1. Nichols Humanitarian Fund
Global Safety Pre-Departure Information

2. – VIRT
Vanderbilt Incident Response for Travel (VIRT) is a team dedicated to providing safety-related guidance and assistance for members of the Vanderbilt University community who are traveling away from campus on VU-related travel. VIRT works to implement cross-campus procedures to ensure an effective and consistent response to any VU travel emergency.
VIRT supports the entire VU community: faculty, staff, and student travelers, including undergraduate, professional, and graduate students.

3. What Does VIRT Do?
Through a collaborative approach, VIRT links VU community travelers to resources while they are away from campus. VIRT coordinates with campus offices to support VU travelers with health, safety, and emergency situations throughout their travel experience.
These offices include, but are not limited to:
Student Health Center
Psychological & Counseling Center
Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, & Disabilities Services Department (EAD)
Global Education Office
Project Safe
Risk & Insurance Management

4. How can VIRT help? How do you reach VIRT?
VIRT can assist travelers in many ways. Some examples are:
Connecting you with appropriate health care abroad
Providing medical consultation to help you make informed decisions
Guiding you in using Vanderbilt-issued insurance
Coordinating a medical or emergency evacuation from abroad
How do you reach VIRT?
Call any time of the day or night, any day of the year, for expert help with health or safety issues while traveling. Tell the VU Public Safety dispatcher that you want to report an issue to VIRT.
VIRT can also be reached by in non-emergency situations or situations where is the most easily accessible mode of communication:

5. Street Smarts
Dress down. Don’t go out in expensive jewelry or watches.
Leave as much money as possible in your hostel/home/dorm in a safe location and conceal what you take with you by using a money belt or a leg pouch. Keep a small amount of change in your pocket, so you don’t have to dig in your money belt for small purchases.
Make copies of your passport and give them to your site leader, OACS, and emergency contact. Keep one copy on your person when you travel in country. Only carry your actual passport with you when needed (i.e. while flying in and out of the country).
Make sure your emergency contact has a copy of the following: passport, foreign visa (if applicable), itinerary, hostel/homestay information, flight itinerary, driver’s license, credit cards brought on the trip.

6. Street Smarts, cont’d
Talk to your site leader to identify unsafe areas in order to avoid them.
Keep all-important documents in a secure place, such as an inner pocket or a pouch that is hidden under a layer of clothing.
Do not carry shoulder bags that can be easily swiped. If you have a backpack or shoulder bag, wear it in front of you or across your body--where you can see it—rather than on your back (especially when on the street or using public transportation). Keep a firm grip on your valuables.
First get to know your surroundings by studying a map before you set out: standing on street corners consulting a map makes you more vulnerable. If necessary, step into a store before you take out your map. Remember, having an air of confidence (no matter how false!) is good protection.

7. Street Smarts, cont’d
Be especially vigilant whenever out after dark. Travel in groups.
Be careful when visiting banks, currency exchange booths and ATM machines.
Whenever possible, carry credit cards instead of large sums of cash. You can always cancel your cards but you can't get hard currency back.
Be wary of people who are too friendly too quickly, or that offer to show you around. Use your judgment and don't worry about appearing rude. Do not walk away alone with or go home with strangers!

8. Street Smarts, cont’d
Avoid demonstrations and other situations that may become heated.
Avoid placing your purse or bag on the back of your chair or at your feet in a public place.
Be especially diligent in spots frequented by tourists, in particular site-seeing spots and internet cafes.
Consider bringing a zipper lock with you to secure bags while traveling.
Walk confidently with your head up and be aware of what is happening around you.
When you feel unsafe it's not always paranoia— it’s better to trust your instincts. If you get that feeling, grab a taxi or go into a place with lots of people

9. Emergency Procedures Loss of Passport
Notify VIRT and your site leader or community contact immediately.
Contact the US Embassy and ask your site leader or community contact to escort you there. Bring a copy of your passport with you to the Embassy. Follow directions for obtaining the required documents.

10. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Theft
Report theft to VIRT (non-emergency if minor) and your site leader or community contact as soon as possible.
Connect with local police department to file a report, if appropriate.
Never go to the police alone. Always go to the police with someone who speaks the language fluently.
VIRT can connect you to translators who will speak with the police on your behalf.

11. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Conduct Violation - Minor
Vanderbilt regulations concerning student conduct, as codified in the Student Handbook, also apply to students abroad.
In case of a minor violation, you will be issued a warning, and will be notified that if you continue to violate conduct rules, you may be asked to leave the program.

12. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Conduct Violation - Major
A major conduct violation includes repeated minor violations or illegal activity.
If illegal activity has been committed, local authorities will be notified as well as Vanderbilt authorities.

13. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Psychological Distress
Contact VIRT and speak privately with your site leader or community contact about any mental health concerns, including severe stress, anxiety, paranoia, or depression.
VIRT will help to navigate insurance procedures
If you are concerned about a peer, speak to your site leader or community contact in private.

14. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Medical Emergency
Call local emergency number
Students should be treated at a medical facility.
Contact VIRT or GeoBlue and your listed emergency contact.
In case of non-emergency health issue, contact your site leader or community contact who will take you to the doctor or hospital.

15. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Physical or Sexual Assault
Get to a safe place as soon as possible.
Call VIRT and a site leader or community contact immediately.
In addition to VIRT, you may also call Project Safe, a limited confidentiality resource, at SAFE (7233)
If medical attention is needed and/or you wish to have a forensic exam (“rape kit”) conducted, you will go immediately to the hospital with your site leader or community contact.
If you do not wish to go to the hospital, (while recommended) you may call the 24-hour Project Safe hotline for immediate support. 
As a mandatory reporter, your site leader or community contact must report incidents of sexual misconduct or power-based personal violence to the Title IX office and if you choose to report to local police, VIRT and site leader or community contact will advise on locating the appropriate authority.
You have choices and you are in no way at fault for what has happened.

16. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Communication Expectations for Student Safety
A student will be responsible for communicating their safety including but not limited to showing up for work or a scheduled activity or returning to the accommodations in the evening according to the expectations outlined by students’ site leader or community contact.
Parents will be notified by the appropriate authorities if there is concern for student safety.

17. Emergency Procedures, cont’d
Natural or Manmade Disaster
(including violence and political unrest)
Students should take shelter until such time that they can determine that it is safe to emerge (i.e. the disaster has passed, violence has subsided), and as soon as possible make contact with site leader or community contact to check-in.
If possible, the site leader or community contact will arrange for safe transportation for students. Students should remain where they are, or in a nearby safe place, and wait until their transport arrives.
Once travel is possible, students should meet at a pre-determined meeting place. A back-up site should also be established in case the original site is destroyed or inaccessible.
These policies will remain flexible, as situations after a disaster are often unpredictable. Every decision should be made with the goal of ensuring the highest possible level of student safety.
OACS will be notified by site leader or community contact as soon as it is safe to do so.
Site leader will be in contact with VIRT.

18. Main Emergency Action Take-Aways
Get yourself and others to safety.
Contact site leader or community contact when safe to do so.
If site leader is not available for some reason, first contact VIRT, then a representative from partner organization and then if needed contact OACS staff at Vanderbilt.