Stanford is taking steps to improve and expand sexual harassment and sexual violence services and support for the campus community.

An external review of the university’s sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention, support and response efforts will be conducted by national experts next month.

New services for survivors are available, including medical-legal sexual assault examinations at Stanford Hospital provided through Santa Clara County’s SART exam program. In addition, YWCA-Silicon Valley, which currently offers support for spouses and partners of Stanford community members, will expand its on-campus services this spring.

“Since the release of the results of the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Misconduct, there has been a groundswell of positive momentum from students, faculty and staff to improve support and response services around sexual violence and sexual harassment,” said Lauren Schoenthaler, senior associate vice provost for institutional equity and access. “Next month’s external review will provide a further opportunity to evaluate our programs and services and prioritize improvements.”

External review

An external review committee will be on the Stanford campus March 10-12 to review the university’s offices that provide support, prevention, response and investigation of sexual harassment and sexual violence services. The reviewers have been asked to offer recommendations for improving the experiences of community members who have experienced or been accused of sexual violence or harassment.

Review committee members include:

  • Regan Crotty, director of gender equity and Title IX administration, Princeton University
  • Eric Estes, vice president for campus life, Brown University
  • Kimberly Hewitt, vice president for institutional equity and chief diversity officer, Duke University
  • Jason Killheffer, assistant provost for academic integrity, Yale University
  • Stephanie Spangler, MD, vice provost for health affairs and academic integrity, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, university Title IX coordinator, Yale University. Due to a family issue that prevents her from traveling, Dr. Spangler will participate via video conferencing.

There will be opportunities for the campus community to participate in the review process with the committee. Two open meetings have been scheduled, as follows:

Student Open Forum:
Tuesday, March 10, 4-5:15 p.m., Kingscote Gardens, Room 140

Faculty/Staff Open Forum:
Wednesday, March 11, 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Kingscote Gardens, Room 140

In addition, there is a community feedback form, where Stanford community members can respond anonymously.

Provost Persis Drell plans to release recommendations from the committee in spring quarter.

Medical forensic exams at Stanford Hospital

Survivors of sexual assault can now obtain medical forensic examinations, as well as medical care and emotional support, at Stanford Hospital. Under a new contract with Santa Clara County, exams began Feb. 1 at the hospital, which serves as a new northern county site for these services. Previously, obtaining these exams required traveling to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) in San Jose.

Stanford Hospital has designated space for these services, away from other patient care areas, in the Marc and Laura Andreessen Emergency Department. The space features rooms for private consultations, as well as a fully equipped treatment room.

The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Sexual Assault Forensic Exam, or SAFE team, conducts the forensic medical exams, also known as SART exams. Specially trained nurses from the SCVMC comprise the SAFE team and respond to the hospital when notified of an incident. SART exams are available 24 hours a day. The hospital’s social workers, as well as crisis counselors from the community, are also available to provide emotional support.

YWCA-Silicon Valley programs

Beginning in spring quarter, YWCA-Silicon Valley will provide on-site support for Stanford community members and partners who have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, stalking, human trafficking or similar gender-based violence. YWCA-SV will offer walk-in or appointment-based services, including crisis counseling, reviewing response options, accompanying individuals to medical care and police interviews and connecting clients to internal and external resources. YWCA-SV plans to offer some night and weekend hours; details will be announced soon.

This program expands the existing partnership between YWCA-SV and Stanford, which is a program that supports the spouses and partners of Stanford students, post-doctoral scholars and community members, especially relating to intimate partner violence prevention. This program is currently located on the first floor of Quillen in Escondido Village.

For more information on Stanford’s sexual violence services and support, visit the Institutional Equity & Access website and the sexual violence support & resources website.