This form is available to document your experiences of sexual harassment, dating/domestic
violence, stalking or sexual assault. You are encouraged to share your name, location
details and the name(s) of other individuals involved, but you may choose to keep
any details private that you wish, including the option to submit this form anonymously.
The Title IX Office will only receive the information provided to them on this form
and all information submitted is private. If you share your contact information, you
will receive a response as soon as possible. You may reach the Title IX Office directly
by phone: 518-564-3281 or email: [email protected].
Please note, most employees at SUNY Plattsburgh are required to report known incidents
of sexual misconduct or other crimes. Licensed mental health counselors, medical providers
and pastoral counselors are examples of individuals who may offer confidentiality,
and any employee who cannot offer confidentially is still expected to provide privacy.
Privacy means that an employee may have to share information to comply with federal
or state law or college policy with certain other college employees, like with the
Title IX office, as a responsible employee.
Please note that often anonymous reports are difficult to investigate and university
response may be limited.
The Quick Exit Button
The Quick Exit button appears on every sexual and relationship violence-related page
on our site and will point your browser to https://www.plattsburgh.edu in case you
need to quickly leave our site. If you are afraid that an abusive spouse, partner,
or family member may be monitoring your computer use, please review the information
below about safer computer use.
Quick Exit Button
In the sidebar of all the pages related to sexual violence and partner abuse on our
website is a red Quick Exit button. Clicking on that button will automatically take
you to the State University of New York at Plattsburgh homepage.
Internet Safety
As you surf the internet on your computer, the websites you visit are stored in your
web browser’s history (web browsers are apps like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet
Explorer.) This is true on your computer as well as your phone.
Even though you can delete the history of the sites you have visited, there are tools
that an individual can use to retrieve it. Additionally, there are software apps that
a user can install on your computer to monitor which websites you visit, steal your
user names and passwords, and access your email or other sensitive information. If
you think your computer or phone may be being monitored, be as safe as possible when
browsing for information you do not want your abuser to know you are viewing. Most
browsers include a private browsing mode, which will not track history or store other
information. Although not completely safe, it is recommended to use these modes as
much as possible when browsing sensitive information.
Ideally, use a safe computer. Safe computers can be found at the local library, internet
café, at shelters, at work, a computer technology center, or at a friend’s home. Always
use safe computers when researching things such as travel plans, housing options,
legal issues and safety plans.
How to Use Private Browsing & Delete History
If you have no choice but to use a computer that may not be safe, always use private
mode rather than clearing your history after each session. A blank history can also
raise suspicion from your abuser. If you are unable to prevent your history from being
tracked for one reason or another and do not want to clear it, make your browsing
as hard to track as possible. For example, if you are looking to relocate to California,
do not just search for jobs or apartments in California. Also perform searches in
other locations to make it harder for an abuser to discover your plans.
Email
Your abusive partner could have access to your email account. To be safe, open an
email account your partner does not know about on a safe computer and use that account
for safety planning and sensitive communications. Do not use any personally identifiable
or easily guessed information when creating user names or passwords. It is a good
idea to keep your monitored account active with non-critical emails in order to maintain
appearances.
Cell Phone
Cell phones can be a beacon, tracking your exact location in real time. Call and text
history can also be retrieved by an abusive partner. Additionally, a location tracking
device (GPS) can be placed on your car or in your purse. If you feel that your phone
may be monitored, the safest thing to do is to purchase a pay-as-you-go phone that
you keep in a safe place, or to use a phone in a safe place, such as at work, at a
friend’s, or at a shelter.
Social Media
Only post things you want the public to see or know. Once it’s online, it’s out of
your control. Be very protective of your personal information like phone numbers,
email and physical addresses, your birth date, home town, birth town, the schools
you attended, your employer, and other similar information can give an abuser plenty
of ways to monitor you and locate you. Even photos can be traced and searched and
may provide information you do not want to disclose. In addition to not posting personal
information yourself, tell your friends and people close to you to not post anything
personal about you either and to not tag you in photos if you are uncomfortable with
it.
Passwords
Keep all passwords private and make them difficult to guess by using no personal information
in either your user names or passwords. Do not write them down and leave them anywhere
where an abuser may find them. If your computer or phone ask if you would like it
to save your user name or password, always say no.