Title IX Information & Resources: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking

If You Need the Police

• On Campus: For emergency response, call DPS at 314-977-3000
• Off Campus:  For emergency response, call 911

DPS can coordinate emergency response from law enforcement, ensure community safety, and document information in a report. DPS Officers can also safely escort any student to any campus location. A safety escort can be obtained by contacting DPS at 314-977-3000.

If You Need to Talk

Our after-hours nurse line is available, 24 hours a day.  They are available to answer questions, help you determine what care you need and guide you to local resources.  They can also help you schedule telehealth appointments with a counselor or general healthcare provider.  You can reach them by calling the main number for the Student Health Center or the University Counseling Center and pressing 9.

• Student Health Center 24-Hour Nurse Advice Line: 314-977-2323 - press #9 after hours
• University Counseling Center  On-Call Counselor: 314-977-8255 (TALK) - press #9 after hours

If You Need Medical Assistance

A sexual assault nurse examiner  is available at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. Contact the ER at 314-577-8777 or the hospital at 314-577-8000. No medical information will be released to the University, police, family members or any party without your consent. 

What is a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner ?

A sexual assault nurse examiner is specially trained in evidence collection and the medical needs of sexual assault victims. Whichever hospital you choose, ask if they have a sexual assault nurse examiner on duty. Ideally, this exam should happen as soon as possible. 
Per Missouri law, forensic evidence collection charges cannot be billed to the patient. Follow-up medications and care may be subject to billing and can be discussed with your provider. 

What to Expect During an Exam

• The primary focus is on two things: collection of forensic evidence and assessment and treatment of injuries.  
• As part of the examination, you should be offered medication to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases. 
• At SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, a sexual assault victim is given priority for treatment and wait times should be shorter. A sexual assault nurse examiner will either be on duty or will be called in.   
• Per Missouri law, you have a right to have a sexual assault evidentiary collection kit (rape kit) obtained without notifying the police. This will allow you time to consider your options without losing potential evidence. 
• In this scenario, the kit will remain at the hospital. An investigation can be initiated at a later time.  
• You may have an exam done without a kit. The sexual assault nurse examiner will discuss all options with you.
• You have a right to decline any part of the examination. 
• Per Missouri law, you have the right to speak with the police anonymously or have your case reported to the police anonymously.  
• In this scenario, the kit will go to the lab, but no identifying information about the victim is connected. An investigation can be initiated at a later time. 

As a general rule, kits are not done more than five days after an assault. The sooner you go to the ER, the more likely evidence can be collected.  If possible, do not shower or change clothes — sometimes clothing holds important evidence.   

For Title IX Information or Assistance

• Anna Kratky, Title IX Coordinator
  DuBourg Hall, Room 36
  314-977-3886 or 314-977-3838 (After hours, reports can be made at 314-580-8730)
  anna.kratky@slu.edu
• Justin Lacy, Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX
  DuBourg Hall, Room 243
  314-977-3065
  justin.lacy@slu.edu
• Sara Zapien, Equity Officer/Title IX Investigator
  DuBourg Hall,  Room 36
  314-977-9868
  sara.zapien@slu.edu 
• Kim Sahr, Equity Officer/Title IX Investigator
  DuBourg Hall, Room 36
  314-240-2144
  kim.sahr@slu.edu 

Immediate Crisis Services in the STL Community

• Safe Connections 24/7 Crisis Hotline 
  314-531-2003
  Trained advocates provide a variety of services (individual counseling, group counseling, educational opportunities) and referrals for those who have experienced rape, domestic or dating abuse (physical, sexual or emotional), sex trafficking, and/or childhood sexual abuse.
• The YWCA of Metro St. Louis 24/7 Rape Crisis Hotline 
  314-531-7273
  Volunteer advocates can speak to victims, meet a victim at a local hospital and/or assist a victim with making a police report.

National Hotlines and Live Chats for Immediate Crisis Services

The following live chat options are available around the clock:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline 
  1-800-656-4673 
  Access 24/7 Live Chat 
• Love is Respect 
  1-866-331-9474
  Text “campus” to 22522 for live chat. 

