Report to Police

What can I report to police?

In the state of New York, sexual assault is included in a wide range of conduct constituting "sexual abuse". This is generally defined as subjecting another person to sexual contact without their consent. New York Penal Code Section 130(3) further defines “sexual contact” to include “any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire of either party,” and touching of the actor by the victim, as well as the touching of the victim by the actor, whether directly or through clothing.

If you’re not sure that what you experienced constitutes sexual abuse, contact your Title IX Coordinator or the Geneva Police Department, or the New York State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit.

How to report to police

A report to the police can be made independent of any actions you take on-campus. Geneva Police officers can be contacted at any time and are professionally trained to conduct investigations related to sexual violence. The Geneva Police Department can be contacted at (315) 828-6771. You may also contact New York State Police using the 24 hour help line: (844) 845-7269. A police officer will meet you wherever you are, and will encourage you to go to the hospital to receive a forensic exam (rape kit). You can file a report with the officer without having to press charges.

What happens after I report?

After you make an initial report, a designated Investigator/Detective may be assigned to your case and will follow up with you to determine next steps. Potential next steps may include:

visiting the scene of the crime,
interviewing witnesses, and/or
interviewing you to gather more information

At that point they might decide not to move forward with a criminal investigation. If they do decide to move forward, the investigator will present the evidence and details of the case to a District Attorney, who will determine whether there is enough evidence to move forward with a criminal prosecution. The prosecutor may decide to pursue a criminal case even if you do not want to, however, you cannot be forced to participate in any investigation or prosecution if you do not wish.