In the aftermath of a sexual assault, a survivor may experience a range of emotions and require various forms of support. Nova Southeastern University prioritizes the safety and well-being of anyone impacted by sexual violence. This page outlines resources and options available to victims, along with details regarding the university's response protocol.
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Download the Title IX Rights and Resources Brochure
Possible violations of the university Sexual Misconduct Policy should be reported to the Title IX coordinator for review and resolution. Any member of the university community, as well as those who are not members of the university community (such as visitors, alumni, parents of students, and others) may file a complaint/incident report related to allegations of sexual misconduct (including crimes of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as sexual harassment and other noncriminal acts).
The following information (when known) is helpful to include in the report:
The NSU Office of Public Safety and the Office of Residential Life and Housing also generate reports of incidents reported to them, and while these reports may initiate an investigation, it is always preferred to get a report from the victim or someone close to the victim. If a victim experiences trauma from writing a summary of the incident, an appropriate university official may prepare a draft of a written statement based on a verbal account by the victim, which the victim can then review for accuracy.
All reports of sexual misconduct will be investigated by specially trained and designated NSU officials, with oversight as appropriate from the university Title IX coordinator. Victims should not be deterred from reporting an incident of sexual violence out of a concern of being disciplined for related violations of drug, alcohol, or other university policies. Except in extreme circumstances, such as where they have created a threat to health or safety, university students or employees who are victims of sexual violence will not be subject to discipline.
After an incident of sexual violence, a victim may feel a variety of things, including not fully remembering or understanding what happened, self-blame, denial, anxiety, depression, physical pain, and/or emotional numbness. NSU’s primary concern is the safety and well-being of any person affected by sexual violence during this difficult time. Secondary concerns are the apprehension of the assailant/prevention of further violence and preservation of evidence of the crime. Here is a printable brochure regarding rights and options if you have experienced a crime of sexual violence. Any student or employee seeking to learn about options for, assistance with, or how to request changes to academic, work, housing, transportation, or any other supportive or protective measures related to the academic or work environment can contact the Title IX Coordinator directly for assistance.
The Title IX Coordinator is not a confidential resource, but can connect students directly to these individuals, and it is up to the student how much they would like to share with the Title IX Coordinator about an incident. Faculty, resident advisers, coaches, teachers, and most other NSU employees are required to report incidents directly to the Title IX Coordinator. Students at the regional campuses can learn more about resources near their home campus here.
It is important that victims consider preserving evidence that may help prove that a crime occurred or may help in obtaining a protective order. Even if a victim is not sure what action(s) they may or may not want to take yet, preserving evidence can maximize these choices when a victim is ready to make a decision. If a victim can avoid showering, washing, brushing teeth or hair, changing clothes, or cleaning/removing things from the area where a crime occurred, these steps can help to preserve evidence. It is ideal to have evidence collected within 120 hours, but some may be obtained later. If a victim does need to remove clothing, the items should be placed in a paper bag to preserve them. Even if a victim has already cleaned up from the assault, the crime can still be reported and forensic medical exam/treatment and/or counseling can still be obtained.
If any crime happens on campus, the university encourages contacting the NSU Public Safety Department at (954) 262-8999 and/or the local police, who can make a report and coordinate collection of evidence from the scene. Often NSU Public Safety and the Davie Police will respond, and they will likely contact the appropriate investigations unit. Davie Police also have a Victim Advocate. It is important to note that this Victim Advocate may not maintain the same level of confidentiality as the staff at the Nancy J. Cotterman Center or another rape crisis/domestic violence center.
This section explains some of the initial responses taken by specific entities at NSU.
