Putting Incident Reporting Within Reach
When an incident like sexual assault or discrimination occurs, a student may feel scared, overwhelmed, and uncertain about what to do next. They may not know what their college’s policies are, who they can turn to, or how to ask for help. Walking into an office to make a report to college staff may feel especially daunting for a student who is already trying to recover from an incident. In some cases, students may not even realize that what happened to them is something they could report.
Many colleges have made reporting more accessible by providing online forms where students can share concerns, report policy violations, or provide witness accounts. While online reporting options can remove some barriers, accessibility is only part of the challenge. Students may not consider reporting an incident, may be unsure whether they can make a report, or may simply not know where to find the appropriate reporting form.
uSafeUS® brings all campus resources into one platform while also making reporting options easy to find. On the uSafeUS app home page, students can select “Incident Reporting”, which brings all their college’s reporting forms together in one place, so students can easily see and access their reporting options at a glance.
By bringing Incident Reporting directly to the home page, uSafeUS makes reporting a more visible and accessible option. Students are more likely to know where they can go if they want to report an incident–and may encouraged them to consider reporting when they otherwise might not have known where to begin.
For example, a student who was sexually assaulted could use the uSafeUS app to take several important steps in one place. They could make a counseling appointment, report the incident to their school, and learn more about their options for seeking medical care, reporting to law enforcement, and accessing college accommodations.
By making “Incident Reporting” more visible, students who initially open uSafeUS for another reason may now consider whether reporting is an option for them. A student seeking information about a violation, contacting a counseling center, or looking for crisis support may see “Incident Reporting” and recognize they have another avenue for seeking help. Increased visibility may also make it easier for bystanders to understand where and how they can report something they witnessed.
Reporting college policy violations can help colleges identify concerns, respond to incidents, and build safer campus communities. When students do not know where or how to report, colleges have fewer opportunities to address violence and provide students with the support they need.
uSafeUS is working to make reporting a clearer and more accessible part of the support available to students. By putting “Incident Reporting” front and center, uSafeUS aims to reduce barriers, combat the stigma surrounding reporting and remind students that they have options–and that institutional support is available when they need it.