If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking, you are not alone—and help is available. Columbia University is committed to providing support, resources, and information to ensure your safety and well-being.
In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, colleges and universities are required to share information about campus safety and provide written notifications outlining the rights, options, and available resources for survivors.
This page offers those details, along with guidance on how to access support services, understand your rights, and take steps toward healing.
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Sexual Violence Response (SVR) at Columbia University
If you’ve experienced sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, or other forms of gender and power-based violence, Sexual Violence Response (SVR) at Columbia University offers confidential, trauma-informed support to help you navigate your options, connect you to resources and provide supportive services.
SVR provides:
- 24/7 crisis counseling and advocacy via a confidential helpline
- Accompaniment to hospitals, police, and campus offices
- Safety planning and temporary orders of protection
- Support for co-survivors (friends, family, partners, etc.)
- Workshops and prevention education
- Drop-in and scheduled appointments (in-person, virtual, and telephonic)
SVR advocates are trained to support survivors of all identities and backgrounds. You do not need to file a report to access SVR services.
SVR adheres to strict standards of confidentiality. To learn more about SVR’s confidentiality you can visit their webpage.
How to Contact SVR:
24/7 Helpline: 212-854-4357
Office Line (Appointments): 212-854-3500
Email: [email protected]
Locations:
- Morningside Campus: Lerner Hall, Suite 700, 2920 Broadway, NY, NY 10027
- CUIMC Campus: 50 Haven Avenue, Suite 206 (enter at 60 Haven Ave), NY, NY 10032
- Barnard Campus: Hewitt Hall, Suite 105 (enter at Brooks), 3009 Broadway, NY, NY 10027
Website: https://www.health.columbia.edu/content/sexual-violence-response
The Office of Institutional Equity (OIE)
If you’ve experienced sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking, Columbia’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), which includes the Title IX Division, is a central resource for support, guidance, and resolution. The dedicated staff at OIE can also connect you with a variety of resources both on and off campus and can support you with academic and housing options, legal support, and help in filing a police report, if you choose to do so.
OIE works with students, faculty, staff, and affiliates to ensure concerns are addressed fairly and respectfully. While OIE is not a confidential resource, it will protect your privacy to the greatest extent possible and only share information as necessary to provide support or ensure safety. OIE provides a structured process for reviewing reports, offering support, and facilitating resolution options.
OIE maintains as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to you, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the accommodations or protective measures.
How to Contact OIE:
Phone: 212-854-5511
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://institutionalequity.columbia.edu/
You can also report an incident directly through their website. After submitting a report, OIE will follow up to review your concerns, provide available resources, and discuss potential next steps.
Reporting through OIE
Mandatory Reporters
Columbia University encourages the reporting of sexual assault, dating or domestic violence and stalking, as soon as possible to maximize the University’s ability to respond promptly and effectively. We acknowledge that you may be most comfortable disclosing these forms of misconduct to a University employee you know well, like a faculty member, coach or resident assistant. These individuals, and all University employees (except those that are confidential resources), are considered mandated reporters and are required to share reports of gender-based misconduct with the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE). You should be informed of this responsibility when sharing your report with a mandated reporter.
Your Options
Once a report has been received by OIE, whether through you or a mandated reporter, OIE will confirm the report has been received and is under review. After the report is reviewed, the appropriate office within OIE will contact you as soon as possible.
You may request support services only, or choose to file a formal complaint and request an investigation or an informal resolution. OIE will respect your decision and guide you through available options. Depending on the type and severity of your concern, the resolution process may work on varying timelines.
OIE maintains as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to you, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the accommodations or protective measures.
Formal Investigation
If you choose to proceed with a formal investigation, OIE will notify the involved parties and begin conducting interviews and assessing documentation. You also have the right to bring an advisor who may but is not required to be an attorney, to any meetings and proceedings.
If any investigation finds a policy violation, sanctions may include training and education, warnings, no contact directives, probation, removal from academic or extracurricular activities, removal from student housing, suspension, expulsion, termination, or other sanctions. These sanctions may apply to both students and employees and are determined based on the severity and nature of the misconduct. Disciplinary proceedings are conducted by officials who receive ongoing training on issues related to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking and how to conduct an investigation and hearing that protects the safety of victims and promotes accountability.
Accommodations and Protective Measures
Regardless of whether you choose to proceed with a formal investigation or not, OIE can connect you with a variety of resources both on and off campus and can support you with classroom and housing options, legal support, and help in filing a police report, if you choose to do so. Accommodations and protective measures can also still be put in place if the victim requests them and if they are reasonably available.
