Getting Help

What Advocacy is:

Advocacy is trauma-informed, victim-centered, empowerment-based, and confidential. It provides support and resources to any student, faculty or staff member in the campus community regardless of where or when an incident took place.

BYU Sexual Assault Survivor Services

• Trauma-informed support and counseling on interpersonal violence.
• Individual and group therapy
• Help understanding the Title IX reporting and investigation process and help reporting if that option is chosen.
• Assistance making a crime report to BYU or local police.
• Assistance and support through a sexual assault forensic exam.
• Assistance with basic medical help.
• Counseling on safety planning and available options: protective orders, stalking injunctions, and no-contact orders (on campus).
• Referrals for on- and off-campus resources, such as therapy, housing needs and financial assistance.
• Information about BYU's Amnesty Policy (please provide link to this site https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=155) ,
• Assistance with academic concerns
• Assistance getting accommodations through the Title IX Coordinator. 
  
  • Test retakes
  • Deadline extensions
  • Excused absences
  • Class schedule changes
  • Financial aid appeals or emergency funding
  • Changes to on-campus housing situation or work schedules

What advocacy is not:

Advocacy is not professional therapy, legal advice, or medical advice. It is not an official report to the university or police (advocates are confidential).

Sexual Assault Forensic exam (Code-R kit)
After a sexual assault or rape, DNA evidence can be collected from your body, clothing, and other personal belongings. A sexual assault forensic exam, often called a “rape kit,” can preserve possible DNA evidence and make sure you receive important medical attention. A forensic exam is ideal within 72 hours after the assault, but evidence can still be collected up to 6 days after an assault. There are several places in Utah county that are trained and equipped to collect evidence and provide an exam after a rape has occurred. If you choose to get a rape kit, try to avoid these activities that could damage evidence:

• Bathing
• Showering
• Using the restroom
• Changing your clothes. If you change your clothes, bring them with you in a paper bag
• Combing your hair
• Cleaning up the area where the an assault occurred
  

All of these are a natural response after a traumatic experience. If you have already done any of the above activities, you can still have an exam done.

The State of Utah through the Office Crime Victims Reparation pays for sexual assault Forensic exams.

The BYU Survivor advocates can help connect you with local facilities that provide forensic exams and offer help and support through the process.

Places that provide forensic examinations:

BYU Health Center
(801) 422-2771
1750 N Wymount Terrace Drive
Provo, UT 84604-8600

Monday-Friday
Health Clinic: 8:00am - 5:30pm Urgent Care: 8:00am - 5:30pm

Saturday
8 AM to 12 Noon

Utah Valley Hospital Emergency Department
1034 N 500 W
Provo, UT, 84604
801-357-2130
 801-356-0045
Open 24/7
Access the Emergency Department via the entrance off 300 West

Medical Help

Even if it has been several weeks since a sexual assault, we encourage you to see a health care provider. You may have injuries or other trauma that isn't visible, and a health care provider can help you access treatment and receive preventative treatment for sexually transmitted infections. For non-emergency medical attention, visit the Student Health Center. 

The BYU Survivor advocates can help connect you with local facilities that medical help and offer help and support through the process.

The trauma associated with a sexual assault can impact many areas of a survivors life. This is true of academic performance and can often disrupt a survivors ability to function in normal ways .

The BYU survivor advocates can assist with this in the following ways:

• Working directly with professors to inform them of the survivors situation and coordinate help
• Provide information, support and assistance with withdrawal and discontinuance issues.
• Assistance getting accommodations through the Title IX Coordinator, which may include the following:
  
  • Test retakes
  • Deadline extensions
  • Excused absences
  • Class schedule changes
  • Financial aid appeals
  • Changes to on-campus housing situation or work schedules

Most survivors benefit from counseling at some point on their journey toward healing. BYU Sexual Assault Survivor Services can provide individual and group counseling and can help you make connections with counseling services both on and off campus.

Making the decision to report an assault to law enforcement can be confusing and anxiety provoking. The advocates can help by:

• Helping identify the proper reporting jurisdiction
• Provide information on the process and an understanding of what to expect.
• Connect survivors with the appropriate law enforcement officers
• Provide support during the reporting process
• Connect survivors with law enforcement advocates.

• Help understanding the Title IX reporting and investigation process and help reporting if that option is chosen. Where possible, the survivors advocate may accompany the survivor to the office and be with them throughout the report process.
• Assistance getting accommodations through the Title IX Coordinator. 
  
  • Test retakes
  • Deadline extensions
  • Excused absences
  • Class schedule changes
  • Financial aid appeals or emergency funding
  • Changes to on-campus housing situation or work schedules