Report Sexual Assault

ETSU Police Department

Reporting a Sexual Assault

Go to a Safe Place Immediately & Call Someone Who Can Be With You

After experiencing a traumatizing event such as rape, it is important to find a place where you feel comfortable and safe from harm. This location could be a friend's room, the police station, or the local hospital.

If you do not want to call a friend or a family member, you can contact Branch House's   24/7 Hotline to speak with a Sexual Assault Advocate (423) 574-7233.

Call the Police as Soon as Possible

Contact the ETSU Police Department (423) 439-4480. If you are off campus and call 911, the local police will respond to your call. By calling the police, you are reporting the crime that was committed against you, as well as seeking the protection of the police.

Preserve All Physical Evidence

If possible, to preserve important physical evidence please:


  • DO NOT shower, bathe or douche
  • DO NOT wash hands, comb hair,  brush teeth
  • DO NOT eat, drink or urinate

  • DO NOT change or throw away clothing. If you must change clothes, please preserve the clothing in a paper bag. (Plastic bags may destroy evidence)
  • DO NOT smoke or take drugs or alcohol
  • DO NOT disturb the area of the occurrence

Seek Medical Attention

Options for medical treatment include:

Branch House   has specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) to conduct sexual assault forensic exam and provide medical care. All services are free and confidential.



The local emergency room can provide medical care and provide a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit in the event that you decide to pursue an investigation.

The Student Health Clinic can provide medical care during the hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday

Seek Follow-Up Counseling

Whether or not you report the assault or prosecute, a trained counselor can help you deal with the emotional trauma of an assault. Branch House   offer counseling, services for legal advocacy, and more. All services are free and confidential.

File a Report with Title IX

You may file a separate sexual violence or harassment report with the Title IX team. 
Note: This report is separate from a police report and is handled by the Title IX team.

 

Dealing With the Aftermath: Survivor Assistance

University personnel will assist any student who is the victim of a sex offense in notifying law enforcement, in obtaining medical assistance, and in pursuing counseling. If a student requests a change in her/his academic or on-campus living situation, then the university will accommodate the student's request if those changes are reasonably available.

University Disciplinary Procedures

There are several options available to a student who was assaulted by another student. In addition to bringing charges against the perpetrator in criminal or civil court, the survivor also may seek recourse through the university disciplinary process.

Sexual battery or rape, in addition to being a violation of state law, also is violation of ETSU Student Disciplinary Rules. If a survivor initiates campus disciplinary action, both the accuser and the accused will be informed of the following:

  1. The accuser and the accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during a hearing.
  2. Both the accuser and the accused will be informed of the outcome of any institutional disciplinary hearing brought alleging a sex offense.

In order to bring charges of sexual battery or rape against another student, a student must initiate the judicial process by contacting the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at (423) 439-6129. (For more information about the university disciplinary process, please refer to the section on "Policies and Regulations" in the student handbook, the Spectrum, which may be found in the campus telephone directory.)

If the accused student is found guilty of the alleged sex offense, suspension or expulsion from the university may occur.

The Accuser's Rights During Disciplinary Proceedings Include:

  • To meet with the appropriate judicial officer to discuss the disciplinary process.
  • To submit a written account of the alleged incident.

  • To be advised of the date, time and location of the disciplinary hearing, and to request rescheduling of the hearing for a good cause.
  • To be accompanied by an advisor of the accuser's choosing during the hearing process, although the advisor will not be permitted to speak for the accuser during the hearing.
  • To testify as a witness during the hearing.
  • To decline to testify, with the knowledge that such action could result in dismissal of the university's charges for lack of evidence.
  • To submit a written impact statement to the hearing panel for consideration during the sanctioning phase of the disciplinary process.