Non-Retaliation Policy
Retaliation, or any adverse action or threatened action, taken or made, personally or through a third party, against someone who has reported gender-based misconduct or has been the subject of a gender-based misconduct complaint or any other individual (such as a witness or third-party reporter) is strictly prohibited.
More Information
For more information about the Title IX process please visit the links below:
- For students: https://institutionalequity.columbia.edu/content/student-anti-discrimination-discriminatory-harassment
- For faculty/staff: https://institutionalequity.columbia.edu/content/faculty-and-staff-anti-discrimination-discriminatory-harassment
You can also review these policies and procedures in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
Columbia University Public Safety
You can contact the Department of Public Safety, available 24/7. Public Safety can help ensure your safety, connect you with support services across the University, and, if you so choose, assist you in making a report to the police.
Remember, you have the right to file or not file a report with the police. The Department of Public Safety is not a police agency and are under no obligation to report an incident of sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking, to the police, especially if you choose to exercise your right not to report.
Please note that reports made to Public Safety are not confidential. Public Safety staff are required to report incidents of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking to the Office of Institutional Equity in accordance with Title IX regulations. Additionally, the Department has reporting obligations under the Clery Act. However, no personally identifiable information will be disclosed or included in public-facing materials such as the Daily Crime Log or Timely Warning Notifications. For more details about the Department’s Clery Act responsibilities, please visit our Clery Act website.
In addition to emergency response, Public Safety offers several services to support you, including:
- Walking Safety Escort: Available 24/7, this service ensures you can travel safely across campus.
- Emergency Transportation Coordination: Public Safety can help arrange transportation to hospitals, police precincts or other support services.
- Secure Space Access: If you need to retrieve your valuables and you do not feel safe doing so, Public Safety can assist in coordinating and accompanying you to an on-campus location so you can grab what you need. Public Safety can also help you coordinate with law enforcement to accompany you to an off campus location as needed.
These services are available to all Columbia affiliates and can be requested at any time, regardless of whether or not you choose to file an official report with Public Safety or the police. Public Safety works closely with Columbia’s Sexual Violence Response team, the Office of Institutional Equity, and other campus offices to ensure survivors receive comprehensive support.
How to Contact Public Safety
Law Enforcement and Justice Resources
NYPD Special Victims Unit
(24/7) 646-610-7272
NY County District Attorney’s Office Child Abuse and Family Violence Hotline
212-335-4308
Intimate Partner Violence Hotline
212-335-9373
NY County District Attorney’s Office Witness Aid Services Units:
- Survivor Services Bureau: 212-335-9040
- Special Victims Bureau: 212-335-4300
- Harlem Office: 212-864-7884
- Washington Heights Office: 212-335-3320
NYC Family Justice Center, Manhattan
212-602-2800
New York State Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit
1-844-845-7269
Orangetown Police Department (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory)
845-359-3700
Irvington Police Department (Nevis Laboratories)
914-591-8080
Medical Services & Preserving Evidence
If you have experienced sexual violence, dating or domestic violence or stalking, consider seeking medical assistance to check for injuries you may not be aware you have or may not feel, prevent sexually transmitted infections and obtain prophylaxis medication, prevent pregnancy, and collect evidence—especially if you are considering reporting the incident now or in the future.
You do not need to decide immediately whether to report; preserving evidence simply keeps your options open.
Here are steps you can take to help preserve evidence:
- Avoid bathing, showering, or washing any part of your body.
- Do not change clothes. If you have already changed, place the clothing you were wearing in a clean paper bag (not plastic).
- Do not brush your teeth, eat, drink, or use the bathroom if possible before a forensic exam.
- Avoid cleaning or disturbing the area where the incident occurred.
- Save any communications (texts, emails, social media messages) related to the incident.
- Write down what happened as soon as you feel able as details may fade over time.
- Take photos of any injuries or damaged items.
Even if some time has passed, you can still seek medical care and support. Sexual assault forensic exams are typically available up to five days after an assault, but other forms of care and documentation may still be helpful beyond that window.
Note, evidence collection does not require you to file a report with the police. This process preserves evidence for the future.
Confidential Medical Resources
At Columbia University
Sexual Violence Response at Columbia University
Advocates can accompany you to hospitals or police precincts and help you understand your options.