The Title IX Coordinator provides coordination of services, options, and information to those affected by sexual violence (and other forms of sexual misconduct). Reports can be submitted online directly to the Title IX Coordinator. These are reviewed during business hours and then the Title IX Coordinator will reach out to any known victim(s) to offer resources, assistance, and information about rights and options in writing, usually via the individual's NSU email address. Persons needing immediate assistance can contact NSU Public Safety, The Center for Student Counseling & Well-Being, the Nancy J. Cotterman Center, or the free and confidential national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
If there appears to be a potential threat to the campus or a member of the campus community or a crime that occurred on campus, the Title IX Coordinator may be obligated to report that information to NSU Public Safety. The Title IX Coordinator will collaborate with NSU Public Safety to ensure that a victim's identity or other personal information about a victim is maintained as private (so long as any threat can still be mitigated), such as when reporting annual crime statistics or in sending timely warnings or emergency notifications.
Public Safety is the university entity designated to receive reports of crimes of sexual violence, as well as other incidents affecting the campus. If the incident may constitute a crime that occurred in the jurisdiction of the Davie Police Department, the Davie Police will also respond. If a crime occurred off-campus or outside of the city of Davie, Public Safety can assist in locating and contacting the appropriate law enforcement for that jurisdiction.
When public safety or police officers arrive to take a report, they can assist the victim in obtaining medical assistance and with other immediate needs, but their focus (pending no safety concerns) is on learning what happened and conducting an investigation as to whether a crime occurred. They will likely ask for a brief account of what happened, a physical description of the assailant, and any information about where the individual might be (if known). It is up to a victim how much information he or she wishes to share. For example, a victim who has experienced trauma may prefer to have rest from one or two sleep cycles to mentally organize information about what has happened before participating in a more detailed interview. However, the police will want to get as much information as they can, as soon as they can, so they can do their part to investigate what occurred.
In some cases, a reported perpetrator may pose a threat to the NSU community, and NSU Public Safety may need to notify the campus community through a timely warning or an emergency notification. NSU Public Safety will collaborate with the Title IX Coordinator to ensure that information about a victim's identity is maintained as private. NSU Public Safety will also ensure that any other publicly available records, such as the campus crime log or Annual Security Report, do not contain any identifiable information about a victim.
Overview:
When an NSU employee receives a report of sexual violence (which includes dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking), from a victim or from a third party, the employee should
More Information:
NSU has designated most of its employees as “responsible employees,” which means that these employees either have the authority to redress reports of sexual violence, or have the duty to report incidents to those who do. When a victim tells a responsible employee about an incident of sexual violence, the victim has the right to expect the university to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate what happened and to resolve the matter promptly and equitably.
A responsible employee must report to the Title IX coordinator all relevant details about the reported sexual violence shared by the victim and convey to the victim that the university will need to determine what happened. This will include the names of the victim and individual(s) reported to have engaged in the misconduct; any witnesses; and any other relevant facts, such as the date, time, and specific location of the reported incident. The university recommends that victims of any form of sexual misconduct report directly to the Title IX coordinator, when possible, to avoid having to share information multiple times.
To the extent possible, information reported to a responsible employee will be shared only with those few people responsible for handling the university’s response to the report. Unless there is a serious and immediate threat, a responsible employee should not share information reported by the victim with law enforcement without the victim’s consent or unless the victim has also reported the incident to law enforcement.
The following employees (or categories of employees) are the university’s responsible employees:
Before a victim reveals any information to a responsible employee, the employee should ensure that the victim understands the employee’s reporting obligations—and, if the victim wants to maintain confidentiality, direct the victim to confidential resources. If the victim wants to tell the responsible employee what happened, but also wants to maintain confidentiality or not pursue any action or investigation by the university, the employee should tell the victim that the university will consider the victim’s request, but cannot guarantee that the university will be able to honor it. In reporting the details of the incident to the Title IX coordinator, the responsible employee will also inform the coordinator of the victim’s request for confidentiality. Responsible employees will not pressure a victim to report or not report.
Any NSU student or employee who has experienced a crime of sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and/or stalking) has rights and options available to them under federal law.
Your rights include:
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is the governmental branch within the Department of Education with oversight for enforcement of Title IX.
The regional office which serves Florida is the Atlanta Office located at:
U.S. Department of Education
61 Forsyth Street S.W., Suite 19T10
Atlanta, GA 30303-8927
Telephone: (404) 974-9406
Fax: (404) 974-9471
Email: OCR.Atlanta@ed.gov