Supporting Survivors at Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is committed to supporting survivors of sexual harm in ways that honor their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. After an assault, survivors face many decisions, whether to tell someone, seek medical care, or involve law enforcement. These choices can feel overwhelming, especially in the aftermath of trauma. The Confidential Survivor Advocate, Ashleigh Pezzoni, is available to provide guidance, support, and a safe space to help survivors navigate their options.
Take a Moment for Yourself and Reach Out When Ready
After an experience of harm, it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions: shock, fear, confusion, or numbness. You do not have to respond immediately or in any particular way. Give yourself permission to pause, breathe, and find a space that feels safe.
Your immediate needs matter first. Focus on the essentials: safety, rest, and physical comfort. Caring for your body by staying hydrated and nourished is important, but it’s also okay to pause these needs briefly if you are considering a forensic exam and want to preserve potential evidence. Meeting these foundational needs helps create a space where you can begin to process your experience and make choices at your own pace.
Next, consider emotional and psychological care. This might include reaching out to someone you trust, journaling, listening to music, or connecting with a trained professional. You can choose the pace and method that feels right. There is no “right” way to do this.
Communal care is also a form of support. Leaning on friends, chosen family, or trusted members of your community can help you feel grounded and less isolated. Sharing your experience is never required, but having supportive people around can reinforce safety, belonging, and validation.
You have choices, and you get to decide what feels right for you in this moment. Support is available whenever you’re ready; from trusted friends, family, or trained campus professionals. Reaching out doesn’t have to be all at once; even a single phone call, text, or quiet check-in can be a step toward care.
At Santa Clara University, resources include:
Confidential Resources
- The Wellness Center
- Confidential Survivor Advocate offers options and accompaniment throughout the various systems you may choose to navigate.
- CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services)
- Clergy*
- RAINN & YWCA
Non-Confidential/Reporting Resources
- Campus Safety Services
- Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX
- Local Law Enforcement
- Your Supervisor (ARD or RD)
Other Supportive Offices
- DSO, OML, OAE, Drahmann Center, and more.
You are in control of who you reach out to, when, and how. Both self-care and communal care are valid and essential steps in meeting your needs after a trauma.
Preserve Your Options: Consider Evidence Carefully
If you are thinking about reporting the assault or seeking legal recourse, it is recommended not to change, shower, or clean your clothing or body, and to leave the area untouched if possible. While this can feel difficult, preserving evidence may help keep options open for the future. Remember, you can make decisions about next steps at your own pace. Should you decide to change out of the clothes you were wearing; place each item individually in brown paper bags.
Seek Medical Care When You Feel Ready
Medical attention is available and can help address physical health, prevent infection, and collect evidence if you choose. You have the right to choose what kind of care feels safest for you, and are here to support you every step of the way.
*Disclaimer: All medical personnel in California are legally mandated to report disclosures of physical and sexual harm to law enforcement. Even though they must report, this does not mean you are required to interact with law enforcement. You get to decide what, if any, involvement you want from them.*
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Explanation of PEP:
If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency treatment that can help prevent the virus from taking hold. It works best when started as soon as possible, ideally within 72 hours (3 days) of the exposure. PEP involves taking a daily medication for 28 days, and there are supportive resources available to help you through the process, both medically and emotionally.
You are not alone. You matter. Your experience matters. Support is available whenever you need it.
UWill to speak with a licensed mental health therapist: (408)554-5220
YWCA to speak with a confidential advocate: (800)572-2782
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (408)279-2962
RAINN: (800)656-4673
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
National Domestic Violence Hotline:(800)799-7233
Suicide Crisis Line: 988