Info for Sexual Assault Victims

Reporting a Sexual Assault

Support Services

Additional Resources

Sexual Assault Reporting Data

The BYU Police Department can begin the process of creating a crime report any of three ways: online, in person, or over the phone.

Emergency Reporting: 9-1-1

Non-emergency Reporting: 801-422-0911 Online: Visit police.byu.edu and click on “Report an Incident” or click here.

Visit the BYU Police Department on campus at 2120 JKB. If an officer is not available at the department to meet with a victim, the victim will be instructed to call BYU Police dispatch. Dispatch can then send an officer to meet with the victim.

When police dispatch receives a call, or after an online report form is received, an officer will be connected to the victim.

Sexual Assault Investigations

The health and safety of the victim is always the first consideration in a sexual assault investigation. After ensuring a victim is safe, the responding officer will meet with the victim to conduct an initial interview. The victim may choose to be accompanied to an interview by a friend, family member, or other supportive person.

Following or during an initial interview, and with the victim’s consent, the investigating officer will work with the victim to preserve and collect evidence of sexual assault and provide information about available resources to the victim.

It is the policy of the Brigham Young University Police Department that its members, when responding to reports of sexual assaults, will strive to minimize the trauma experienced by the victims, and will aggressively investigate sexual assaults, pursue expeditious apprehension and conviction of perpetrators, and protect the safety of the victims and the community. All sexual assault cases are screened with the Utah County Attorney’s Office or the Provo Justice Court to determine the prosecution status or appropriate charges for each case.

The BYU Police Victim Advocate is available with or without making a police report and can help throughout a sexual assault investigation. The Victim Advocate can

· Be present during and after investigative interviews
· Guide through investigative and judicial processes
· Connect to resources within and outside of BYU
· Accompany to judicial proceedings
· Be present during a forensic or medical exam
· Assist with obtaining a protective order

[Data Table]

This data represents specific sexual assault offenses that were

· reported to BYU Police
· investigated by a detective; and
· referred to a prosecutor for prosecution

Understanding The Sexual Assault Data Report

This data is provided as required by Utah law 53-25-202. Definitions for each type of crime included in the data are linked within the law. The offenses are listed first as a total number of reports received by BYU Police for each crime. Next are the total reports for each type of crime, and how many were investigated by a detective. Last is the number of each investigated crime type that had criminal charges sent to the Utah County Attorney’s office or the Provo Justice Court.

Why aren’t all crime reports investigated?
- Some reasons a criminal report may not be investigated by BYU Police are
  - The crime occurred outside of BYU Police jurisdiction
  - The victim did not wish to proceed with an investigation
  - The report does not contain enough information to investigate the reported crime
What happens when a reported crime is not within BYU Police jurisdiction?
- Crime reports received by BYU Police which are reported to have occurred outside of BYU Police jurisdiction are referred to the police agency with jurisdiction. For example, if the crime happened in Orem the victim is referred to the Orem Police Department.
Why aren’t the number of crimes reported the same as crimes referred for prosecution?
- If the crime was reported near the end of the calendar year and the investigation concluded in the next calendar year the case would be included in the next year’s statistics. When a sexual assault crime is reported to BYU Police, detectives contact the Utah County Attorney’s office. An attorney with the Attorney’s Office screens the case and evaluates whether to move forward with prosecution. A case may be unable to be referred for prosecution for several reasons including
  - There is insufficient evidence or information to prosecute
  - No suspect is identified
  - The investigation is ongoing and not yet ready for prosecution
  - The statute of limitations has passed
  - The case has been returned by the prosecutor for further investigation.