Campus resources are designated for any person who has been impacted in any way by sexual harassment or sexual harassment allegations. 

Students who are supporting friends who have been impacted by sexual harassment may also access campus resources, such as counseling and/or clerical support. 

Students may access any of the measures or services listed below whether or not they are choosing to make a formal report or participate in an investigation.

Supportive Measures Include

• No Contact Orders: Students harmed by another student may wish to seek a No Contact Order to prohibit any further contact. No Contact Orders are facilitated by the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards. Students may ask for a No Contact Order even if they do not wish to participate in a full investigation. If a student wishes to seek a No Contact Order, they may contact either the Title IX Coordinator or the Director of the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards.
• Change of Living Environment: Students may request a housing assignment change due to a Title IX incident or situation. To do so, students may contact either the Title IX Coordinator or speak with Housing and Residence Life staff directly. 
• Academic Accommodations: Students may request academic accommodations, such as deadline extensions or excused absences, due to a Title IX incident. Students may reach out to their instructors directly or contact either the Title IX Coordinator or the Dean of Students Office to assist in the notification to instructors.

For a full list of available supportive measures, please see the SLU's Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy section 2.10 on page 19.

Safety Resources

• Campus Safety Escorts: DPS Officers can escort any student to any campus location. A safety escort can be obtained by contacting DPS at 314-977-3000.
• SLU Ride: Students can use SLU Ride for transportation to any campus location by calling 314-977-7433 (RIDE).
• DPS offers regular classes on self-defense that are open to SLU students.
  
  Learn About DPS Training Courses

Clinical Resources

• University Counseling offers free counseling services to SLU students. For more information, call 314-977-8255 (TALK)-press #9 after hours.
• Both Safe Connections and the YWCA of Metro St. Louis have individual and group therapy at no cost.
• The Student Health Center offers a variety of clinical services including general health, women's health, STD testing, and psychiatry.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in an education program or activity that receives federal financial assistance.

Under the Title IX Final Rule released by the Department of Education on May 6, 2020, Title IX applies to sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or gender-based stalking that occurs in an education program or activity. Incidents that occur on campus or within a SLU program or activity, which includes locations, events and circumstances where SLU has substantial control over the conduct, are covered by Title IX. Thus, Title IX does not apply to incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or gender-based stalking that occur outside of a SLU program or activity or outside of the United States.

"Sexual harassment” occurs when conduct satisfies one or more of the following:

1.  Quid Pro Quo: Sexual harassment occurs when an employee of Saint Louis University provides an educational benefit or service in exchange for unwelcome sexual conduct.
2.  Hostile Environment: Sexual harassment occurs when there is conduct on the basis of sex that is unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectionably offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity.
3. Clery Act: Sexual harassment occurs when there is an instance of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or gender-based stalking as defined by the Clery Act (see SLU's Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy for further information and definitions). 

Sexual harassment also includes harassment based on gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation, which may include acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility based on sex/gender or sex/gender-stereotyping, even if the acts do not involve conduct of a sexual nature.

Conduct will be evaluated by considering the totality of the particular circumstances, including the nature, frequency, intensity, location, context and duration of the conduct at issue. Sexual harassment:

• May be committed by or against anyone, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression/gender identity
• May occur between people of the same sex or different sexes
• Does not have to be “directed at” a specific person or persons to constitute harassment
• May include both intentional conduct and conduct that results in negative effects, even if those negative effects were unintended
• Often includes a power differential between the parties based on differences in age or educational, employment, or social status
• May be committed by a stranger, an acquaintance, or someone with whom the Reporting Party has a current or previous relationship, including a romantic or sexual relationship
• May occur in the classroom, in the workplace, in on-campus residential settings, or in any other setting related to an education program or activity
• May be committed in the presence of others, when the parties are alone together, or through remote communications, including email, text messages, or social media

Making a Title IX report is an important step. This section will give you information on how to report and to whom when you are ready.

