Emergencies While Abroad
Reporting a Crime to USF
Reporting a Crime of Any Kind and/or Reporting Sexual Harassment to USF
If you experience any crime, especially if you experience sexual harassment, please make sure to at least report it to USF. USF will use this information to immediately assist you and/or warn others. If traveling with students, the faculty leader, program leader, student leader, accompanying staff, and assistants are all considered Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) under The Clery Act. As such, they must report all crime to the USF global travel emergency travel assistance line. For Clery crimes, they do not have to report the name of the student to USF Police, only the description of the incident. However, for a Clery crime under Title IX and VAWA, they do need to include the student’s name. If a student wants to talk about it first, before reporting to a CSA/RE (who is a Non-Confidential Resource), the student can speak to a Confidential Resource. You can find a listing of these two types of resources below.
Reportable Crimes Under The Clery Act and Under Title IX/VAWA
The Clery Act:
Aggravated assault, arson, burglary, destruction, or damage or vandalism of property,
hate crimes, intimidation, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder and non-negligent
manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, robbery, and simple assault.
Title IX/VAWA:
Dating violence, domestic violence, hate crimes, sex offenses (rape, fondling, statutory
rape), and stalking. Sexual harassment is also covered by Title IX, even if it does
not rise to the level of a "crime." See below for the official definition.
Sexual harassment: Used as an umbrella term that includes all forms of sexual misconduct from the most extreme to the more innocuous. From rape (sexual battery is the legal term for rape in Florida) to inappropriate gestures. It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The person or persons committing the offense can be a student, an unknown individual, a faculty leader, or even a host resident director. Policy Number 0-004 (Policy 0-004) includes a complete definition with links to other resources.
Description of the Title IX Process
Resources Available to Report a Crime
While abroad, here are some non-confidential and confidential resources available to you:
Non-Confidential
- Colleague, Faculty Leader, Program Leader, other Accompanying Staff, and Assistants
- Local host resident director, teacher, or staff member
Confidential
- USF Center for Victim's Advocacy Line: +1-813-974-5757
- Licensed counselor or therapist acting in that capacity
- Clergy
Privacy Laws Abroad - Important Reminder
The privacy laws of some countries might prevent local authorities or local individuals from notifying USF if one of our students has been the victim of a crime or a victim of sexual harassment. For example, if you were mugged and spoke to the local host resident director in Italy who is not a USF employee, they may not be able to directly share that information with USF. Therefore, we ask that you contact our USF resources directly if you have been the victim of a crime, so that USF can begin the process to assist you.
When You Return to Campus
Don't forget to follow-up on your incident when you return to campus, and seek out support as needed. You can find some basic USF resources below. Visit your Canvas training Handbook and Resources page for more victim support information. There are many more resources than those identified below, and once you engage someone here on campus, they can help walk you through the system as needed!
USF and Local Resources If You Are the Victim of a Crime
USF Center for Victim’s Advocacy 24/7 Help Line (Option 2): 813-974-5757 (Tampa),
941-504-8599 (Sarasota-Manatee), 727-873-4422 (St. Petersburg)
The USF Counseling Center: 813-974-2831
USF Office of Student Rights and Responsibility: 813-974-9443
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay: 813-234-1234
Suncoast Center, Inc.: 727-530-7273 (Sexual Assault Service Helpline)