SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

CCC educates the student community about sexual assaults and date rape through mandatory freshmen orientations each fall. Campus Security offers sexual assault education and information programs to CCC students and employees upon request. Literature on date rape education, risk reduction and CCC response is available through the Residence Life office.

If you are a victim of a sexual assault at CCC, your first priority should be to get to a place of safety. You should then obtain necessary medical treatment. CCC Campus Security strongly advocates that a victim of sexual assault report the incident in a timely manner. Time is a critical factor for evidence collection and preservation. An assault should be reported directly to a CCC Campus Security officer and/or to a Residence Life representative. Filing a police report with a CCC Campus Security officer will not obligate the victim to prosecute, nor will it subject the victim to scrutiny or judgmental opinions from officers.

Filing a police report will:

• ensure that a victim of sexual assault receives the necessary medical treatment and tests, at no expense to the victim;
  
• provide the opportunity for collection of evidence helpful in prosecution which cannot be obtained later (ideally a victim of sexual assault should not wash, douche, use the toilet or change clothing prior to a medical/legal exam); and,
  
• assure the victim has access to free confidential counseling from counselors specifically trained in the area of sexual assault crisis intervention. When a sexual assault victim contacts CCC Campus Security, the City of Allentown Police Special Victims Unit will be notified as well. A representative from the Residence Life office will also be notified.

The victim of a sexual assault may choose to have the investigation pursued through the criminal justice system, the CCC Honor and Judicial Board, or both. A CCC representative from the Campus Security office or the Residence Life office will guide the victim through the available options and support the victim in her or his decision. Various counseling options are available through CCC and through the Health Services office. Counseling and support services outside the CCC system can be obtained through the Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley at 610-437-6611.