Sexual Assault
Coercion
Generally, coercion is the act of pressuring another person into doing something against their will. Sexual coercion can involve using physical force, intimidating behavior, and/or the use of alcohol or other drugs to make someone engage in unwanted sexual activity. It's an abuse of power and/or a way of trying to leverage control over someone.
Title IX + Stalking
Title IX also prohibits stalking that is based on sex. Stalking is generally a pattern of unwanted contact or other attention that is repeated, intimidating, and causes a person to be fearful or suffer emotional distress.
Where is Title IX applied?
Title IX applies to sexual harassment that occurs in an educational program or activity against a person who is located in the U.S.
Title IX + Sexual Harassment
Title IX prohibits quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile environment sexual harassment that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to educational programs or activities.
Excessively monitoring a partner's behavior to control what they do and with whom or tracking a person through technology or social media are examples of relationship abuse.
True
Title IX and Domestic Violence
Under Title IX, domestic violence is defined as felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed between two people who have: married or been intimate partners lived together as spouses or intimate partners a child in common protections under local domestic or family violence laws
Personal values
Your values are the beliefs, principles, and ideas that are important to you. The people in your life who are most important to you probably share many of the same values as you.
Types of grad school relationships
student-peer TA-student faculty-student
Who can experience and/or commit sexual harassment?
Anyone can experience or commit sexual harassment, including students, faculty, and staff.
Dating violence includes:
Dating violence includes actual or threatened sexual or physical violence committed between two people who have been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature, depending on the length and type of the relationship, and the frequency of their interactions.
How to check-in with someone:
Expressing your concern for your friend is a great way to communicate that you care. "Checking in" is a good, non-confrontational, non-judgmental approach. Expressing empathy and concern while acknowledging the severity of their partner's actions/words and offering resources is a positive way to show them support.
Title IX coordinator
Identified as the Title IX coordinator, this person is responsible for ensuring that all students have equal access to educational opportunities or benefits provided by the school. This person also seeks to prevent retaliation against someone who reports or participates in an investigation or proceeding involving, sexual misconduct.
Supporting a friend that confides in you
If a friend discloses that they're in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, the best way to show them you care is to thoughtfully express your concern, listen, avoid being judgmental, and encourage them to seek support and resources.
Title IX + Resources
If someone you know discloses to you that they've experienced sexual harassment or stalking, remember to validate what they're telling you, remind them that it isn't their fault, and that there are resources available to help them.
Which of the following is an example of sexual coercion?
Manipulation, as if the partner owes them. Pressuring them until they agree.
Posting or sharing explicit photos of someone without that person's permission is:
Revenge porn, blackmail
An effective strategy for stepping in if someone appears to need help is:
The 4 Ds
Title IX stalking vs non-Title IX stalking
The term "Title IX stalking" means, on the basis of sex, engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress The term "non-Title IX stalking" means conduct that is not sex-based but still constitutes engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress
"Freezing-up" or being unable to move or respond physically during a traumatic event is an example of:
Trauma induced paralysis
Responding to a student
check with title IX office about expectations or responsibilities listen to them and let them know they are not at faulty/guilty in anyway don't attempt to investigate or problem-solve offer to connect them to resources
Survivor support
may feel shame + guilt. remind them of the actual person responsible, no matter what happened it is not their fault fear of retaliation. offer confidential resources to help survivors understand their options for support and that they can be protected against retaliation, especially when it includes faculty and/or staff depression + anxiety. empower survivor to make their own decisions. Healing is long-term.
Stalking is best defined as:
repeated unwanted contact that communicates threat or makes someone fearful
Intentionally doing things that negatively affect your partner's schoolwork, grades, or attendance is an example of:
Academic Abuse
Four Ds of taking action are:
Direct: if you feel confident in the environment and it appears safe to do so, direct intervention is the most immediate way to take action. This involves offering to help the person who seems uncomfortable/at risk OR interrupting the person who is creating the situation Distraction: this is a good choice if you are in an unfamiliar environment, if you don't know the people involved well, or if the person causing harm has more authority/power, or simply if you are uncomfortable with a more direct approach. Goal is to help the person at risk or distract the person causing harm Delegate: notifying someone with more authority (e.g., group leader, bar staff, supervisor, confidential resource, etc). For faculty who are causing harm, a confidential resource may be helpful for identifying options for sharing concern Delay: if you weren't able to do anything at the time of the incident, or if you heard of the incident after it occurred. Check in with the person, tell them you saw/heard what happened and are concerned, make sure they are okay
Intentionally keeping your partner from forming or maintaining connections with others is:
Emotional abuse and/or isolation
Intentionally manipulating and controlling someone by threatening their financial stability or independence, and access to financial resources. Manipulation involving children or other family members (financial or otherwise) is often characterized by behaviors that are intended to harm or undermine someone's relationship with children or family members or threatening to take someone's children away from them. This is an example of:
Financial abuse
Healthy relationships
Graduate school can pose some unique challenges to maintaining healthy relationships; however, open and honest communication and investing some time away from work are good ways to keep healthy relationships strong.
