ICare

Preventing campus sexual assault through advocacy and education.

Be part of the solution.

I CARE at the University of South Dakota is working toward sexual assault prevention in the campus community. We do this by:

  • Creating a team of community partners to enhance victim services
  • Strengthening prevention and education programs
  • Responding to sexual assault with a victim-centered, culturally competent approach
  • Educating students about what constitutes sexual assault and violence
  • Mobilizing students and other community members to take a stand against sexual assault

For more information about ICARE contact Rebecca Kaiser at 605-658-6155 or Rebecca.A.Kaiser@usd.edu.

 

 

For emergencies or crisis situations, dial 911 for on and off-campus assistance. Calls are routed to the University PD if you are on campus and to the Vermillion PD if you are off-campus.

Please complete your Safe Colleges Sexual Assault training. There is additional free training through Safe Colleges and the PAVE University link.

Resources

The following departments provide confidential services to enrolled USD students.

For after-hours crisis situations, call UPD at 605-658-6199 and ask to speak to a confidential counselor.

The following offices are not confidential campus resources, but can assist with interim measures, such as modifying class schedules, no contact orders and more.

On Campus

Off-Campus

  • Vermillion Police Department

Local and State

  • Sanford Vermillion - Hospital and Clinic

    • 20 South Plum Street
      Clinic Phone: 605-677-3700  -  Hospital Phone: 605-677-3500
  • Domestic Violence - Safe Option Services
  • Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services

    • 28 East Cherry Street
      Phone: 605-624-9148

  • South Dakota Domestic Violence Hotline
    • Phone: 1-800-430-SAFE (7233) 
  • South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault

National

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline

  • RAINN - Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network

  • National Dating Abuse Helpline

SDBOR 1:18 Human Rights Complaint Procedures

SDBOR 1:17.1 Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Stalking

It's hard to know what to do when someone you care about tells you that they have been a victim of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence or stalking. You likely have a lot feelings of your own, and may be worried about what to say. These feelings are normal. Here are some Do's and Don'ts for responding to someone who has told you they have been subject to these types of interpersonal violence. You are important in their journey from victim to survivor; thank you for looking for help!


DO

  • Believe them. While this may sound like a simple step, it was likely hard for your loved one to tell you about their assault. It may be appropriate to acknowledge their courage in coming forward, and to assure them that they are not alone.
  • Express sincere empathy. Expressing empathy can be a powerful validation of a survivor's experience and shows that you believe them and care about them.
  • Validate the feelings your loved one is expressing. People react to trauma in a variety of ways, some of which can appear strange to others. Your friend may be crying, yelling, laughing hysterically, or showing no emotions at all. All of these are normal reactions, and do not mean that your loved one hasn't experienced trauma.
  • Provide referrals to support services, which you can find on ICARE’s main page.
  • Respect the person's decisions in regard to whether to report, go to the hospital, or take any other steps. Interpersonal violence is often about power and control, and becoming a victim takes the power of choice away from a person. It is important that you empower them to make decisions involving their own situation, regardless of what you would like for them to do. Do not pressure them into taking actions they are not comfortable with, and make sure they are aware that they may change their minds at any time.
  • Make sure that your friend or family member is safe. Do they have a place they can go where they know they will be safe from further harm? Do they need to go to the hospital for injuries? Do they need food or water? Be aware that in the case of sexual assault, if they choose to have a sexual assault evidence collection kit done at a hospital, it is preferable that they not eat or drink ahead of time so that evidence can be gathered from the mouth. However, it is up to the survivor to make an educated decision about whether to eat or drink at the time.
  • Educate yourself on myths about sexual assault, domestic/dating violence or stalking. For example, no matter the type of crime committed against them, victims should not be accused of provoking the perpetrator. Most sexual assaults and stalkings are not committed by strangers. By definition, domestic and dating abuse are committed by a relationship partner or previous partner, and therefore someone the victim did trust at one time. Finally, there is not a certain way victims respond to their trauma. As educated as you become on topics, your role is to support their journey into becoming a survivor.
  • Relax. Try not to worry much about "saying the right thing." Being available to listen is far more important. Let the survivor know that you care.
  • Take care of yourself! It's difficult to hear about someone you care about being hurt, particularly if you have experienced sexual violence in the past. It is okay to ensure that your loved one is cared for and take time to yourself in order to process and decompress. Self-care is vital at this time.

DON'T

  • Make assumptions about the gender of the people involved. Interpersonal violence occurs among all genders and sexual orientations.
  • Tell the person what to do. While you may want to encourage them to report to authorities, it is up to the survivor to make the decisions that are best for them.
  • Blame the victim. Becoming a victim of a crime is not a choice people make, regardless of their behaviors, words, drug or alcohol use, or clothing.
  • Tell the victim how they should feel or try to ‘fix’ them. Survivors may feel numb, angry, depressed, ashamed, or a combination of many other feelings. These are all normal reactions to a traumatic event. These feelings can take days, weeks, or even years to fully resolve.
  • Downplay the experience. While it can be easy to try to comfort someone by stating that the crime was not that bad, or that it could have been worse, this minimizes their experience and may make them feel that you are not concerned about them.
  • Try to investigate the situation yourself. You can be most helpful by being present, believing, and listening.
  • Tell others about the assault. While you may want to tell other friends, so that they can support the survivor, it is your friend's decision who they wish to tell or not tell about their assault.
  • Similarly, do not make a report to the police or the University without asking your friend if they would like for you to do so. Again, it is important to empower your loved one to make their own decisions and have them respected.
  • Force physical contact on your friend. Even if the victim is normally physically affectionate (such as hugging frequently, holding hands, etc.), they may not be comfortable with such closeness at this time. Show your care for your friend, family member, or partner by respecting the boundaries they set, even if those are different from past boundaries.
  • Tell others about the assault. While you may want to tell other friends so that they can support the survivor, it is your friend's decision whom they wish to tell or not tell about their assault.
  • Similarly, do not make a report to the police or the University without asking your friend if they would like for you to do so. Again, it is important to empower your loved one to make their own decisions and have them respected.

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