Reporting Options

The university encourages all individuals to promptly report potential sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and stalking to the Title IX Office. The university also recognizes that deciding to report can be difficult and is an intensely personal decision. Individuals are encouraged to seek assistance from campus and community resources and to explore all potential reporting and support options.

If you or someone you know would like to report an incident, you can submit a report to the Title IX Office, the police, or confidential resources. You may pursue some or all of these steps at the same time (e.g., you may simultaneously report to the Title IX Office and report to the police).

When making a report, you do not need to know how to label what happened and you do not need to know what you would like to do in response. Reporting helps to ensure that you are connected to supportive resources and learn about all available options, so you can get the information and care you need.

Some individuals are Designated Reporters and are required by the university to promptly share all information about potential sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, or stalking with the Title IX Office. For more information about the role and reporting requirements of Designated Reporters, please visit the GW Employee Title IX Reporting Responsibilities page under Faculty & Staff Support.

If you would like to make a report to the Title IX Office, there are several ways to do so. You can:

Submit a report online via the Title IX report form

Email the Title IX Office at [email protected]

Call the Title IX Office at 202-994-7434

Visit the Title IX Office during our drop-in hours

Frequently Asked Questions about Reporting to Title IX

What is the difference between making a report and filing a formal complaint?

There is an important distinction between making a report to the Title IX Office and filing a formal complaint.

Reports are the initial communication and information the Title IX Office receives about potential prohibited conduct (sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating/domestic violence or stalking). The Title IX Office receives reports from a variety of sources including but not limited to a Complainant (an individual who is alleged to have experienced sex discrimination and/or sex-based harassment), friends of the Complainant, members of student organizations, and Designated Reporters (such as faculty members). A report to the Title IX Office will result in the Title IX Office conducting outreach to the Complainant to offer support.

On the other hand, a formal complaint is a document signed by a Complainant or the Title IX Coordinator alleging sexual harassment and requesting to initiate either the Alternative Resolution or Formal Resolution process against a Respondent (the individual who allegedly engaged in the prohibited conduct).

What happens after a report is made to the Title IX Office?

When the Title IX Office receives a report, a member of the Title IX Office will send an outreach email to the impacted individual (the Complainant) to offer support and schedule an intake meeting. Complainants are not required to respond to the outreach email or schedule an intake meeting. The Title IX Office simply wants the Complainant to know that the Title IX Office is a resource available to them if and when they decide they would like to learn more about their options. If the Complainant would like to learn more, they can respond to the outreach email to schedule an intake meeting.

What does a Title IX intake meeting look like?

Intake meetings with the Title IX Office can be in-person or conducted virtually, depending on your preference. The purpose of the intake meeting is to provide you with information regarding reporting options, supportive measures, resources on and off campus, the process for filing a formal complaint, and Title IX resolution options. The Title IX Office will consider your wishes with respect to how you want to move forward.

Some Complainants may wish to only make a report but do not want any further action from the university; others may only be interested in receiving supportive measures, and others may wish to pursue either the Alternative Resolution or Formal Resolution process.

Supportive measures are available regardless of whether you choose to pursue a resolution.

Does making a report to Title IX automatically result in an investigation process?

No. Making a report to the Title IX Office will result in an outreach email being sent to the Complainant, if their identity is included in the report. However, it is up to the Complainant to decide if they want to respond to the outreach email and schedule an intake with the Title IX Office. In the vast majority of cases, the Title IX Office defers to the wishes of the Complainant in terms of what support they need and what processes, if any, they want to engage in.

Occasionally, due to aggravating circumstances, the Title IX Office may need to proceed with certain actions, even when the Complainant does not want to participate in a resolution process, in order to ensure the Complainant's safety or the safety of the GW community.

Examples of aggravating circumstances include, but are not limited to, if an incident involved:

a weapon;
a minor;
multiple respondents; or
a high degree of violence.

However, if the Title IX Office needed to take action due to aggravating circumstances, the Title IX Office would make every attempt to speak with the Complainant before doing so to address any safety concerns and ensure the Complainant is supported.