Types of coercion
Guilt: Making a person feel like they owe someone sexual activity or anything else is a form of subtle intimidation. Pressure: Repeatedly asking someone to engage in sexual activity after they've said "no" or indicated they weren't interested is disrespectful. Incapacitation: Using drugs or alcohol to make someone more vulnerable compromises their ability to give consent, and engaging in sexual activity with someone who is unable to consent (i.e., incapacitated or asleep) may violate institutional policies, criminal laws, or both. Threats: Using threats to force someone into unwanted sexual activity Manipulation: Seeking to punish someone emotionally because they have declined sexual activity is a form of subtle intimidation that may be a warning sign of coercive intent Rationalization: Placing blame on the other person, external factors, or outside circumstances; also a form of intimidation that could be a sign of intent to force someone to act against their will.
Relationship violence laws (Maryland)
Maryland Code FAMILY LAW TITLE 4. Maryland Code CRIMINAL LAW TITLE 3.
How to report
Preserve evidence (medical exam, save clothing, record names, etc) Notify Title IX personnel Notify law enforcement (notify law enforcement, be assisted by campus authority in notifying law enforcement, decline to notify law enforcement)
Title IX prohibits the following types of sexual harassment:
Rape and sexual assault Relationship violence Stalking that is based on sex Unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that is severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive, creating a "hostile environment" that effectively denies a person equal access to an education program or activity An institution's employee conditioning a grade or other educational benefit or service on an individual submitting to unwelcome sexual conduct (called "quid pro quo")
Repeated, unwanted contact that communicates a threat or makes someone fearful can be referred to as:
Stalking
Title IX of Education Act of 1972
Title IX is the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex or gender stereotyping ― including sexual harassment and violence, relationship violence, and stalking ― in any educational, athletic, or other program or activity of a federally funded school, if it jeopardizes a person's equal access to education that Title IX is designed to protect. Title IX also prohibits discrimination against pregnant or parenting students.
Trauma and physical response
Tonic immobility, or trauma-induced paralysis) is a autonomic hormonal response that causes the body to freeze in situations that provoke extreme fear. Resisting or escaping is not possible for someone experiencing this, as they do not have control over their muscle responses
Domestic violence is defined as abusive behavior between two people who:
are or were married have been in a sexual relationship during the past year have a child in common are parent and child (or stepparent and stepchild) and lived together for at least 90 days during the past year are related by blood or marriage
Trauma and emotion
as a reaction to trauma, a person's body can release chemicals to block physical or emotional pain. This can result in neurological effects that can't be predicted or controlled
Abusive behavior includes:
assault physical violence (including attempts) rape or sexual offense (including attempts) false imprisonment stalking revenge porn
Actions that can lead to sexual harassment (warning signs), include:
hugging frequent texting too close for comfort name calling compliments date (quid pro quo)
Trauma and Memory
is not linear or timely, more likely connected to sensory information. May have accurate but fragmented memories of the event and experience difficulty recalling specific timelines. Memory can trigger the release of hormones that impact memory
Examples of conduct that may, depending on the facts and circumstances, constitute non-Title IX sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
making comments about someone's appearance in a sexually suggestive way; staring at someone or making obscene gestures or noises; repeatedly asking someone on a date; "flashing" or exposing body parts; sexual coercion; intentional sexual in nature touching that does not meet the definition of Title IX Sexual Harassment; disrobing; spreading sexual rumors; rating peers or colleagues with respect to sexual performance; non-consensual observation, photographing, or recording of sexual activity or nudity; non-consensual distribution or dissemination of photographs or recordings of sexual activity or nudity, including distribution or dissemination of photographs or recordings that were made consensually; allowing a third party to observe sexual activity without the consent of all parties; and prostituting or trafficking another person
non-Title IX sexual harassment
the respondent is a non-employee and submission to such conduct is implicitly or explicitly a term or condition of an individual's participation in an educational program or activity; the respondent is a non-employee and submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic decisions, evaluation or advancement; or such conduct creates a non-Title IX hostile environment ("non-Title IX hostile environment").
The best way to get consent in sexual situations is to:
to specifically and clearly state what is wanted and for the initiating partner to receive clear verbal consent