Reporting Sexual Violence or Sex Discrimination
It is your right to choose whether to report sexual violence or sex discrimination.
- Any person may report sexual violence or sex discrimination, including Complainants as well as people who witnessed or learned of the conduct.
- You may choose to report the incident right away, after taking some time to get support and take care of yourself, or you may choose to never report the incident.
- You may choose to report the incident to the University, law enforcement, both, or neither. It's entirely up to you.
- If you are a student, you should not be deterred from reporting a sexual violence because you were intoxicated or under the influence of other drugs at the time of the incident. Complainants who disclose they were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs as part of the process of reporting sexual violence will not be disciplined.
If you already know that you would like to file a report, follow the instructions in the 'File a Report' section below.
If you are unsure if you would like to file a report, there are several confidential resources that can help you make an informed decision. You may also refer to the information below or download a copy of the Sexual Violence Support Services and Reporting Options brochure. Whether you choose to report the crime or not, you are encouraged to contact the University CARE advocate, where all intervention services are confidential, free, and available to any UC Davis student, staff, faculty, or others who experience sexual violence in the context of a university program.
Please be aware that all University employees, including student employees, are required to report all incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence against students to the Title IX Office. Additionally, certain University officials – supervisors, faculty, coaches and other officials – are required to report all incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence. If you prefer to stay anonymous, consider talking with one of the UCD confidential resources before making an official complaint.
- Reporting to UC Davis
If you choose to file a report with the University, the University will take prompt action to respond to your complaint. The University will employ appropriate supportive and remedial measures, including imposing disciplinary sanctions against the accused (referred to as the respondent) if the University has jurisdiction to do so.
What happens if I report sexual violence to the University?
Anyone may report sexual violence or other sexual misconduct to the University, including Complainants as well as people who witnessed or learned of the conduct. UC Davis takes all complaints of sexual violence, sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination very seriously. Your safety and well-being are among the University’s highest priorities and you have the right to a learning or work environment that is free from any type of harassment or discrimination. UC Davis responds to reports of sexual violence, sexual harassment, and other sex-based discrimination through the University's sexual violence and sexual harassment policy and procedures.
First StepsIf you choose to report to the University, you may do so by contacting a staff member in the Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) by telephone or email. You may also report to the University by completing the online Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Incident Report Form (This reporting method will be down on 10/9/2024 at 7:00 PM for system updates. It will reopen on 10/9/2024 at 10:00 PM). Reports can also be sent at any time via mail or email to the UC Davis Title IX Officer, Wendi Delmendo. See ‘File a Report’ below for more information on any of these reporting methods.
If you use the online report form, email, or mail, someone from HDAPP will follow up with you. If you choose to speak with an HDAPP representative, you may arrange with CARE beforehand to have a Victim Advocate accompany you.The HDAPP staff member will explain the UC Davis administrative procedures for responding to complaints of sexual misconduct. They will also discuss with you whether any interim protections or accommodations are requested or needed. Some examples of what UC Davis might do include: creating a plan to limit or prevent contact between you and another person; taking steps to increase your sense of safety and security while you continue with your classes, work, and other activities; and providing confidential emotional support through Student Health and Counseling Services, the Academic and Staff Assistance Program, and/or the University CARE Advocate. After your meeting with HDAPP, your complaint will be reviewed to determine what resolution process is most appropriate. Under certain circumstances, the University may resolve the report via investigation or alternative resolution.
Investigation
The University investigator will separately meet with you, the respondent, and other potential witnesses to gather information. When the fact-gathering portion of the investigation is complete, the investigator will prepare and submit a report addressing whether the allegations are substantiated and make either a recommendation or finding on whether University policy was violated. During the investigation, necessary measures will continue to be taken to ensure you feel safe.The specific post-investigation resolution process that will be used depends on several factors, such as the affiliation of the respondent to the University and the nature of the allegations. You will be informed of the specific post-investigation resolution process applicable to your situation prior to the start of the investigation. If you would like to learn more about the different post-investigation resolution processes and frameworks, you may review the UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy and the Investigation and Adjudication Frameworks found on the Policies and Annual Reports page.
Alternative Resolution
In some cases, the Title IX Officer may deem it appropriate to offer you the option of resolving the complaint using alternative resolution in lieu of a formal investigation. In comparison with formal investigation, alternative resolution provides a less formal and more flexible process for resolving reports. It requires mutual agreement from you and respondent to participate in alternative resolution. The remedies are determined and agreed upon by the parties with support from HDAPP. You may also request to use the alternative resolution process; however, the Title IX Officer will ultimately determine if alternative resolution is an appropriate resolution option.
