Separate paths that can run side by side
A Title IX process at school, a police report, and medical care are different things, and choosing one does not require choosing the others. The school can offer supportive measures, such as a housing or class change or a no-contact directive, even if you are not ready to file a formal complaint. A criminal case is controlled by prosecutors rather than by you or the school, and it uses a different standard of proof. In New York, a forensic exam can usually be done at a hospital without deciding right away whether to make a police report. Civil claims and court orders of protection are further options in some situations.
Care first, then the record
Medical care comes first, and evidence collection tends to be more useful when it happens soon. Beyond that, keep messages, call logs, and social media contact with the other person, and note who you talked to afterward, since those early conversations sometimes become important. You do not need to write a full account right away; if you want one, prepare it with or for your lawyer. New York's campus law requires colleges in the state to have an amnesty policy, so a student who reports in good faith is generally not disciplined for their own drug or alcohol use around the incident. Counselors and campus advocates can support you confidentially, which is different from reporting to the Title IX office.
What the first call helps you decide
We listen first, then explain how the campus process, a police report, and a civil claim differ in what they can offer and what each would ask of you. At a college that can include interviews and a hearing where the other side's advisor asks questions. We discuss which supportive measures you need now to keep studying or working safely. If you have already reported somewhere, we look at where things stand and which deadlines apply. Students who have been accused need a different approach, and we handle that on a separate footing from the start. The choices are yours, and you can take them one at a time.
