Community members who have been the victim of a crime but do not want to pursue action within either the University system or the criminal justice system may want to consider asking an HUPD officer to file a report on the details of the incident without revealing their identity. As with an anonymous report, the purpose of a confidential report is to comply with the victim’s wish to keep the matter confidential, while taking steps to enhance the future safety of the victim and others in the community. This allows the University to keep an accurate record of the number of incidents involving students, employees and visitors; determine where there is a pattern of crime with regard to a particular location, method, or assailant; and alert the campus community to potential danger. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed in the annual crime statistics for the University. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed in the annual crime statistics for the University.
Other Resources for Confidential Support at Harvard
Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS), part of Harvard University Health Services, provides comprehensive outpatient care for a variety of concerns. Harvard Chaplains are a professional community of more than thirty chaplains, representing many of the world’s religious, spiritual and ethical traditions, who share a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the students, faculty and staff of Harvard University. The Clery Act defines pastoral and professional counselors as:
- Pastoral Counselor - An employee of an institution, who is associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and who is functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.
- Professional Counselor - An employee of an institution whose official responsibilities include providing psychological counseling to members of the institution’s community, and who is functioning within the scope of their license or certification.
CAMHS providers and Harvard Chaplains are not considered to be campus security authorities for Clery Act purposes and are not required to report crimes for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. They may, if and when they deem it appropriate, inform those they are counseling of procedures to report crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics.