TitleIX/Sexual Misconduct
Recognizing andReporting SexualMisconductRoanoke CollegeAugust 2018
Our Commitment
Sexualmisconduct violates the rights, respect, and dignity of our communitymembers—students, faculty, andstaffAlltypes of sexual misconduct areunacceptable and will not betoleratedSexualmisconduct isgrounds for disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion or termination.RoanokeCollege will educate all community members so that theyunderstand what constitutes sexualmisconduct andhow to reportit….
The College’s Responsibilities
Issuepolicy againstmisconduct andgrievanceprocedures.Train employees to identify and report possible instances of sexualmisconduct.Once awareof possible instances of sexualmisconduct, theschool must takeprompt, equitable,effectiveaction to determine whether harassment has taken place and ifso:toend theharassmenttoprevent itsrecurrencetoremedy itseffect
Employee Responsibilities:
Consider:Knowwhatsexual misconduct is.unwelcome action or words of a sexual natureno consent given or victim incapable of giving consentCare:Offerservices tovictims &inform of rightsContact:Report incidenttoa TitleIXcoordinator
Care: compassionate and professional
Encouragemedical attentionOffer RC confidential servicesOffer care & support through appropriate Title IX coordinatorInform of rightsto file criminal chargeswith SPD and/or to file a complaint on campusconfidentiality
Tracy happens to run into you in the coffee shop one evening.He seemsupset, so you askif heis ok. It turns out Tracy isconcernedabouta friendwho is a student athlete. Tracy has noticed thathis friend’scoach always seems to be hugging her and it is creeping Tracy out.His friend insistedthat there was no problem, but Tracy suspects she is staying silent in order to keep her starting spot on theteam.
Kerry stops byyour office and asks if she can talk with you.Kerry suddenly blurts out that she thinks shewas raped the night before atan off-campus party.Early on shewasn’t feeling well, so she found a quiet roomandput her headdown.She was horrified when shewoke half-naked with a drunk, naked studenton top ofher. She didn’t recognize him—apparently he was a visiting athlete. Agroup of otherswere watchingand one was taking pictures.When she told them she was going toreport them,they saidno one would take her seriously since she had been drinking too. Kerry breaks down sobbing and you begin hunting for your box of Kleenex.
After sifting through a mountain of applications for your MayTerm courseto Timbuktu, you have finally chosen the 15 lucky ones who will get to travel with you.Raye’sapplication exuded enthusiasm for the culture and history of Mali, but after the first meetingRayeinformsyouthat they aregoing to withdraw from the course. When you ask why,they letyou know thatthreeother students on the triphavebeen spreading rumors around campus aboutRaye’sgender identity. Theyjust can’t face a three-week trip with that kind of atmosphere, sothey wantto drop thecourse.
A male colleague in your department confides in you that a female student has been harassing him. He has received calls, e-mails, Facebook messages, and texts all describing how she wants to be with him romantically. A paper submitted for the class talks extensively about her sexual desires. He has told her to stop, but nothing seems to deter her. He is embarrassed and is hoping you can give him some advice on how to handle thesituation.
As a new facultymember, you ask your colleaguesinthe departmentif you could sit in on a few classes to observe their teaching styles. During onevisit,you hearDr. Yrepeatedly make jokes aboutLGBTQ+ people.Because you feel uncomfortable about this, you speak to your department chair, who responds, “Well, youknow, Dr. Yisjusta dinosaur.”
Consider:
Victims of sexual misconduct may:be of any gender or sexual orientationRespond by fight, flight, or freezingsuffer from low self-esteem and find it difficult to trust othersexhibit a variety of emotions, ranging from anger to suicidal depressionThere may be no overt warning signs that a person is a perpetrator of sexual misconduct.Don’tprejudge whether or not misconduct occurred based on a person’s outward appearance or prior actions.Jennifer Parnell, Northern Illinois Universitywww.cedu.niu.edu/~shumow/iit/Sex%20Harass%20Webpge.pdf
Confidentiality?
You are a “responsible employee.”You mustreport information to a Title IX coordinatorReporting doesn’t forcesomeoneto file a complaint or even talk with anyoneelsePersoncan request heightened confidentiality from Title IX Coordinator (extent ofinvestigation/responsemay be limited bythis)How doyoucommunicatethis to someone in an unexpectedsituation?Interruptstudent and warn aboutconfidentialityExplainresponsibility toreport and its resultPointto more confidentialresourcesAssurethe student that you will only share information with administrators who are designated to address sexual harassment incidents sothat student can receive support; harassmentand harm to the student will notcontinue; otherstudents will not be at risk.
Employee Responsibilities:
NOTresponsible for:ProvidingcounselingContactingvictimsRespondingto parents and lawyersInvestigating/judging claimsAssigning penalties
Employee Responsibilities:
Consider:Knowwhatsexual misconduct is.Care:Offerservices tovictims &inform of rightsContact:Report incidenttoa TitleIXcoordinatorKathyMartin—StaffissuesGail Steehler—FacultyissuesAmy Perkins—Studentissues
Questions?
Title IX: Evolution
1972:Title IX“No person…shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...”1997 and 2001: Revisedsexual harassmentguidance2011: DearColleagueLetter: Sexual Violence2013: Dear Colleague Letter: Pregnant Students2014: “Not Alone” (Task force on Sexual Assault)
Sexual Assault:
College students who are victims of attempted or actual sexual assault:20%of women6% of men(DCL—Background, Summary, and Fast Facts)
Sexual misconduct @ RC today?
Sexually touched without consent: 7.4% F; 1.3% MSexually penetrated without consent: 2.2% F; 0% M1% F = 11 women; 1% M = 8 menData based on ACHS-NationalCollege health Assessment (2012)
Consider: What is sexual misconduct?
“unwelcomeaction or wordsof a sexualnature”Noconsentgiven orvictim incapable of giving consent“conduct is unwelcome if the student did not request or invite it and ‘regarded the conduct as undesirable or offensive.’” (2001, 8).
Contact
Report incident to aTitle IXcoordinator:Cathy Dickerson—Staff issuesJennifer Berenson—Faculty issuesBrian Chisom—Student issuesIf in doubt, call to discuss.
Consider: What is sexual misconduct?
“unwelcome action or wordsof a sexualnature”Sexually harassing behaviorSexual coercionStalking/cyber stalkingSexual exploitationNon-consensual sexual contactSexual assault
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