24/7 Helpline: 212-854-4357
Columbia Health – Morningside and Manhattanville Students
To make an appointment or speak with a provider: 212-854-7426
Student Health on Haven - CUIMC Students
To make an appointment or speak with a provider: 212-305-3400
DOVE at New York Presbyterian Hospital, is committed to providing free and high quality clinical and advocacy services to survivors of all types of domestic and sexual violence. Volunteers are on call 24/7.
24/7 Hotline: 212-305-9060
Email: [email protected]
Location: 622 West 168 Street, New York, NY 10032
External Resources
These medical facilities also provide Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations (SAFE):
- Mount Sinai Morningside Emergency Department
212-636-3375
443 West 113th Street
- Bellevue Hospital
212-562-4132
462 First Avenue
- Harlem Hospital Center
212-939-1000
506 Lenox Avenue
- Metropolitan Hospital Center
212-423-6262
1901 First Avenue
- Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital
646-665-6000
30 Seventh Avenue
- Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital
212-746-5454
525 East 68th Street
- Westchester Medical Center (near Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Nevis Laboratory campus)
914-493-7000
100 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY 10595
Confidential Counseling and Mental Health Resources
Talk to Someone
If you’ve experienced sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, or other forms of gender and power-based violence, Sexual Violence Response (SVR) at Columbia University offers confidential, trauma-informed support to help you navigate your options, connect you to resources and provide supportive services.
24/7 Helpline: 212-854-4357
Columbia Health – Counseling Services (Morningside/Manhattanville Students)
Provides confidential mental health support including crisis counseling and therapy for survivors.
Urgent Support (24/7): 212-854-2878
Student Health on Haven - Counseling Services (CUIMC students)
Provides confidential mental health support including crisis counseling and therapy for survivors.
Urgent Support (24/7): 212-305-3400 or via TELUS Health
https://www.studenthealth.cuimc.columbia.edu/our-services/individual-counseling
Employee Assistance Program (Faculty and Staff)
All benefits-eligible employees and their household members can receive six free, confidential sessions per topic per user. 24/7, 365 days a year.
Call: 1-844-636-1260 (TTY: 711)
Safe Horizon
Safe Horizon is the largest victim services nonprofit in the United States, dedicated to helping survivors of violence, abuse, and exploitation reclaim safety and stability. Safe Horizon operates across New York City and serves over 250,000 individuals annually.
Safe Horizon provides a variety of services including:
- Emergency shelters, counseling, advocacy and legal assistance for victims of relationship violence,
- Child advocacy, therapy and family support for children who have experienced abuse,
- Crisis intervention, counseling, medical and legal support for victims of sexual violence, and,
- Safe housing, case management and legal aid for victims of human trafficking or exploitation.
1-800-621-HOPE (4673)
NYC Well
NYC Well is NYC’s free, confidential mental health and substance misuse support program. They offer 24/7 access to crisis counseling, peer support and referrals for ongoing treatment.
1-888-692-9355
https://bewell.ny.gov/
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Connection to free, confidential crisis counseling, mental health and substance use support, information and referrals (available 24/7)
Call or text: 988
Chat online at: https://988lifeline.org/
NYC Anti-Violence Project
The NYC Anti-Violence Project is the nation's largest organization supporting LGBTQIA+ and HIV-affected survivors of violence, providing a 24/7 hotline, counseling, and advocacy services.
212-714-1141
https://avp.org/
Rape Abuse & Incest National Network
The Rape Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides 24/7 crisis support, prevention education, and public policy advocacy to help survivors, stop harm and enable justice.
800-656-HOPE (4673)
https://rainn.org/
No Contact Orders / Orders of Protection
If you are seeking a No Contact Order, you should reach out to the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) who will help you navigate this process at Columbia and explain the difference between a No Contact Order and an Order of Protection (OOP).
- A No Contact Order can be issued by OIE if someone is causing any disruptive or harmful behavior towards you. Violations of a No Contact Order can lead to disciplinary proceedings.
- An Order of Protection is a court-issued document that directs someone to stay away from and not threaten or harm you. Violations of an Order of Protection can include arrest or criminal charges. Both Sexual Violence Response and OIE can support you in filing a request for an Order of Protection.
