Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response

What is Title IX? "No person in the United States 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."

Penn State is committed to fostering an environment free from sexual or gender-based harassment or misconduct.

Title IX Law

Sexual assault on college campuses is a national conversation and an important one. It happens everywhere–on every college campus–and we are committed to providing comprehensive support to anyone who is impacted by sexual assault. Much of the conversation around sexual assault is centered on a federal civil rights law called Title IX. Title IX is a civil rights law that prohibits colleges and universities from discriminating against any person on the basis of their sex. This can include sexual assault.

You might be familiar with Title IX relating to equal opportunity for genders in collegiate athletics. But, Title IX addresses gender equity in all of its forms–including gender-based harassment and discrimination, sexual harassment and discrimination, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation. At Penn State, we are committed to creating a community free of discrimination and violence, and not only do we work to prevent these acts, but to properly address them if they do occur.

Penn State policy AD85 Links to an external site.reflects the University’s commitment to addressing incidents involving members of the Penn State community and complying with Title IX. It prohibits all the behaviors covered by Title IX. The policy also sets forth reporting avenues and resources. The University also maintains policy AD91 Links to an external site., which also addresses misconduct based on sex, gender, or other identities like race, disability, or religion, and which, in combination with AD85, provides broad protection to Penn State students.

Definition of Consent

Any sexual contact that occurs without consent violates Penn State’s policy. Consent must be informed, freely given, and mutual. If intimidation, threats, or physical force are used, there is no consent. If a person is mentally or physically incapacitated due to alcohol or drug consumption or being asleep or unconscious, consent cannot be given. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent.

Consensual Relationships

Consensual relationships between students and those who are tasked with supervising, mentoring, teaching, evaluating, advising, and coaching them undermine the atmosphere of trust essential to the educational process. The University prohibits evaluative or supervisory responsibilities at all levels among individuals who are in consensual relationships. If such a relationship does develop, it must be reported so that any conflicts of interest can be mitigated. For more information, see Penn State policy AD102 Links to an external site.. 

 

Confidential and Non-Confidential Reporting

If you or a friend is a victim of sexual and gender-based harassment or sexual misconduct, Penn State offers a variety of confidential resources Links to an external site. and non-confidential reporting options. The University strongly encourages students to report incidents violating this policy. Please refer to the Office of Sexual Misconduct Reporting & Response Incident Report Form  Links to an external site..

Also refer to Penn State’s Report Response Process Links to an external site. page for a comprehensive overview of how Penn State responds when it becomes aware of an incident of sexual misconduct.

 

Office of Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response

Penn State is committed to providing education and resources to the campus community about the prevention of sexual assault. Penn State’s Office for Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response Links to an external site. (OSMRR) serves as a central office to coordinate the University’s efforts on education, training, and victim support. Visit the OSMRR website Links to an external site. for information about all their services, including how to file a report.

Resources for Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response on Each Campus are provided below.

• Erie (Behrend College) Links to an external site.
• Great Valley Links to an external site.
• Harrisburg (Capital College) Links to an external site.
• Hershey Links to an external site.
• University Park Links to an external site.
• World Campus Links to an external site.