Get This Information in a Printable PDF

Please Note: If you are in need of immediate medical attention or wish to have a forensic examination (rape kit) performed, dial 911 or proceed to the emergency room of a hospital of your choosing. If the assault has taken place within the past 120 hours, a forensic examination may be performed to preserve evidence in the event you wish to report to law enforcement. 

Even if you do not yet know if you want to make a report to law enforcement, you can have a forensic examination performed at no cost to you.; you can decide at a later time if you wish to make a report to law enforcement.

If the assault has just occurred and you wish to preserve evidence for a possible law enforcement investigation, do not wash any bedding or take a shower until you have completed the examination. When you go to the hospital following a sexual assault and have a forensic examination, the nurse will typically need to take the clothing you were wearing during the assault. Therefore, it is important to not wash those clothes if you have not already done so.

Reporting to Law Enforcement

•  Making a report to a police officer is a separate process than making a report to Saint Louis University. You have the right to make a report to law enforcement and University officials can assist you in contacting the police if you wish.
• To report an assault to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, simply call 911. If you have questions for detectives in the Sex Crimes Unit, you may call 314-444-5385. Information online can be found at www.slmpd.org.
• You have the right to make a report to both law enforcement and Saint Louis University; choosing one does not eliminate the other entity as a reporting option.
• Orders of protection can be applied for through the court system, and the St. Louis Sexual Assault Response Team can dispatch an advocate to assist you in making that application to the court. The Sexual Assault Response Team is managed by the YWCA of Metro St. Louis and can be reached through its 24-hour hotline at 314-531-7273.

Reporting to Saint Louis University

• You may make a report to Saint Louis University regarding sexual misconduct. Depending on if the person who hurt you is a student or non-student, the University will take a different set of steps to help end the harassment and provide resources to you. You have the right to make a report to both the school and law enforcement.
• To deal with an emergency situation on campus, dial 911 and/or contact the Department of Public Safety at 314-977-3000.
• Saint Louis University has a variety of staff and departments trained in addressing matters of sexual harassment. You may wish to consult with one of these reporting contacts at any point, however, please know that these reporting contacts will connect you with the Title IX Coordinator so that you may receive resources and options regarding your rights under Title IX. The Title IX Coordinator will assist you should you choose to file a formal complaint and request an investigation be conducted by SLU.
  
  To set up a time to meet with the Title IX Coordinator, please call 314-977-3886 or email the Title IX Coordinator anna.kratky@slu.edu. 

After Hours Reporting

Please note that the phone number for the Title IX Coordinator is only monitored during regular University business hours. To make a Title IX report after regular business hours, please call 314-580-8730. If you need immediate crisis services, please consider contacting one of the following 24-hour talk lines:

• University Counseling: 314-977-8255 (TALK)*
• YWCA of St. Louis: 314-531-7273 (RAPE)*
• Safe Connections of St. Louis: 314-531-2003*

*Denotes a confidential reporting contact.

Other University Reporting Contacts

Please Note: The contacts listed below in this section are not confidential reporting contacts.

They will absolutely honor your privacy but are required by law to report what is shared with them with the Title IX coordinator and/or Title IX equity officer at SLU.

They will not share your information with other students or others who do not have a legitimate need to know. If you need a confidential reporting contact, please call University Counseling at 314-977-8255. Its licensed counselors are the campuses-designated confidential reporting contacts.

