Assault and harassment can take many forms, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape, unwanted sexual contact, intimate-partner violence (emotional or physical), stalking, hazing, racist and bias-related incidents, hate crimes, and other types of violence and misconduct.
If you are a victim of harassment, assault, or a bias-related incident, support and medical care are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Regardless of whether the assault was recent or in the past – and whether or not you’re sure what happened to you constitutes harassment or assault – there are people whose care and compassion can help you cope with your feelings, and who can provide care, support, or referral.
Getting help
Cornell Health
- Call us 24/7 at 607-255-5155 for phone consultation and assistance. An on-call health care provider can offer information about your options for care, and connect you with appropriate resources.
- We provide timely, confidential medical care for victims – such as evaluation and care of physical injuries, and testing for sexually transmitted infection (STI) and pregnancy. Schedule an appointment as soon as possible (if urgent, call 607-255-5155 and press 1 during business hours).
- If you are considering making a report to law enforcement, you may choose to have physical / medical evidence of sexual assault collected and recorded and receive care at a hospital emergency room within 120 hours of the incident. In Ithaca, this service is provided 24/7 at Cayuga Medical Center (607-274-4411), utilizing specially trained trauma-informed providers (often referred to as a SANE exam). Cornell Health can provide guidance, assistance with transportation, and follow-up care for those who choose this option. Call us at 607-255-5155 day or night for assistance.
- Victim Advocates from Cornell Health's SHARE Office can provide personal support and assistance. Learn more, and contact an Advocate, here.
- If you are interested in seeking mental health support for a recent sexual assault or unwanted sexual contact, you can reach out directly to a Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor who specializes in supporting survivors. To do so, log in to myCornellHealth and select “Appointments” and then “Mental Health appointment.” You will be given the option to send a message to a sexual violence response counselor, who will follow up with you directly to schedule an appointment.
Cornell Police
Contact Cornell's Public Safety Communications Center at 607-255-1111 or 911 if you need immediate assistance. The police have special training to assist victims of assault and can help you:
- get to safety
- receive emergency care for injuries
- access supportive services
- if you choose to do so, gather important evidence and/or make a report of the crime
Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX
Contact the Title IX Coordinator at 607-255-2242 or titleix@cornell.edu. Although not a fully-confidential resource, they can assist you with:
- accommodations and protective measures
- reporting bias or sexual and related misconduct against students, staff, and faculty
- understanding related university policies (Policy 6.3 and Policy 6.4) and procedures
- connections to Cornell and community resources
Additional resources
- Cornell’s Sexual Harassment and Assault — Response and Education (SHARE) website provides additional sexual harassment and assault resources and information, Cornell data, how to report an assault, and how to get help.
- You can call the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County's 24-hour hotline (607-277-5000) to speak confidentially with an advocate who specializes in helping victims of domestic or sexual violence.
- The national organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) can be reached 24/7 through their live chat service and sexual assault hotline (800-656-4673).
- Cornell's Diversity and Inclusion website lists resources related to getting help and filing a report after a bias-related incident.
- Mental Health at Cornell includes numerous resources for support and assistance for anyone who may be struggling.