Get help and support

Confidential Reporting and Support

Non-Confidential Reporting and Support

Community Support

Because of the trauma resulting from sexual violence, survivors are strongly encouraged to seek ongoing professional support. A therapeutic relationship with a counselor:

  • creates a confidential environment in which the survivor can discuss all aspects of their experience as needed or desired;
  • provides the survivor with valuable tools for coping with the stress and intensity of feelings, which may shift many times during a survivor’s recovery;
  • facilitates the healing process and monitors the survivor’s progress in regaining and maintaining emotional balance;
  • documents the survivor’s on-going request for assistance, should they wish to use such an attendance record in a conduct or court hearing.

Amnesty

For Reporting Party

The College provides amnesty to a reporting party who may be hesitant to report to College officials because they fear that they themselves may be accused of minor policy violations, such as underage drinking, at the time of the incident. This means that a reporting party’s behavior and/or conduct may be addressed by the College through education, assessment, and/or treatment.

Immunity for a Reporting Party of Sexual Misconduct

The Eckerd College community encourages the reporting of Community Standards violations, especially sexual misconduct. Sometimes, victims are hesitant to report to College officials because they fear that they themselves may be charged with policy violations, such as underage drinking, at the time of the incident. It is in the best interest of this community that as many victims as possible choose to report to College officials. To encourage reporting, Eckerd College pursues a policy of offering victims of sexual misconduct immunity from minor policy violations related to the sexual misconduct incident. Immunity means that the reporting student’s conduct related to the sexual misconduct incident may be addressed by the College through education, assessment, and/or treatment.

For Those Who Offer Assistance

To encourage students to offer help and assistance to others, the College pursues a policy of amnesty for minor violations when students offer help to others in need. At the discretion of the Dean or designee, amnesty may also be extended on a case-by-case basis to the person receiving assistance. For those who offer assistance to others and for good-faith witnesses in investigations, the College offers immunity for minor policy violations. The student’s conduct may be addressed by the College through education, assessment, and/or treatment.

Good Samaritan/Medical Amnesty

The welfare of students in our community is of paramount importance. At times, students on-and-off campus may need assistance. Eckerd College expects students to offer help and assistance to others in need. Sometimes, students are hesitant to offer assistance to others, for fear that they may get themselves in trouble (for example, students who have been drinking underage might hesitate to call for help for a friend who drank too much).

Eckerd College pursues a policy of limited immunity for students who seek help for themselves and/or offer help to others in need. This means that whenever a student seeks medical aid for themselves or another due to the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, the impaired student’s and the assisting student(s)’ conduct will be addressed by the College through education, assessment, and/or treatment. This policy refers to isolated incidents only and does not excuse or protect those who flagrantly or repeatedly violate the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy. Students who choose not to seek help for themselves and/or assist a fellow community member when in need of assistance may face conduct action by the College.

For Those Who Report Serious Violations

Students who are engaged in minor violations but who choose to bring related serious violations by others to the attention of the College are offered amnesty for their minor violations. Amnesty means that the student’s conduct may be addressed by the College through education, assessment, and/or treatment.

Abuse of amnesty requests can result in a decision by the Dean or designee not to extend amnesty to the same person repeatedly.

Safe Harbor

The College believes that students who have a drug and/or addiction problem deserve help. If any College student brings their own use, addiction, or dependency to the attention of College officials outside the threat of drug tests or conduct sanctions and seeks assistance, a conduct complaint will not be pursued. A written action plan may be used to track cooperation with the Safe Harbor program by the student. Failure to follow the action plan will nullify the Safe Harbor protection and campus conduct processes will be initiated.