• Housing and Residence Life
  Housing and residence life staff can assist you in making emergency accommodations and/or getting in touch with police or other campus reporting contacts. Resident advisers and residence hall coordinators are trained in responding to reports of sexual harassment and work with students to make sure they are safe and understand the next steps in a reporting process. Housing staff do not conduct investigations and are required to report sexual harassment matters to the Title IX coordinator.
• Department of Public Safety
  DPS staff are trained in responding to reports of sexual harassment and can assist students in reporting to law enforcement, obtaining orders of protection from the local court system, and are required to report sexual harassment matters to the Title IX coordinator. DPS can also provide security escorts and will respond to emergency situations.
• Campus Ministry
  Campus ministers can serve as emotional and spiritual support for anyone involved in a sexual harassment situation. Campus ministers are trained in how to respond to students who are involved in sexual harassment situations. Campus ministers are not confidential reporting contacts and are required to report sexual harassment situations to the Title IX coordinator. While they cannot keep confidentiality, campus ministers will always keep student information private and will safeguard student information to the fullest extent possible.
• Dean of Students Office
  The Dean of Students Office assists the Title IX Office in providing and coordinating various accommodations for those who have been impacted by sexual misconduct. Staff in this office are trained on handling matters of sexual misconduct and will report these situations to the Title IX coordinator. Dean of Students Office staff can assist students in making academic accommodations and getting in touch with other campus or local resources. Dean of Students Office staff, while not able to keep total confidentiality, will safeguard student information and treat what they are told as private and sensitive.

Anonymous Reporting

Anyone who wants to remain completely anonymous when informing the University of sexual harassment may call SLU's Integrity Hotline at 1-800-525-5669 (KNOW) or http://www.lighthouse-services.com/slu. You do not have to leave your name, and this line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about SLU’s anonymous hotline, please visit the webpage of the Office for University Compliance and Ethics: https://www.slu.edu/compliance-ethics.

Why Report an Incident?

• Victims' well-being improves if they are able to talk with someone they trust and can find trusted solutions to their problem that most help their situation.
• SLU has effective and fair complaint procedures.
• At every point in the process, reporting parties have options and can decide what happens next.
• Ensuring access to the grievance process and the ability to hold someone responsible for policy violations is critical to the full enforcement of SLU policies prohibiting sexual violence and harassment.
• Reporting contributes to making SLU a good work and learning environment. It encourages SLU to accept responsibility for helping resolve this incident and reducing the overall problem. There is a positive impact on the community if sexual violence and harassment are identified and stopped.

What if I Decide Not To Report?

• Making a report is a decision that is entirely up to you.
• If you do not make a report right away, you can change your mind later.
• You don’t have to make a report to access resources and supportive measures.

All members of the campus community share in the responsibility of making our campus safe and welcoming. There are many ways to get involved on campus: 

Bystander Intervention

Bystander intervention is a straightforward concept that simply means that in any given situation, there are people who may observe what is happening and be in a position to prevent an incident. Actions can be small, like asking a friend to stop making sexist jokes. Actions can be on a larger scale, like organizing an educational program for the campus community that helps facilitate understanding of sexual assault. It might also mean intervening or getting help if you see a troubling situation among friends or even strangers.

Get More Information on Bystander Intervention (PDF) 

Become a Peer Educator

Peer educators work on campus to promote understanding and awareness of sexual misconduct issues. Peer educators receive specialized training, plan campus-wide awareness events, and collaborate with staff, faculty and student organizations to implement educational events. For information, contact Jodi Seals, assistant director of campus recreation and wellness at jodi.seals@slu.edu.

Help Plan Campus Events

You do not have to be a peer educator to help plan awareness-raising events on campus. University Counseling, Dean of Students Office, Athletics, Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX staff all work together to plan campus-wide awareness campaigns and programs regularly throughout the school year. Contact any one of those offices to learn more about getting involved with educational programs, or contact anna.kratky@slu.edu or jodi.seals@slu.edu for more information.

Educational programming from past years (and the upcoming year) include:   

• Hosting nationally recognized speakers on the topics of sexual violence awareness and prevention (usually one to three per semester).  
• Implementing campus-wide poster campaigns around the topics of sexual violence, effective consent, and bystander intervention.  
• Hosting documentary and movie nights that educate and illuminate issues of sexual violence.  
• Working with student organizations on educational programs like 'Take Back the Night' or 'In Her Shoes'.
• Having a “speak out” about street harassment.

Breaking Out Campaign

The mission of the Breaking Out Campaign is to encourage healing through art and counter the culture of silence that shames, blames and isolates survivors of sexual violence. Learn more.

