All potential criminal activity, including any allegation of criminal sexual abuse that is brought to the attention of any member of the University, must be reported to the Public Safety Department (with a specific, limited exemption for pastoral and professional counselors). A priest who has a crime disclosed during the sacrament of confession may not reveal anything that has been disclosed in the sacrament. The priest, however, will encourage and work with the penitent to find appropriate support services both on and off campus. Pastoral counselors or priests who have a crime disclosed to them outside of the sacrament of confession are required to report the crime in accordance with this policy. Every member of the faculty, administration and staff of St. John’s University, acting in his or her capacity as an employee of the University, is obligated to immediately report any incident of sexual assault, rape or other forcible sexual offense against any member of the University community upon learning of the incident. Even when the individual requests confidentiality of the incident, the employee has a responsibility to report it.