & Security officer.

Physical Evidence

Physical evidence should be preserved even if you choose not to go to the hospital for a forensic exam. Save all of the clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault. Put each item in a separate paper bag (do not use plastic bags). Save all bedding (blankets, sheets) and put each in a separate paper bag. Take photographs of any visible physical injuries (bruising, scratches) for use as evidence. If you report to law enforcement, they may want to take their own photos as evidence.

Electronic Evidence

Evidence such as texts, emails, Facebook posts, chats, pictures, videos or other forms of electronic communication can be helpful in a college or criminal investigation. Download, save to a .pdf, take screen shots, or use other methods to preserve electronic evidence.

You may choose to report the incident to the Hanover Police Department and/or to Dartmouth's Department of Safety & Security (DoSS). The Title IX Coordinator receives reports as well. 

If you are unsure as to whether or not you want to report the incident, you can talk with a Hanover Police officer or Safety & Security officer about "hypotheticals" to find out more information. You can have a WISE advocate, College staff member, or someone else with you during this process.

If you were under 21 and were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of the assault you will NOT be charged for using by Hanover Police Department or Dartmouth College. Sexual assault is a crime in all 50 states. Whether or not you were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of the incident, does NOT make it your fault. No one has the right to touch you without your consent.

Dartmouth's Title IX Coordinator will help review your options for next steps and connect you to support services and additional resources. You can decide how best to proceed, except when there is an immediate threat to the safety of the community or a minor is involved.

Regardless of when or where the incident occurred, resources on- and off-campus are available to support you at any time, now and in the future.

People can and do recover. Give yourself as much time as you need. Talking with supportive people may help you regain a feeling of control and help you feel less alone.

Self-care can be an important component of one's healing. Adequate sleep, nutrition, and emotional self-care can help ensure your body and mind are able to participate fully in the healing process.