The University encourages all impacted parties to report acts of discrimination and harassment, including sexual violence, sexual harassment, and other behavior prohibited by related policies to the Title IX Compliance and Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Office (“TITLE IX/DHP”) as soon as possible after it occurred (regardless of whether it occurred on or off campus) in order for appropriate and timely action to be taken.
While encouraging reporting, the University also recognizes that reporting an experience of TIXO prohibited conduct is a deeply personal decision for complainants. For this reason, Confidential Resources are available to provide information about campus procedures, resources, and reporting options without automatically putting the University “on notice” or initiating a University response.
Individuals impacted by prohibited conduct have the following reporting options. Additional information on each option is included in the chart below.
- Make No Report
Although the University encourages the timely reporting of a crime and/or policy violation, individuals impacted by prohibited conduct are not required to report to law enforcement, the TITLE IX/DHP Office, or any other campus office. Understanding that reporting is an intensely personal process, the University respects the right of the impacted party to decide whether or not to report. Campus and Community Resources are still available for complainants who choose not to report.
- Report to Law Enforcement
Impacted parties may report criminal conduct to law enforcement. If the incident happened on University property, a report may be made to the UC Santa Barbara Police Department (UCPD). If the incident happened off campus, a report may be made to the corresponding local law enforcement agency or UCPD. (Any law enforcement agency can receive a report and will assist the victim and make sure that the appropriate agency becomes involved.)
UCPD can assist victims by arranging for a forensic exam (Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) exam) in order to provide admissible evidence if/when the impacted party desires prosecution through the criminal justice system. Victim advocates from CARE are available to accompany victims to law enforcement and/or SART meetings. They can be reached at (805) 893-4613.
In order to protect privacy, California law allows victims of sexual violence to request that the law enforcement not release personally identifiable information (PII) such as name, address, phone numbers, and date of birth, in publicly available record keeping. This will ensure a degree of confidentiality but does not guarantee complete anonymity. Per the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, the UCPD will not release identifying information in alerts that are issued to the campus community, nor in information released to the media.
Reports to law enforcement may be made with a request for prosecution or for documentation purposes only. Ultimately, the decision to prosecute will be made by the District Attorney, although the cooperation of the victim is considered necessary.
- Report to the TITLE IX/DHP Office
The TITLE IX/DHP Office is the University office responsible for responding to and determining the appropriate University response to reported prohibited conduct, which may include conducting a neutral, administrative (i.e., non-criminal) investigation to determine if related policies have been violated. Complainants may request a University response through the TITLE IX/DHP Office, whether or not a report has been filed with law enforcement.
Any complainant who reports prohibited conduct, regardless of whether the offense occurred on or off campus, will be provided with a written explanation of their rights, options, and resources. The TITLE IX/DHP Office will then conduct an initial assessment to determine the most appropriate response. See the What to Expect After Submitting a Report page for more information about the TITLE IX/DHP Office’s initial assessment process.
Note that there is no time limit on reporting to the University; however, timeliness of a report can impact what response options are available for the University to pursue.
- Report to Both Law Enforcement and the TITLE IX/DHP Office
Due to privacy laws and jurisdictional issues, UCPD and the TITLE IX/DHP Office are not always able to share reports with each other. Therefore, if the victim has reported to law enforcement and also desires University review of the case for possible investigation and adjudication, they should discuss their options for report sharing with law enforcement and/or submit a separate report to the TITLE IX/DHP Office. Similarly, if the complainant has reported to the TITLE IX/DHP Office or a Responsible Employee and also desires law enforcement review of the case, they should work with the TITLE IX/DHP Office in connecting with law enforcement or submit a separate report to UCPD or the appropriate law enforcement agency.
- Report to a Responsible Employee
Responsible Employees are any UC employees who are not designated Confidential Resources. Impacted parties may report an incident to any University employee (for example, a known or trusted professor, advisor, or supervisor). Please note that unless they are a Confidential Resource, they will be required to share this information with the TITLE IX/DHP Office.
- Make an Anonymous Report to the TITLE IX/DHP Office
Complainants can make a report without providing their name. However, without a complainant’s participation, the response options available to the TITLE IX/DHP Office may be limited. While response options may be limited for reports that omit the complainant’s identity, these reports still provide the University with valuable information about the prevalence of prohibited conduct in the campus community and help to inform and further improve prevention and response efforts.
Prohibition of Retaliation
The University prohibits retaliation against any person who makes a report to the TITLE IX/DHP Office or who is involved in a resolution process. If a person experiences retaliation, report this information to the TITLE IX/DHP as soon as possible.