Immediate danger or serious injury?
In the U.S., call 911 or go to an emergency department. Outside the U.S., use your local emergency number. This website is not monitored for emergencies.
Call 911 · U.S.HELP FOR SURVIVORS · ANY UNIVERSITY
You have options.
You deserve support, whether this happened recently or years ago, and whether or not you want to report. You do not need to share your story with this website to get help.
Talk with RAINN.
A trained support specialist can listen and connect you to local services. Support is available in English and Spanish.
RAINN · hotline, privacy and reporting limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
If this happened recently
- Get somewhere safer, if you can. A trusted person or an advocate can help you plan the next step. You do not have to handle this alone.
- Seek medical care as soon as possible. Ask about injuries, infection prevention, pregnancy concerns and a sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE/SANE). Some care and evidence collection are time-sensitive. Tell the clinician if you suspect you were drugged. A clinician can explain what is appropriate for you.
- Ask about your choices before an exam. You can ask to pause or decline parts of the exam. Ask how evidence is stored, whether police must be notified, what costs may apply to other care, and whether an advocate can accompany you. Rules and available services depend on location and age.
- If you want to preserve evidence, ask an advocate for guidance. Avoid washing possible evidence when feasible and keep clothing in a paper bag. If you have already washed, changed clothes or waited, you still deserve care; ask a clinician what options remain. Keep relevant messages safely rather than posting them publicly.
RAINN can help you find a clinic or hospital. In Ithaca, Cornell Health lists Cayuga Medical Center for 24/7 forensic exams: 607-274-4411. Cornell Health provides care and referrals, but does not perform SANE exams.
RAINN · medical care after sexual assault ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
RAINN · sexual assault forensic exam ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Advocacy Center · forensic care and survivor choices ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Cornell Health · medical care and reporting contacts ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Who can I contact?
Ask each service about confidentiality, eligibility, availability and any reporting duties before sharing identifying details. “Confidential” has exceptions; an email inbox is not a secure place to send your full account.
Advocacy Center
Community support for people affected by domestic or sexual violence. You can discuss safety, medical and legal options with an advocate.
607-277-5000 · 24/7 hotlineAdvocacy Center · 24-hour hotline ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
SHARE victim advocates
Free support for members of the Cornell community: explore options, safety planning, accompaniment, and help with housing or academic needs. Appointments: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; this is not a crisis line.
607-255-1212 · leave a messagevictimadvocate@cornell.edu · use email to request an appointment, not to send confidential details.
Cornell Health · confidential victim advocacy ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Cornell Health
24/7 phone consultation connects you with medical or mental-health guidance. Ask about care and follow-up counseling.
607-255-5155Cornell Health · medical care and reporting contacts ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Lighthouse Program
Free support for LSU students experiencing sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking or harassment. Advocates can help with care, housing, academic accommodations and reporting choices.
225-578-5718 · officeWalk-in and scheduled appointments at the Student Health Center. For after-hours support, use STAR.
LSU · Lighthouse support and reporting options ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response (STAR)
Support, trauma therapy and legal services for youth and adults affected by sexual violence. Contact STAR to confirm service area and availability.
855-435-7827 · 24/7 hotlineSTAR · survivor services and confidentiality limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Find support near you
In the U.S., RAINN can connect you with a local sexual assault service provider. Ask your campus health service for its confidential advocate. Outside the U.S., use a local sexual violence organization or healthcare provider; U.S. hotline numbers may not connect from abroad.
RAINN local service directory ↗RAINN · hotline, privacy and reporting limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Support, reporting and legal help
University reporting
A Title IX / civil-rights office can explain university procedures and supportive measures. It is an institutional reporting channel, distinct from a confidential advocate. Ask what information may be shared, who must act on a report, and whether support is available while you decide about a formal complaint.
- Cornell Title IX office
- 607-255-2242 · titleix@cornell.edu
- LSU Title IX office
- 225-578-9000 · Official office ↗
Cornell Health · medical care and reporting contacts ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
LSU · Lighthouse support and reporting options ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Police and legal options
If you choose to report to police, a local advocate can help you find the appropriate agency and explain what to expect. University and police processes are separate.
An independent advocate or qualified lawyer can discuss reporting, protective orders, civil options, deadlines and concerns about the institution’s response. Ask about costs, eligibility and conflicts of interest. STAR provides legal services; RAINN can refer you to local services. Availability and outcomes are not guaranteed.
RAINN · reporting to law enforcement ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
STAR · survivor services and confidentiality limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
What this website can do
Our forms allow an account to enter editorial review. They do not file a university or police complaint, provide therapy, arrange an emergency response or create legal representation. The Legal Support Wall shares reviewed requests; it does not assign a lawyer or guarantee funding. Confidential evidence uploads are not open.
