Rights and Options for Victims of Sexual/Domestic Violence and/or Stalking

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NorthWest Arkansas Community College offers resources to students and employees impacted by sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Available supportive measures/accommodations can be enacted quickly, before or without a complaint being filed, and will be confidential to the extent allowable under law and policy.

IF YOU ARE IN DANGER CALL 9-1-1

NWACC students and employees can contact one of the following to make a report and request supportive measures/accommodations.

Reports may also be made to the NWACC Department of Public Safety at 479-619-4229 or in person in CHP 1042

The College strongly encourages all individuals to seek assistance from a medical provider and/or law enforcement immediately after an incident of sexual violence. This is the best option to ensure preservation of evidence and to begin a timely investigative and remedial response.  

To preserve evidence, do not shower or bathe, eat, drink, smoke, comb your hair, urinate, douche, or change clothes. If you have already done any of these, you are still encouraged to seek medical care. If possible, do not alter, disturb, or clean the scene of the assault. Photograph any injuries with a date stamp on the photo. Preserve any text messages, social media posts or notes that demonstrate the course of conduct.

Victims can all the Center for Sexual Assault at their 24-hour hotline 800-794-4175 for support, accompaniment to the hospital, support with law enforcement, or to meet them at the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Crisis Center.



Victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking have multiple options regarding the involvement of law enforcement and NWACC authorities, including the option to:

• Notify law enforcement authorities, including on-campus and local police
• Be assisted by NWACC authorities in notifying law enforcement; or
• Decline to notify such authorities

Whether or not a victim chooses to involve law enforcement or a College disciplinary authority, NWACC will offer and implement appropriate and reasonable supportive measures/accommodations upon notice of sexual assault,  domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment, and/ or retaliation. Supportive measures are non-disciplinary, non-punitive, individualized services offered as appropriate and reasonably available.

NWACC will maintain the privacy of any individual receiving supportive measures/accommodations, in accordance with law and policy, provided that this privacy does not impair the College’s ability to provide the supportive measures/accommodations.  The College will seek to implement supportive
measures/accommodations in a way that does not unreasonably burden either party and has as minimal an academic/occupational impact on the parties as is reasonably possible.

Supportive measures/accommodations may
include, but are not limited to:

• Referral to counseling, medical, and/or other healthcare services
• Referral to the employee assistance program
• Referral to community-based service providers
• Referral for Visa and immigration assistance
• Student financial aid counseling
• Altering work arrangements for employees or student workers
• Safety planning
• Providing safety escorts
• Providing transportation information
• Implementing no contact orders between the parties
• Academic support, extensions of deadlines, or other course/program-related adjustments
• Class schedule modifications, withdrawals, or leaves of absence
• Increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the campus
• Other actions deemed appropriate by the Title IX Coordinator

Resources at NWACC
Some people may choose to start with a Confidential Advocate before making the decision on what steps to take. Confidential Advocates have been specially trained to provide affirming, empowering, and confidential support. The Advocate will listen and explain options available to you while providing support. It is your decision to pursue available resources or to report an incident to law enforcement or the College.

NWACC CONFIDENTIAL ADVOCATES

The NWACC Counseling & Wellness Center offers free personal counseling for students and employees. To make an appointment email or call, counseling@nwacc.edu or 479-619-4128.




The following offices can provide direction for obtaining an on-campus No Contact Order as well as Legal Protective Orders.

The NWACC Department of Public Safety can escort you to your vehicle. You are encouraged to download the LiveSafe App from the App Store or Google Play. This provides a way to share information with DPS and to request help quickly in emergencies.



Student Conduct Proceedings
NWACC disciplinary proceedings are detailed in the Title IX Policy and Procedures. The accused (responding party) and the victim (reporting party) will each be allowed to have someone accompany them throughout the investigation and procedures. Both the reporting and the responding parties will be informed of the outcome of the investigation. If found responsible of the allegations, possible disciplinary sanctions for the responding party include expulsion, suspension, course/program dismissal, conduct probation, disciplinary warning, restitution of college property, restriction of participation in student organizations, events, and college employment, limited access to designated areas, educational sanctions which could include co-curricular education, community service, a conduct review and/or educational conversation with college official(s), mandatory counseling, alcohol and/or drug assessment. The responding party could also be subjected to criminal prosecution in the state courts. Retaliation against any person who files a report or participates in an investigation is not permissible and may result in further charges.

External Resources

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NWA Center for Sexual Assault
www.nwasexualassault.org
800-794-4175 – 24-hour hotline

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ACASA (Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault
www.arkcasa.org 
800-656-4673 – 24-hour hotline

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RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
www.rain.org 
800-656-4673 – 24-hour hotline

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Northwest Arkansas Women's Shelter
www.nwaws.org 
479-246-9999 • 800-775-9011 – 24-hour hotline

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Peace at Home Family Shelter
www.peaceathomeshelter.org 
479-442-9811 • 877-442-9811 – 24-hour hotline

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Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence
www.domesticpeace.com

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National Domestic Violence Hotline
www.thehotline.org 
800-799-7233 – 24-hour hotline

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SPARC (Stalking Prevention&Awareness Resource Center)
www.stalkingawareness.org

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Benton County Prosecutors Office
Victim Witness Coordinator—Protection Orders
479-271-1030 Press option 2

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Washington County Prosecutor’s Office
Victim Witness Coordinator—Protection Orders
479-444-1588 Ask for Victim Coordinator

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Legal Aid of Arkansas—Free legal services
www.arlegalaid.org 
800-952-9243

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U of A Legal Clinics—Immigration Law
479-575-3056

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US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Victims of Crime and Abuse
www.uscis.gov/humanitarian

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Ozark Regional Transit—Safe transportation
www.ozark.org

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Single Parent Scholarship NWA –spsfnwa.org  
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship
www.aspf.org 

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One College Drive
Bentonville, AR 72712
www.nwacc.edu