Where there's help, there's hope

It is not your fault. No one deserves to be sexually assaulted, abused, stalked, discriminated against, or harassed. 

If you or someone you know has been impacted by discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence, Campus Civil Rights is here to help.  Whether the incident happened recently or decades ago, CCR is available to offer support and resources as you heal. 

Our campus is committed to providing support for students, faculty, and staff who have experienced discrimination, harassment, or interpersonal violence. These resources are designed to help you navigate difficult situations and gain access to legal guidance. You have a right to access these resources even if you don't file a report. 

Overview of CCR Support Options

CCR provides private, compassionate, and free-of-charge advocacy and assistance to MSU community members and their loved ones.  Some of the ways we help students, staff, and faculty are: 

  • Offering support Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm in person,via phoneat 406-994-1568 or 406-994-7069or text at406-994-7069 
  • Providing safety planning and options for on and off campus for impacted individuals 
  • Providing academic advocacy 
  • Helping survivors and their loved ones understand available options and possible consequences of their choices 
  • Helping individuals get connected to appropriate resources like counseling, medical care, and community support, both immediate and longer term as necessary 
  • Maintaining privacy 
  • Providing support for friends, family, and others affected by any protected class discrimination or harassment.  

 

Campus Civil Rights can help on many levels— both practical and emotional. We can give you helpful, accurate information and support so you can make informed decisions. We work collaboratively with all departments across campus. We can help you access and understand MSU Police Department and other law enforcement organizations' investigative processes, MSU’s legal options, as well as how to access medical attention and ongoing care.  We can advocate for you academically or with your employer or internship, and ensure that you feel safe in your housing situation and in your classes. We offer information and nonjudgmental support. We can provide a single session or on going support.  

When considering where to start

If you are unsure of what to do after experiencing discrimination, harassment, violence or assault, the following are some guidelines that may be helpful. For more details about a specific experience, please click on the tabs at the top left of this page. 

  • Get to a safe place as soon as possible: your safety is your number one priority. If you are injured, consider seeking medical attention. 
  • Seek support for what has happened: Talk with someone you trust to get immediate support. Please note, the vast majority of MSU employees are Mandatory Reporters (this includes Resident Advisors & Professors) which means they will report the information you disclose to us at Campus Civil Rights. We will then follow up with you via email to ensure you have information about your rights and resources. From there, you get to decide if you want to connect with us further.  
  • Friends or family members can be great support providers, however, if you are uncomfortable sharing your experience with people close to you, there are other forms of support available to you.   
  • If you wish to seek professional support, Campus Civil Rights, Help Center of Bozeman, and HAVEN are all available. Confidential counseling is also available through the MSU Counseling and Psychological Services. 
  • Try to practice self-care: Surviving an unwanted sexual experience is an incredibly traumatic event that can exhaust your emotions, your physical body, and your social interactions. Take some time to do something for yourself that is relaxing and give your body and mind some time to rest and heal. 

 

There are multiple ways to contact us to get help

FAQ

No. All of our Support Services are available to you even if you never want to start an investigation. You are in the driver’s seat  

CCR is a private resource which means we will respect your privacy but cannot promise confidentiality. 

  • If you disclose that you are a risk to yourself or others (or that you have concerns about active child abuse), then we must report that information to the proper authorities.  
  • If you disclose information that constitutes a risk to campus safety, then we are obligated to address these safety concerns and that might include looping in other campus officials.  
  • If disclosure is necessary, we only share need-to-know information and only with a small group of campus officials (not to the public). 
  • The goal is often to connect the survivor with support or address a safety concern, not to get people in trouble 

On the other hand, a confidential resource can keep information completely confidential, with very limited legal exceptions. 

  • They do not report what you share to the university or law enforcement 
  • You can usually talk through options without triggering a report 
  • The main exceptions are when there is imminent risk of harm, abuse of a minor, or a court order 
  • MSU Example: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) 

No and we cannot speak with your parents about your experiences without your explicit permission. CCR is a private resource, and you have a right as an adult to be in control of your own story and information. We are also governed by the federal regulation FERPA which dictates the protection of education records. For more information on FERPA, follow this link: https://www.montana.edu/registrar/ferpa/  

No, and we cannot speak with your professors about your experiences without your explicit permission. If you are requesting academic advocacy, we will be in contact with your professors to work through the accommodation process but we simply say you are working with CCR regarding a Title IX process. We do not share details about your experiences. 

No. Due to Montana Privacy Laws, we are not allowed to coordinate with police unless you give us explicit permission. This means that if you are working with the University Police Department we will not be informed and vice versa.

Due to the Clery Act, MSU is required to provide the public with accurate crime statistics. When we are informed of a Clery Crime that has taken place on MSU’s campus, we note the date, time, type of violence, and location. This data is de-identified (does not provide personal information about the survivor like name, demographic information, etc.)