Know Your Rights

If you have been impacted by interpersonal or sexual violence, you have the choice to pursue reporting options, either by reporting to law enforcement or by reporting to the Title IX office. We have consolidated commonly cited state laws and campus policies that individuals may find helpful when pursuing a report. Although CARE advocates cannot offer legal advice, we can always support you in learning more about your rights and about potential actions that can be taken if your rights have been violated.

California State Sexual Assault Survivor Rights

Under California State law, a survivor of sexual violence has the right to:

Seek civil protection and/or an emergency protective order
Seek financial assistance to cover costs arising from your assault(s)
Have a 24-hour confidential sexual assault counselor or any person of your choosing (such as a CARE Advocate) be present during any exam or investigative interview
Decline to participate in the criminal justice system or receive a physical exam without sacrificing your rights
Ask for the status and results of the analysis of all evidence relating to your assault(s)
Ask law enforcement for a tracking number and a way to obtain follow-up information regarding your report
Request and receive a free copy of the initial crime report relating to your assault(s)
Request your assailant’s sex offender registry information if they are convicted and required to register as a sex offender

This information has been adapted from the ValorUS Survivor Rights Card. If you feel that any of your rights listed above have been violated, you can connect with a CARE advocate to discuss potential options and next steps.

Marsy’s Law

View Marsy’s Card for more information.

Marsy’s Law seeks to give crime victims ¹ meaningful and enforceable constitutional rights, equal to the rights of the accused. Here are a few examples of the rights established in Marsy’s Law:

To be treated with dignity and respect throughout criminal justice proceedings
To be notified of your rights as a victim of crime
To be notified of specific public proceedings throughout the criminal justice process and to be present and heard during those proceedings
To be reasonably protected from the defendant and persons acting on behalf of the defendant
To prevent the disclosure of confidential information or records to the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, or any other person acting on behalf of the defendant, which could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family or which disclose confidential communications made in the course of medical or counseling treatment, or which are otherwise privileged or confidential by law

Marsy’s Law ensures that survivors of sexual violence, assault, stalking, etc. and their loved ones, have the right to safety, notification, privacy, protection, and potential compensation (see Victim Compensation below). If you feel that any of your rights listed in Marsy’s Law have been violated, you can connect with a CARE advocate to discuss potential options and next steps.

For more information please visit Marsy’s Law.

The term “victim” may be used by some establishments instead of “survivor” or “person who has been harmed”. ↩︎

Victim Compensation

If you have been a victim of a violent crime, the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) and its network of victim advocates and providers can help you financially recover. This program assists in bill payment for expenses resulting from crime that are not covered by insurance or other sources. CalVCB does not pay for lost, damaged, or stolen property or for pain and suffering. To obtain assistance, the victim must file a CalVCB application within seven years of the crime, within seven years of the direct victim turning 21, or seven years from when the crime could have been discovered–whichever is later.

Victim/Witness Assistance Centers in every county have trained staff to assist victims in applying for compensation under CalVCB. For additional information, victims can call the CalVCB toll-free number at 800-777-9229 or visit the California Victim Compensation Board.

UCSC Campus Policies

At UCSC, we believe that everyone has the right to a safe learning and working environment. If your ability to learn, work, or safely exist on campus is impeded (which can often be the case when you have experienced sexual violence, harassment, or stalking), you can refer to the UCSC policies below (as per the Title IX website).

UCSC is committed to fostering a community where everyone works and learns together in a place free of harassment, exploitation, and intimidation.
UCSC does not tolerate sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, discrimination, or abusive conduct.
Sexual violence violates both UC and UCSC policy as well as federal and state laws. UCSC will respond promptly to reports of sexual violence, take appropriate action to prevent sexual violence and take disciplinary action when necessary.
Incoming undergraduate and graduate students are required to complete two sexual violence and sexual harassment prevention trainings in their first year. Continuing students are required to complete training yearly. Faculty and staff are required to take sexual harassment training every two years. CARE offers alternative training for students, staff, and faculty who are sensitive to the training content due to an experience of harm.

UCSC policies and codes of conduct spell out the rights and responsibilities of students and employees to ensure that UCSC is a safe environment with clear processes for addressing reports of sexual violence and harassment. If you feel one or more of your campus rights have been violated, you can connect with a CARE advocate to discuss potential options that you may have.

Please visit the Title IX website for a complete list of UCSC policies.

Updated May 2024.

State and Federal Laws

Below you may find state and federal laws related to sexual violence, intimate partner harm, harassment, or stalking. Survivors interested in reporting to Title IX or law enforcement may find the information below beneficial. This section gives a basic overview of laws that may impact survivors and is for informational purposes only. CARE Advocates are available to consult and answer questions regarding the following legislation.

If you require legal advice or support, please visit our resources page.

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender in any federally funded education program. Under Title IX, sexual harassment, which includes sexual violence, is a form of unlawful sex discrimination. Schools that receive federal financial assistance, like UCSC, must take steps to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault, and promptly and effectively respond to reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Title IX also protects against retaliation.
The Clery Act requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs, like UCSC, to share information about crime on campus and their efforts to improve campus safety as well as inform the public of crime in or around campus. This information is made available each year through the university’s Annual Security Report.
SB 967 (DeLeón, Chapter 748, Statutes of 2014), the “Yes Means Yes” state bill, requires colleges and universities to adopt certain policies on sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, such as an affirmative definition of consent and a preponderance of evidence standard.
AB 1433 (Gatto, Chapter 798, Statutes of 2014), requires campus security authorities (as defined by the Clery Act) who receive reports of sexual assault, to report the incident immediately, or as soon as practicably possible, to the campus police department. The victim’s name will only be reported with the victim’s consent and after the victim has been informed of their right to have their name withheld.

Although CARE advocates cannot offer legal advice, we are available to support you in understanding state and federal laws so that you can make informed decisions in your healing journey.

The above is adapted from the Title IX website, please look there for more information.

Request a Restraining Order

Anyone has the right to request a restraining order. Click here to learn more about Restraining Orders in our Reporting Options section.