Does making a report to Title IX mean the police will automatically be notified?

No. Making a report to the Title IX Office will result in an outreach email being sent to the Complainant if their identity is included in the report. However, it is up to the Complainant to decide if they want to respond to the outreach email and schedule an intake with the Title IX Office. In the vast majority of cases, the Title IX Office defers to the wishes of the Complainant in terms of what support they need and what processes, if any, they want to engage in. This includes whether or not the Complainant is interested in reporting to the police. If a Complainant is interested in making a report to the police, Title IX staff members can assist Complainants with that process.

Only under limited circumstances, posing a threat to the health or safety of any individual, or to comply with applicable law, may the Title IX Office independently notify law enforcement.

What if I just need support and I don't want to pursue a resolution option? Should I still report to Title IX?

Yes; It is very common that a Complainant connects with the Title IX Office to make a report and receive support without proceeding to a resolution option. A Complainant is entitled to reasonable supportive measures despite whether they pursue a resolution option or not. The Title IX Office strives to respect the autonomy of a Complainant’s decision regarding how to resolve their report.

Is a report to the Title IX Office confidential?

No; However the Title IX Office is a private resource. Information related to a report of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, or stalking, will be handled discreetly and shared with a limited circle of university employees or designees who need to know in order to assist in the assessment, investigation, resolution of the report, and related issues. Title IX staff members receive training on how to safeguard private information. In all such proceedings, the university will maintain the privacy of the parties to the extent reasonably possible.

Can I submit an anonymous report to Title IX?

You are welcome and encouraged to share information about an incident even if you would like to remain anonymous.

If you choose to remain anonymous, please be aware that the Title IX Office will not be able to follow up with you regarding available resources and support options and the university may be limited in its ability to address the incident.

All information submitted will be reviewed by the Title IX Office and the university will attempt to address the situation.

Providing information may help the university maintain accurate records regarding the number of incidents involving students, employees, and third parties; determine if there is a pattern of conduct with regard to a particular location or Respondent; and alert the campus community to potential dangers when appropriate. Depending on the amount of information available in the anonymous report, however, the university’s ability to respond with an investigation or resolution process may be limited. The university will not decline to investigate a matter based solely on whether the report was submitted anonymously.

Can I submit a report if I am not the one who experienced the incident?

You are welcome and encouraged to share information about an incident even if you were not directly involved in the situation. Please share whatever information you are comfortable sharing. Even if you do not know all of the relevant details, you are welcome and encouraged to report.

Keep in mind that if not enough relevant facts are provided or the Complainant does not respond to outreach from the Title IX Office, the university may be limited in its ability to address the incident.

All information submitted will be reviewed by the the Title IX Office and the university will attempt to address the situation, beginning by reaching out to the Complainant (the individual who is alleged to have experienced sexual harassment).

Please note that if you are reporting as a third party you are unlikely to receive follow-up from the Title IX Office. This is so that we can prioritize the needs, wishes, and privacy of the Complainant. If you have specific questions and would like follow up, please indicate that when submitting your report or contact Asha Reynolds, Director & Title IX Coordinator.

Can I request anonymity after reporting to the Title IX Office?

Once a report has been shared with the Title IX Coordinator, a Complainant may request that their identity not be shared with the Respondent (request for anonymity), that no investigation occur, or that no resolution process be pursued. The university will carefully balance this request in the context of the university's commitment to provide a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all university community members. The university will make all reasonable efforts to respond to the report consistent with a Complainant’s request, but in order to pursue a resolution against a Respondent under the Title IX Policy, the Respondent must be provided with sufficient notice of the reported conduct, including the Complainant’s identity if known. In some cases, including where the university determines that the failure to pursue a resolution process would be inconsistent with its legal obligations, the university may choose to pursue a resolution even if a Complainant requests that no resolution be pursued.

If you would like to make a report to the GW Police Department (GWPD), you can do so by calling:

202-994-6111 (Emergency line)
202-994-6110 (Non-emergency line)

You can also use the Blue Light Emergency Phones located around campus or the GW Guardian App to get in touch with GWPD.

