Sexual Violence/Stalking/Dating Violence
The University of Richmond values a learning community in which all members feel secure physically and intellectually. The prevention of sexual misconduct, particularly sexual violence, is an institutional priority. The University is unwavering in its commitment to support survivors of sexual assault, to respond promptly to reports of any type of sexual misconduct, and to investigate and adjudicate reports in a manner that is fair and equitable to all parties involved.
For information related to Title IX, resources available and any other type of information related to Sexual Misconduct, Stalking, Dating Violence and Domestic Violence please, visit the Center for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response at https://prevent.richmond.edu/
The University of Richmond Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency to investigate criminal offenses that occur on campus. We are obligated to report certain information to the Title IX Coordinator. However, the criminal process is separate from a University Title IX process.
Reporting
If you have been the victim of a sexual assault, you are not alone and we encourage you along with an advocate of your choice to report to the UR Police. The University of Richmond Police Department provides information to individuals regarding their rights available to them.
Reporting an incident to URPD is the first step of the criminal process. We will assess the appropriate jurisdiction and make any necessary connections to the jurisdiction in which an incident occurred. This is also applicable to electronic harassment or stalking incidents.
The initial police report is a document of fact, not a commitment to move forward with a criminal prosecution. At this time, an individual will be provided information to become familiar with the criminal process.
For example:
The crime of rape does not have a statute of limitation that means the report and any evidence retained at or near the time of the criminal act can be brought forward 10 years later (as an example) to prosecute a case.
The act of dating violence may include a series of simple assaults. The crime of simple assault has a (1) year statute of limitations.
Evidence
One of the keys to successful prosecution is the preservation of evidence. Clothing, sheets, e-conversations and messages, phots etc., photographs of the scene, photographs of any injuries regardless of how minor it may appear, are items that need to be collected. URPD recommends that we be called to collect that type of evidence and store that evidence in our property and evidence section. That relieves the victim of any issues with storage and creates a chain of custody. Again, the collection of evidence does not mandate the victim to prosecute the case. It does build a solid foundation if a decision is made later.
Medical care
A victim can go to St. Mary’s Hospital or other local hospitals for medical care. A trained Forensic Nurse is available to conduct a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit (P.E.R.K. exam). This special exam is given to an individual who have been sexually assaulted to collect evidence that may be helpful in the investigation and prosecution of the sexual assault, if a survivor chooses to do so. A P.E.R.K. is provided at no cost, and the university police will provide transportation to and from the hospital if needed. A survivor also has the right to complete an anonymous P.E.R.K.
To reach a forensic nurse call: St. Mary’s E.R. (804) 281-8184 (emergency) or Non-Emergency (804) 281-8574.
Prosecution
URPD notifies the appropriate Office of the Commonwealth Attorney (Richmond/Henrico) based on the location of the incident within 48 hours of the incident being reported to URPD. If a police report is taken, the Commonwealth Attorney is briefed on a regular basis as to the status of the case.
URPD presents the case to the Commonwealth Attorney. It is common for the C.A. to meet with the survivor and detective prior to making a determination to move forward with the case.
Criminal prosecution of a sexual assault case poses challenges to a survivor in many ways due to the high standard needed to find guilt. The last phase may be a jury of peers or a Judge making a determination of everything presented before them.
If you have general questions about the criminal justice process, please contact:
Eric Beatty
Major
(804) 289-8723
ebeatty@richmond.edu
UR Police
Emergency (804) 289-8911
Non-Emergency (804) 289-8715
Off-Campus emergency 911
