By Catherine Welch

There is no wrong place to start if you or someone you know has been affected by sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. There are many people in our community who are ready to help and walk alongside you or someone you know.
If an incident occurs and a student is looking for immediate assistance, please call Switchboard (802-654-2000) and both Public Safety and Residence Life will respond. Know that you are not required to make a report in the moment if you don’t want to. Our first priority is that you feel safe and know the options available to you.

If an incident occurs and a student is looking for immediate assistance, please call Switchboard (802-654-2000) and both Public Safety and Residence Life will respond. Know that you are not required to make a report in the moment if you don’t want to. Our first priority is that you feel safe and know the options available to you.

One of our strongest recommendations is that a student goes to the Emergency Room at UVM Medical Center for a SANE [Sexual Assault Nurse Examination] kit within 72 hours of the incident. A student is not required to make an official report to the police or St. Michael’s College in order to have a SANE exam performed. A student can have a completely anonymous exam performed, if they so wish.The purpose of the SANE exam is to make sure the survivor is healthy and has access to any medical care they might need. The priority is that the survivor is taking care of themselves.
If a student is questioning whether they want to report an incident, there are a variety of options available to them. Know that there are three confidential resources on campus where a student can go to discuss the incident and seek confidential advice. These resources are personal counselors, nurses (both in the Bergeron Wellness Center and at the UVM Medical Center), and Edmundite priests.
All other staff and faculty at St. Michael’s College are trained to support students, but are legally required to report incidents of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator. Staff and faculty are always there to lend an empathetic ear, but this information is meant to empower survivors with knowledge on who they can share details with confidentially and who will have to share details with the Title IX Coordinator. A student can come to the Title IX Coordinator at any time, whether it is 6 hours, 6 days or even 6 months after the event. The survivor is in complete control of the timeline around reporting and determining when, or even if, they are ready to report.
If a student is interested in reviewing their reporting options the college’s Title IX Coordinator is a great resource. She sits down with victims, and without having to know details, discusses the reporting options available to them. She discusses what reporting the incident to Colchester Police entails, and what it would mean to report to St.Michael’s College. She clarifies the difference between those two investigations. The goal of this conversation is to help the survivor make a well-informed decision based on all of the options available.
There is no wrong place to start—we are all here to support you.

Catherine Welch is the Title IX Coordinator for St. Michael’s College