Support for No Contact Orders / Orders of Protection
24/7 Helpline: 212-854-4357
Other ways to contact SVR: https://www.health.columbia.edu/content/ways-reach-svr
You can also reach out to Safe Horizon, the nation's leading nonprofit victim assistance, advocacy and violence prevention organization. It offers court-based advocacy and legal assistance for survivors seeking Orders of Protection by partnering with both the Domestic Violence Law Project and the Family Justice Center. The Domestic Violence Law Project provides attorneys who represent survivors of domestic abuse in cases involving custody, visitation, divorce, Orders of Protection, and child support. The Family Justice Center also serves walk-in survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and their children, providing access to case management, economic empowerment, counseling, and both civil and criminal legal assistance.
- Safe Horizon Hotline: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)
www.safehorizon.org
https://www.safehorizon.org/orders-of-protection/
- Safe Horizon @ Manhattan Family Court
212-577-1270
60 Lafayette Street, Room 4C
- Domestic Violence Law Project
718-834-7430 ext. 1101
- Family Justice Center – Manhattan
212-602-2800
80 Centre Street, 5th Floor
Other Resources
At Columbia University
After experiencing sexual assault, dating or domestic violence or stalking, individuals may need more than medical attention—they might also face emotional, legal, academic, or logistical challenges. Columbia University offers a wide range of resources to help victims navigate these complexities and regain a sense of stability. Available services include counseling, victim advocacy, legal assistance, visa and immigration support, housing services, academic accommodations, transportation options, and workplace adjustments. These resources are here to ensure that no one has to face these challenges alone.
Additional Columbia Resources
If you are an international student, scholar, or staff member who has experienced sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking, you may have questions or concerns about how your immigration status could be affected. Columbia University offers confidential, free legal support and guidance to help you navigate these challenges.
Available Services Include:
- Free legal consultations through the Columbia Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic
- Pro bono immigration legal assistance for students and staff at risk of deportation or with complex immigration needs
- Support for DACA recipients, undocumented individuals, and those with pending immigration cases
- Guidance on visa-related concerns related to safety, reporting, or changes in academic or employment status
These confidential services are available regardless of whether you choose to file a formal report.
Email for legal consultation referrals: [email protected]
If you need to travel to a hospital, police precinct, court, or another support service, SVR can help coordinate and accompany you. Transportation assistance may include:
- Arranging safe travel to and from medical facilities or law enforcement
- Accompaniment by trained advocates for emotional support during transit
- Help navigating public transportation or securing rides when needed
- Support for students at CUIMC, Morningside, Manhattanville, and Barnard campuses.
Additionally, Columbia University’s Department of Public Safety provides 24/7 emergency response and personal safety services across all campuses, including:
- Walking Safety Escort Service: If you feel unsafe walking alone on or near campus, Public Safety offers escorted walks to your destination. This service is available to all Columbia affiliates and can be requested at any time.
- Emergency Transportation Coordination: Public Safety can help survivors, get to a hospital, police precinct, or court, coordinate with Sexual Violence Response (SVR) for accompaniment, and arrange safe travel during emergencies or after incidents.
- Immediate Safety Response: If you are being stalked, threatened, or feel unsafe, Public Safety can respond to your location and help you access secure spaces.
Contact Public Safety
Offers a confidential, informal space to discuss concerns and explore options without triggering formal action. The Ombuds Office is not a reporting office and does not initiate investigations.
Morningside: 212-854-1234
CUIMC: 212-304-7026
External Resources
Additional Nonprofit, City, State and Federal Resources
Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) helps survivors of interpersonal violence heal through crisis intervention, individual and group trauma-focused therapy, legal advocacy, complementary therapy, psychiatric consultation, prevention training and community education.
212-523-4728
https://www.cvtcnyc.org/
The Sanctuary for Families provides free services to all NYC survivors including counseling, legal support, shelter services, and includes support for survivors with children and survivors of sex trafficking.
212-349-6009
https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/
Women Kind specializes in serving Asian survivors of gender-based violence but offer support to all. Their services include counseling, legal services, family support, youth groups, wellness groups, advocacy, emergency housing, community engagement and workshops on housing programs, financial and computer literacy, and career readiness.
888-888-7702
https://www.iamwomankind.org/
NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) provides free, safe immigration legal help to immigrant New Yorkers, including survivors of crime. Services include:
- Legal screenings and consultations
- Help applying for U visas (for victims of serious crimes) and T visas (for victims of trafficking)
- Support with VAWA self-petitions
- Referrals to trusted legal providers
CAMBA – Domestic Violence Services provides victim of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking with legal services, housing advocacy, and referrals to shelters and transitional housing.
718-287-2600
https://camba.org/