If you are off campus, call 911 to reach local emergency response.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reporting to GWPD

What does reporting to GWPD look like?

If you are reporting an incident that just occurred, the responding officer(s) priority will be the health and safety of the persons involved. Therefore, you can expect the officers to ask you questions related to whether you sustained any injuries and whether there is a need to have the injuries evaluated and treated. The officers will then likely ask you to explain what occurred from your perspective, including the date, time, location, and who else was involved (if known).

If a crime or other incident could represent an ongoing threat to the GW community, the officers may ask you questions to enable GWPD to prepare an alert for the GW community. This may include information such as a description of the suspect.

Once GWPD has addressed those critical needs, officers will start a preliminary investigation. This could include detailed interviews, processing a crime scene, and/or contacting additional resources.

If an incident requires more investigation, you may receive outreach from investigators in the days/weeks following an incident.

Finally, GWPD will forward reports to the appropriate resources for resolution and support. That could include the Office of Advocacy & Support, the Title IX Office, Conflict Education & Student Accountability (CESA, formerly known as Student Rights & Responsibilities), Human Resources, Equal Employment Opportunity & Access, Faculty Affairs, or the Metropolitan Police Department.

Is reporting to GWPD confidential?

GWPD is a private, not a confidential resource. This means they will handle the information they receive discreetly, but will share information on a need-to-know basis in order to properly respond to and investigate the reports they receive. If you are interested in speaking with a confidential resource, please visit the Resources page of the website to learn more about confidential resources both on and off campus.

Can I report to GWPD anonymously?

A Complainant is not required to reveal their identity to GWPD in order to report an incident. A person can call GWPD and ask that the information remain anonymous or use the TIPS Line at 202-994-TIPS. Note that the TIPS Line is a passive reporting system that isn’t monitored in real time, so it’s not appropriate to use in an emergency. In addition, please be aware that if a Complainant remains anonymous that may impact GWPD's ability to respond to the incident and their ability to present the case for prosecution.

If you choose to speak with a confidential resource, they will not disclose personally identifying information about you to the Title IX Office without your permission. These professionals must maintain the confidentiality of communications disclosed within the scope of the provision of professional services and they may not disclose the protected information to any third party without the individual's permission or unless permitted or required consistent with ethical or legal obligations.

If you would like to speak with a confidential resource, there are several options available to you, both on and off campus. Please visit the On-Campus Resources page to learn more about the confidential resources here at GW.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reporting to a Confidential Resource

Is a report to the Title IX Office confidential?

No; However the Title IX Office is a private resource.

This means the Title IX Office will handle any information it receives very discreetly and will share information with a limited circle of university employees or designees who need to know in order to assist in the assessment, investigation, resolution of the report, and related issues. In addition, information may be disclosed to participants in the resolution process as necessary to facilitate the thoroughness and integrity of the resolution process. However, the Title IX Office will maintain the privacy of the parties involved to the extent reasonably possible.

What if I don't know whether I prefer to speak with a private or confidential resource?

That is okay. You can always connect with a confidential resource, such as the Office for Advocacy & Support or Counseling and Psychological Services first and have a discussion with them about whether or not you would also like to report to the Title IX Office or pursue another reporting option. The Title IX Office works closely with the other support offices across campus and they can help you get connected to the Title IX Office if you decide that is a path you would like to pursue.

What if I share information with someone outside of their role as a confidential resource?

When an individual, who otherwise is a Confidential Resource, receives information outside of their professional confidential role, the individual may be a Designated Reporter that is required to share that information with the Title IX Office. For example, a licensed counselor in the University Health Center who receives a disclosure in the context of speaking at a prevention program would likely be required to share the information with the Title IX Office. Therefore, it is always recommended that you ask whether someone is a Designated Reporter before you make a disclosure, that way you can make an informed decision about the information you choose to share.

More information on the responsibilities of a Designated Reporter and what happens when a Designated Reporter makes a report to the Title IX Office, can be found on the Reporting Responsibilities page.