If you have experienced sexual violence (including rape or sexual assault), relationship violence, stalking, or sexual harassment, there are options available to you at the University of Pennsylvania. These offices work as a team to ensure you receive appropriate accommodations and support regardless of your choice to make an official report.
Safety
Penn Police can connect you to a specially trained advocate from Special Services in the Division of Public Safety. Special Services staff confidential and are on call 24/7. They can provide:
- Support and information about reporting options.
- Accompaniment to the Philadelphia Special Victims Unit.
- Accompaniment and transportation to the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) to receive a forensic rape examination (see Medical).
- Assistance with applying for a Protection from Abuse Order.
- Recommend and enforce immediate safety measures.
Contact Information
Penn Police
4040 Chestnut Street
(on call 24/7)
You can contact Special Services confidentially at:
*Special Services is a resource for any member of the Penn community – students, staff, and faculty.
Medical
Student Health (a part of Student Health and Counseling) providers can perform examinations, discuss testing and treatment of sexually transmissible infections, provide emergency contraception and arrange for referrals and follow up. Student Health cannot perform forensic examinations (see below).
Costs
Office visits are covered in full by the clinical fee (or PSIP). Students who are covered under a private insurance plan will still need to pay the semesterly clinical fee to receive services at SHS.
Charges for lab tests related to a sexual assault are waived.
Preserving Evidence
In order to preserve evidence victims are advised not to smoke, eat, drink, bathe, douche, brush their teeth, or change their clothes prior to receiving the exam. However, doing any of the above does not mean an exam cannot be performed. While it is highly recommended that victims receive an exam within 72 hours of an assault, there is no official time limit after which an exam cannot be performed.
The Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center* (PSARC) provides forensic rape examinations to victims of sexual assault. This exam is recommended to anyone who wishes to pursue legal action, or may want to pursue legal action in the future. During this examination, in addition to evidence collection, victims can receive treatment for injuries and sexually transmitted infections as well as emergency contraception.
Please note that forensic rape examinations cannot be performed at any local hospital unless the victim is being treated there for injuries that are so severe they are considered medically unstable. Student Health cannot perform forensic examinations.
Contact Information
Student Health (a part of Student Health and Counseling)
3535 Market Street, Suite 100
(on call 24/7)
Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center*
300 E. Hunting Park Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19124
*Contact Special Services within the Division of Public Safety for transportation and accompaniment to PSARC.
Support
Confidential support staff (marked with a C) can provide compassionate and experienced guidance to students who experience sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, sexual harassment or an unsafe or confusing sexual encounter. Advocates will talk through support and reporting options, help implement safety measures, and provide additional referrals.
Confidential staff are available at Special Services, Penn Women’s Center, Penn Violence Prevention and other confidential support offices.
Students who may need additional assistance will be connected with Student Intervention Services (SIS). SIS can help implement safety measures, connect students with academic support, facilitate housing accommodations, and implement no contact orders.
Student Counseling (a part of Student Health and Counseling), formerly known as CAPS, offers free and confidential individual and group counseling. Within Student Counseling, the Sexual Trauma Treatment Outreach and Prevention (STTOP) Team is dedicated to providing care and advocacy to students who have experienced sexual trauma. Student can request to meet with a STTOP Team member when scheduling an appointment.
Special Services, DPS (C)
4040 Chestnut Street
Penn Women’s Center (C)
3643 Locust Walk
Penn Violence Prevention (C)
3611 Locust Walk
Student Intervention Services
3611 Locust Walk
Student Counseling (C)
3624 Market St.,1st Floor, West
Report
Penn’s internal reporting processes updated July 1, 2022. All reports go to the AVP/Title IX Officer. Please see the updated Sexual Misconduct Policy for more information.
Students have the right to pursue criminal charges through the City of Philadelphia (or the local governance in which the incident occurred) and/or to pursue disciplinary action through the University of Pennsylvania.
For support in pursuing criminal charges, or to learn more about this option, contact Special Services in the Division of Public Safety.
To file a complaint against a Penn student, staff member, or faculty member for violating the Sexual Misconduct Policy or learn more about internal reporting options, contact the AVP/Title IX Officer, Michele Rovinsky-Mayer, at titleIXofficer@upenn.edu.
Rights as a Member of the University Community
Persons who disclose and those who are responding to complaints have the following rights:
- The option to notify law enforcement;
- The option to notify the University in order to explore internal reporting options, including investigative and non-investigative options;
- The option to have an advisor present during a University investigation;
- To be notified of counseling and support services available;
- To be notified of options to change academic, living, or work arrangements.
Title IX Contact Information
Michele Rovinksy-Mayer, AVP/Title IX Officer
3901 Walnut St, Suite 320
* Members of the Penn community interested in reporting can learn more about their options from a confidential resource.