Keep a record, at your own pace
You do not need a perfect timeline, screenshots or visible injuries to ask for help. Your safety and care come first. Do not confront someone or put yourself at risk to collect material.
Write what you remember
Keep a private, dated note: approximate event time and place, what happened, possible witnesses, and any report you made. Mark uncertain details as uncertain. Separate what you experienced from what someone later told you. Add new recollections as dated additions rather than trying to fill gaps.
Save safely
Use a safer device or storage location if someone can access your accounts. Apps may notify someone about screenshots. A photo of the screen from a second safe device may be an option. Avoid public archives for private material; copies may be difficult to remove.
NNEDV Safety Net · documentation tips ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Preserve messages and context
Keep original messages and relevant conversation context, with dates, times, account names, phone numbers or URLs. Save an unedited original; if you need a redacted copy, keep it separate. Screenshots may help, but they do not guarantee admissibility. Ask about safe exports and backups before changing accounts or devices.
Tell your lawyer or investigator about disappearing messages or third-party records promptly. They can assess preservation requests and the legal process needed to obtain records you cannot access yourself.
NNEDV Safety Net · messaging evidence ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
A simple private note you can use
This is an optional organizer, not a statement to sign or a requirement to report. Store it privately, outside this website.
- Written on
- Date, time and time zone.
- Event
- Approximate date, place, and what I remember.
- Uncertainty
- What I do not remember or cannot verify.
- Other sources
- What someone told me; who and when.
- Records
- Messages or files I have; where the originals are stored.
- Reports / care
- Who I contacted, when, reference number and next step.
Photos, recordings and sensitive files
A clinician can document injuries and explain forensic options. Before making a secret audio or video recording, ask a local lawyer: recording and privacy laws differ, including across state or national borders. Do not access someone else’s accounts or share intimate images to investigate. Ask an advocate about a safe, lawful way to preserve sensitive material.
Reporters Committee · U.S. recording-law guide ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Keep evidence off public walls and ordinary contact forms. This website does not accept confidential evidence uploads or store a personal evidence notebook.
A practical starting point
- Ask an independent advocate about your options. You can discuss safety, privacy and the process before deciding. Ask about confidentiality and mandatory reporting before giving identifying details.
- Choose the appropriate channel. For immediate danger in the U.S., call 911. For a non-emergency police report, contact the agency where it happened, or ask a hospital or advocate to help identify it. University Title IX reporting is a separate process; its contacts are above.
- Ask for support during the conversation. Request a private space, breaks, an advocate and language or accessibility support if needed. Explain what you remember and what you are unsure about. If you feel dismissed, ask about a supervisor and contact an independent advocate.
- Keep a record of the response. Request a report or reference number, the office’s contact details and the next step. Keep dated copies of messages and follow-ups. Ask how to correct an error or add information.
RAINN · what to expect when reporting ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Questions to check locally
Where did the incident happen? What law and campus policy applied at that time? What are the relevant criminal, civil and university deadlines? What privacy, mandatory-reporting, medical-consent, recording and evidence rules apply to your age and location? Ask about retaliation protections, accommodations and any alcohol/drug amnesty policy; do not assume these are guaranteed.
You can seek advice after a delay. Reporting and deadlines for charges or civil claims are different questions. A lawyer can assess the current law and any exceptions; this page cannot determine a deadline for your case.
RAINN · deadlines and sexual-violence cases ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
RAINN · U.S. state-law database ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Outside the U.S., contact a local sexual-violence service or lawyer and consult the relevant government’s current rules. U.S. guides do not establish rights in other countries.
Reporting to this website is different
Sharing with our editors does not submit a police report or university complaint, preserve a legal deadline, or appoint a lawyer. You can seek professional help without giving us your story.
Read the consent guideBefore sharing identifying details
If you are under 18
You can still seek help. Start by asking: “Can I talk without giving my name? When would you need to tell someone else?” RAINN says that giving both your name and location when you are under 18 can require a report to authorities. Other services have their own legal duties. A qualified local advocate can explain medical-consent and confidentiality rules without you having to work them out alone.
RAINN · hotline, privacy and reporting limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
STAR · survivor services and confidentiality limits ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Device, email and browser privacy
Use a device and account you trust if possible. Browser history, call records and message previews may leave traces. Quick exit leaves this site, but does not erase browser or network history or a submission already sent. Confidential support does not make ordinary email secure.
Read this website’s privacy limitsAdvocacy Center · 24-hour hotline ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Cornell Health · confidential victim advocacy ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
If you are helping a friend
Listen without asking them to prove what happened. Ask what would help, offer to sit with them or contact an advocate together, and respect their decisions. Do not post their name, account or images without permission.
RAINN · supporting someone you care about ↗ · checked 5 Oct 2026
Support contacts and sources checked . Published details can change. These independent services are not operated by this collective. This page gives general options; a local clinician, advocate or lawyer can advise on your circumstances.