Examples of alternative resolution include:
- Mediation (except in cases of sexual violence);
- Separating the parties;
- Providing for safety;
- Referring the parties to counseling;
- Referral for disciplinary action;
- A settlement agreement;
- Conducting targeted preventive educational and training programs; and
- Conducting a follow-up review to ensure that the resolution has been implemented effectively.Either party can terminate the process at any time. The Title IX Officer also may terminate the process if it appears that alternative resolution will not be successful. If the alternative resolution process is terminated or either party chooses not to agree to the alternative resolution process, an investigation may be used to resolve the matter.
Who will know about my report?
The University will protect the privacy of everyone involved in a report of sexual harassment or sexual violence to the greatest degree possible under law and University policy. However, anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Only those who have a legitimate need or right to know about the concerns will be made aware of the complaint. If you report sexual misconduct to the University, the University will monitor the progress of the case through its case management team. This team consists of representatives from the Title IX office, CARE and, depending on the affiliation of the accused, representatives from Academic Affairs, Student Support and Judicial Affairs, or Human Resources. These people will be informed of both parties’ names and the allegations.
If an investigation is charged, respondent will be advised of the allegations against them. Witnesses who are interviewed by the investigator may also know about the report, but they won’t be told who made the report. Until the investigation is completed, no one else would have reason to be told about your report. Professors, parents, supervisors, co-workers or others are not informed. If you need assistance getting educational, housing, and/or employment accommodations such as extensions, changing your residence, changing your shift, or with any other interim actions, the University CARE advocate can generally provide that assistance without providing any details to others.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the Title IX Officer will notify you and the respondent about the outcome of the investigation and provide you both with a copy of the investigation report. The report may be redacted to protect privacy rights.
- Reporting to Police
If you would like to report to the police, the first step is to determine which law enforcement agency to report to. This is based on the location of the sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking. For example, if the incident occurred on UC Davis property, the report would be made to the UC Davis Police Department. If the incident occurred at an off-campus residence within the City of Davis, the report would be made to the Davis Police Department.
The CARE victim advocate can help you to determine which law enforcement agency to contact if you wish to report the assault to the police.
Generally, a report to the police will involve speaking with a first-response patrol officer who will make sure you are safe, gather basic information about the incident, and evaluate the need for a medical exam to collect evidence. If an evidentiary exam is necessary, the exam is NOT done by the officer; it is conducted by a specially trained medical practitioner. You might also be contacted by a detective for a follow up interview to obtain a more extensive account of what occurred. As a victim of sexual assault or other sexual violence, you have the right to have a victim advocate present with you during the evidentiary exam and all law enforcement and prosecutor interviews.Local Law Enforcement Agencies:
UC Davis Police Department: 530-752-1230
City of Davis Police Department: 530-758-3600
Sacramento Police Department: 916-732-0100
City of Woodland Police Department: 530-666-2411- Reporting to Federal or State Agencies
- You can file a complaint with an outside agency instead of, or in addition to, filing a complaint with the University.
Students may file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights online, by mail or by fax. Instructions for doing so can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html. Complaints may also be filed by telephone at (800) 421-3481, (800) 877-8339, or (415) 486-5555.
Employees may file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights online, by mail or by fax. Instructions for doing so can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html. Complaints may also be filed by telephone at (800) 421-3481, (800) 877-8339, or (415) 486-5555.
Employees may also file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) by calling 800-884-1684 (voice), 800-700-2320 (TTY) or California’s Relay Service at 711, or by mailing a complaint using the appropriate online form, posted at https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/complaint-process/file-a-complaint/filing-a-complaint-by-mail-2/.
Residents and Fellows can file a complaint related to a medical education program (e.g., for failure to prevent or appropriately respond to sexual harassment) with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) at https://www.acgme.org/Residents-and-Fellows/Report-an-Issue.
Patients may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201 1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD). Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.
Complaints may also be made to the California Department of Public Health’s Regional Office at 3901 Lennane Drive, Suite 210, Sacramento, CA 95834, (916) 263-5800, (800) 554-0354, (916) 263-5840 (fax).
Additionally, patients can file a complaint against a licensed medical professional, including physicians, nurses, psychologists and others by going to this website: https://www.dca.ca.gov/webapps/breeze/about_breeze.php. You can also visit this site, which will allow you to access websites to file complaints about any licensed professional in the State of California: https://www.dca.ca.gov/consumers/complaints/consumer.shtml