I Am Thinking About Reporting
Preparation gives you options. Choose who you may report to, and the page will show you what to prepare and what to record afterward.
Which statement is closest?
You do not have to select the perfect category. Choose the closest one. Every path gives you a specific next action.
It can reduce the number of decisions in front of you. It is not emergency response, legal advice, therapy, or medical care.
You may request an interpreter, communication support, a disability accommodation, a support person where allowed, correct name and pronoun use, a quieter location, written questions, or extra time. Ask what is available before you begin the full report.
Reporting to law enforcement
Prepare the shortest accurate version first.
Keep the summary to one page if possible.
Do not hand over your only copy.
What is the report number? What happens next? Who do I contact after another incident?
Your next step
Bring your summary and record the officer name, badge number, report number, date, and promised next step.
Use the follow-up recordReporting to a medical provider
Lead with what happened to your body and what you need from the visit.
Include strangulation, substances, memory gaps, pain, bleeding, dizziness, or loss of consciousness.
Treatment, testing, photographs, forensic examination, documentation, advocacy, or referral.
Know who can see the record and how corrections are requested.
Your next step
Use the Sexual Assault resource page to compare medical and forensic options.
Review medical optionsReporting to a school or university
Separate immediate safety needs from the investigation request.
Classes, pickup, housing, contact, campus access, attendance, or communication.
Do not rely only on a verbal explanation.
Record who is responsible and when they begin.
Your next step
Save every email and create a separate record of delays, denials, and changes.
Use the follow-up recordReporting to an employer or licensing body
Describe conduct, policy impact, safety concern, and requested action separately.
Avoid broad labels when exact behavior is available.
Do not force yourself to make legal conclusions.
Know who will receive the report.
Your next step
Send or confirm the report in writing and preserve the submitted version.
Use the follow-up recordPreparing for court or a legal process
Organize around the question the court is being asked to decide.
Orders, filings, service, hearings, incidents, reports, and communication.
Do not mark on the only copy.
This helps separate facts from the requested order.
I am not sure whether to report
You can prepare without deciding today.
Safety, documentation, accountability, medical care, workplace protection, custody, or preserving future options.
Retaliation, escalation, privacy loss, disbelief, time, money, or exposure.
Process, confidentiality, deadlines, evidence, jurisdiction, or support.
Your next step
Gather the missing information before treating the decision as final.
Ask an anonymous questionRecord the interaction before you leave it behind
Help them understand what you need quickly
Lead with the clearest facts first
Your emotions matter, and you do not need to hide them. When time is limited, beginning with observable facts can help a hotline, hospital, shelter, attorney, school, or agency understand urgency and route you to the right care faster.
- What happened and when
- Whether the person can reach you now
- Any injuries, threats, weapons, stalking, or forced contact
- Children, dependents, pets, or service animals affected
- Disability, communication, medication, mobility, or sensory needs
- Housing, money, transportation, phone, or identification barriers
- Your name and pronouns, if you want them used
- The specific help you are asking for today
A useful plan can include chosen family, LGBTQ+ safety concerns, older adults, disability-related care, immigration concerns, emotional or psychological abuse, financial control, children, pets, and service animals. Name the barriers that affect what is safe and possible for you.