Seeking Confidential Medical Assistance in the United States
Experiencing any form of violence or sexual misconduct is difficult and overwhelming. Survivors often experience a range of emotions, including fear, anxiety, and confusion, and may be unsure of what they want to, or should, do next. Regardless of whether the individual chooses to report the incident, the University strongly encourages survivors of any form of violence to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if they feel no injury was sustained. Medical assistance providers can treat visible physical injuries and identify injuries that may not be visible, and, where appropriate, also address concerns regarding sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, and provide emergency contraception (if requested). In addition, a hospital can test for the presence of alcohol or drugs (e.g., "date rape" drugs) and perform a rape evidence collection procedure (see Section III(D)(2)), which are also strongly recommended to preserve all legal remedies.
As noted above, the Medical Resources in Sections III(B) are also confidential resources and are not obligated to disclose reports of sexual misconduct to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (under any circumstance) or law enforcement (except in very limited situations, such as when failure to disclose the information would result in imminent danger to the individual or to others or as otherwise required by law).
Medical Services Available On or Near the Evanston and Chicago Campuses
Under Illinois law, medical personnel are required to alert police when it reasonably appears that the person requesting treatment has sustained an injury as a victim of a criminal offense, including sexual assault or violence, but individuals have the right to refuse to speak to police.
Northwestern University Health Service
Evidence collection kit cannot be provided; CARE staff can be contacted to provide support services, if desired. (See Section II(A) for more information on CARE.)
All staff in University Health Services (including team athletic trainers and team physicians) and staff in the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness are considered confidential resources.
Evanston Campus
633 Emerson Street
Evanston, IL 60208
(847) 491-8100 (RN call service available 24 hours)
Northwestern Medicine Student Health Student Health Service - Evanston website
(for regular hours of operation and 24-hour emergency contact info)
Chicago Campus
675 North St. Clair, Suite 18-200
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 695-8134
Northwestern Medicine Student Health Student Health Service - Chicago website (for regular hours of operation and 24-hour emergency contact info)
NorthShore University Health System/ Evanston Hospital, Emergency Dept. (24 hours)
Evidence collection kit available at no charge; Evanston Police Victim Services advocate can be present to provide support services, if desired.
2650 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 570-2111 (emergency room)
NorthShore University Health System/ Evanston Hospital website (for more information or to request an appointment online)
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Emergency Department (24 hours)
Evidence collection kit available at no charge; Advocate from Resilience will be present to provide support services, if desired.
251 E Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 926-2000
Northwestern Memorial Hospital website
St. Francis Hospital (Ascension), Emergency Services (24 hours)
Evidence collection kit available at no charge; Evanston Police victim services advocate can be present to provide support services, if desired.
355 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 316-4000
St. Francis Hospital (Ascension) website
Medical Services Available Near the Miami, Florida Campus
Jackson Memorial Hospital Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center (5.8 miles from campus)
Medical Services Available Near the Washington, D.C. Campus
MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2.9 miles from campus)
Medical Services Available Near the San Francisco Campus
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (7 miles from campus)
Evidence collection kit available at no charge; additional/follow-up services available via their Rape Treatment Center.
1001 Potrero Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110
(628) 206-8000
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital website
For information regarding seeking medical assistance at the Doha, Qatar (NU-Q) campus, please see Appendix A. Appendix A contains a complete summary of information regarding reporting sexual misconduct and receiving support (including confidential support) at the NU-Q campus.