Reporting options

Forensic evidence collection is a police process to collect and preserve possible evidence of a violent crime.

It can only be done at approved sites within the county where the incident occurred. If a survivor of relationship violence or sexual assault is considering or wants to pursue criminal charges immediately or in the future, it is best if forensic evidence collection is conducted soon after an incident (usually within the first 72 hours, the earlier the better).

You can call the 24/7 Care Line: 510-643-2005 for a confidential advocate to support you in receiving medical care and/or pursuing evidence collection, and reporting to local police. The closest approved site for evidence collection in Alameda County is Highland Hospital.  If you are interested in having evidence collected:

• If possible, leave the area where the harm occurred undisturbed.
• It is recommended not to shower, bathe, wash hands, eat, drink or brush teeth.
• If possible, place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag (no plastic).

If possible, you may also choose to save text messages, records of phone calls, emails, pictures, notes, and gifts as evidence for a report.

Some law enforcement agencies – including UCPD – will approve the collection of evidence through an official sexual assault exam before a survivor decides whether or not to file a criminal report. In Alameda County these exams are only conducted at Highland Hospital (Oakland) or Washington Hospital (Fremont) by specially trained medical personnel who are part of the county Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).
A survivor who wishes to preserve potential evidence but has not yet decided about making a full police report can go to Highland Hospital and request a SART exam. Medical staff will determine if it is appropriate to conduct the exam, and if so, they will contact law enforcement to request approval.

UCPD will ask to confirm that the crime occurred in UCPD’s jurisdiction, and will document any other information the survivor is willing to provide. UCPD will provide a case number that the survivor can later use if they decide to file a crime report.

Medical providers are required by law to provide the survivor’s name and contact information to the police, but law enforcement will keep this information confidential (per §6254 of the California Government Code). The evidence collected during the SART exam will not be tested immediately, but
instead preserved by UCPD for at least 30 days so that the survivor can decide whether or not to seek a criminal investigation.

• Highland Hospital(link is external)
  • 1411 E. 31st Street, Oakland
  • Phone: 510-437-4800
• Washington Hospital(link is external)
  • 2000 Mowry Ave, Fremont
  • Phone: 510-797-1111

PATH to Care(link is external) can also provide confidential support and guidance on this topic – call the Care line at 510-643-2005.

For more information about forensic evidence collection, visit the Support for Survivors page.

An anonymous report occurs when the person making the report does not include their name or any other information that might identify them.  “Anonymous” is not the same as “confidential.”

Anonymous reporting to the University

The University accepts anonymous reports, but may be limited in its ability to take action, and cannot guarantee it will be investigated. The UC Berkeley Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD)(link is external) will consider anonymous reports on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with laws and policies relevant to the report. 

To hold someone accountable for an alleged violation, the University must validate and corroborate statements and evidence, which may not be possible in the case of an anonymous report.  In some cases, the University might be obliged to try to identify the anonymous reporter. 

To coordinate anonymous reporting to the University, contacting the PATH to Care Center(link is external), a confidential resource, is recommended.

Anonymous reporting to the police

Depending on the situation there are a variety of ways the police might handle anonymous reports.  Investigation and prosecution of crimes often relies on the willingness of the crime victim and/or witnesses to cooperate and provide identifying information. In some cases the police might be able to independently establish sufficient facts and evidence for a criminal justice outcome, but this is not common.  Sometimes the police might only evaluate anonymous reports for the need to send officers to handle immediate public safety threats or crimes in progress. 

Regardless, many police departments provide ways for people to submit anonymous reports.  To make a non-emergency anonymous report to the University of California Police Department, Berkeley (UCPD), you can send an e-mail or text using the CalTIP service: cal@tipnow.com(link sends e-mail) or (text) 510-664-8477.

Survivors may be able to apply for a restraining order to help protect them from ongoing violence and harassment, including physical or sexual assault and stalking.  Restraining orders are issued by the civil division of the Superior Court and do not require a criminal investigation or prosecution. A restrained person can be ordered not to contact the protected person, and to stay away from the protected person(s) and their home, workplace or other important locations. A person who violates these orders may be subject to arrest and subsequent criminal penalties. 

There are several types of civil restraining orders, each for addressing different types of violence or harassment.  For more information visit the California Courts web page on Abuse & Harassment(link is external).

Emergency Protective Order (EPO): An Emergency Protective Order (EPO) is a special kind of civil restraining order that can only be issued when law enforcement encounters a situation involving domestic/dating violence (which might include sexual violence) or stalking and there is an expectation that harm might continue to occur.  An EPO is only valid for up to 7 days, to give the survivor time to apply for a standard civil restraining order and take other steps to improve their safety.

The Family Violence Law Center(link is external) offers free legal assistance with applying for restraining orders and can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-947-8301.

PATH to Care can also provide confidential support and guidance on this topic.

Obtaining a campus no-contact directive

In some circumstances the UC Berkeley Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) may be able to issue a mutual campus no-contact directive, which can temporarily restrict campus affiliated persons from contacting or being within a specified distance from one another during an investigation or another official process. Unlike civil restraining orders, someone who simply disobeys a campus no-contact directive cannot be arrested.  However, the University can impose additional administrative penalties for a violation.

If you decide to file a report of an SVSH policy violation with the University, or if you already have, contact OPHD(link is external) for more information about obtaining a campus no-contact directive: 

• Email: ask_ophd@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)
• Phone: 510-643-7985

All UC Berkeley employees:

All UC Berkeley employees required to notify OPHD when, in the course of their job, they receive allegations of SVSH harm prohibited by the UC Policy on SVSH experienced by students.

Faculty, Human Resources, Academic Personnel, managers and supervisors, and campus police:

Any University employee who is not a Confidential Resource and who receives, in the course of employment, information that a student (undergraduate, graduate, or professional) has suffered sexual violence, sexual harassment or other prohibited behavior is required to promptly notify the UC Berkeley Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD). This includes Resident Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and all other student employees, when disclosures are made to any of them in their capacities as employees.

In addition, the following who, in the course of employment, receive a report of Prohibited Conduct from any other person affiliated with the University  must notify OPHD:

• Campus Police
• Human Resource Administrators, Academic Personnel, and Title IX Professionals
• Managers and Supervisors including Deans, Department Chairs, and Directors of Organized Research Units (ORU)
• Faculty members

Only a few specific campus resources are exempt from this duty, and they are available to provide confidential guidance and support regarding SVSH policy violations:

• Confidential Advocates at the PATH to Care Center
• Counselors at UHS Social Services
• Counselors at Be Well at Work Employee Assistance
• Ombudspersons in the Ombuds Office for Students and Post-Doctoral Appointees
• Ombudspersons in the Staff Ombuds Office

To learn more about Responsible Employee obligations, visit “How to be a Responsible Employee.”

You can make a whistleblower report to the University-wide Whistleblower Hotline (EthicsPoint)(link is external)

According to the UC Policy on SVSH(link is external) (2020): 

"The University must balance the privacy interests of people involved in a report of Prohibited Conduct against the need to gather information, ensure a fair process, and stop, prevent and remedy Prohibited Conduct. In this context, the University tries to protect people’s privacy to the extent permitted by law and University policies. The University otherwise keeps confidential the identities of parties, witnesses and those who report Prohibited Conduct, except as required by law or permitted by FERPA, and protects the privacy of personally identifiable information per all applicable state and federal privacy laws, and University policies."