Click to download and print PDF versions of one and two-page educational handouts. 

• Know Your Title IX Rights (PDF)
• Sexual Harassment Infographic (PDF)
• How to Respond to a Student's Disclosure of an Incident (PDF)
• Myths and Facts About Sexual Violence (PDF)
• Sexual Misconduct: Where to Go for Help (PDF)

Read SLU's Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy

Find the answers to commonly asked questions and answers about reporting, identifying and dealing with sexual harassment at Saint Louis University below. Also in this section, you will find the statement of rights of those who report being the recipients of unwanted sexual contact and a statement of rights for those who are accused of violating the sexual harassment policy.

Will my parents find out if I make a report of sexual harassment?

No, not unless you tell them. The University will not call your parents and tell them that you made a report of sexual harassment and will not discuss the details of your report with your parents unless you specifically give us permission to do so with a release of information.

Will I or my friends get into trouble if there was underage drinking or illegal drug use going on around the time of the reported assault?

Student safety and well-being is of the utmost concern when dealing with a report of sexual harassment. Students who are participating in an investigation will not garner additional community standards violations related to alcohol or drug use. 

Can I make an anonymous report?

Yes. Please know that if you make an anonymous report that the University is limited in what it can do to hold a responsible party accountable if the identities of the people involved are unknown. However, SLU will do everything it can based on the information available to stop any sexual harassment and prevent it from occurring in the future. If you wish to make an anonymous report, you may do so by submitting information through the University's Integrity Hotline at 1-800-525-5569 (KNOW) or online at https://www.slu.edu/compliance-ethics.

I want to make a report and have an investigation follow. What's the quickest way to start that process?

Contact Anna Kratky, the Title IX coordinator, at anna.kratky@slu.edu, 314-977-3886 (regular business hours), 314-580-8730 (after hours reporting), or in-person in room 36 of DuBourg Hall. Those who wish to make a report and initiate an investigation may also submit a formal Title IX complaint and the Title IX coordinator will promptly reach out to them via email with more information. 

I want to talk with someone who can keep my information confidential. Who can do that on campus?

Contact University Counseling at 314-977-8255 (TALK) or visit them on the second floor of Wuller Hall. University counseling services are free of charge. If you wish to speak to someone confidentially who is not affiliated with campus, contact Safe Connections at their 24-hour hotline (314-531-2003). Safe Connections can also provide free confidential counseling. Another resource in the St. Louis community for free confidential counseling is the YWCA of Metro St. Louis, which you can reach by calling their 24-hour hotline at 314-531-7273.

Can I make a report to the University and the police, or do I have to choose one or the other?

You can make a report to both entities, one of the entities or none at all. Anyone who believes they have been the victim of sexual harassment is strongly encouraged to report to both Saint Louis University and the police, but we recognize that it is the victim's right to choose who they report to and how they do that. Staff at SLU are available to assist a student who wishes to make a report to law enforcement and can be there with them for support through the process. Students who report to the school have a variety of support services and resources available to them even if they do not wish to engage in a formal investigation.

Can I get a lawyer to assist me as I navigate SLU's sexual misconduct investigation and hearing processes?

Students who want to retain their own legal counsel may do so at their discretion and at their own expense. Either a complainant or respondent may retain any advisor of their choosing to be present with them at any meeting or hearing; that advisor may be their own lawyer. Students involved in a Title IX grievance process are given the opportunity to utilize a SLU staff member as their adviser throughout the process if they so choose.

The following are materials utilized in the training of the Title IX Coordinator; investigators, hearing panelists, appeal panelists, and advisors per section 2.13 of the Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy.

• Title IX Sexual Harassment Training Part 1 - 2020-21 (PDF)
• Title IX Sexual Harassment Training Part 2 - 2020-21 (PDF)
• Title IX Sexual Harassment Training 2021-2022 (PDF)
• Title IX Sexual Harassment Training 2022-2023 (PDF)
• Title IX Sexual Harassment Training 2023-2024 (PDF)