1. Sexual Misconduct and Reporting: What you need to know
Questions about this PowerPoint?
Contact Kate Harrington-Rosen
Equity Outreach and Education Specialist
Office of Equity
(847)

2. Agenda Review Sexual Misconduct Policy
Overview of confidential resources on campus and off-campus
Understanding your reporting responsibilities

3. Policy on Sexual Misconduct

4. Sexual assault Sexual Penetration without consent
Sexual contact without consent
Incest
Statutory rape

5. Sexual exploitation
Taking sexual advantage of another person for the benefit of oneself or a third party when consent is not present.
Examples:
Slipping a drug in someone’s drink
Recording sexual activity without consent
Distributing sexual images without consent
Indecent exposure, voyeurism

6. Stalking
Knowingly engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that one knows or should know would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety (or the safety of a third party) or suffer substantial emotional distress.
Examples:
Following someone
Sending unwanted letters, gifts, s
Monitoring phone or computer use
Cyberstalking

7. Dating and domestic violence
Physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, or sexual abuse between persons in an intimate relationship where the conduct is so severe, pervasive, or persistent as to significantly interfere with an individual's ability to learn and/or work or cause substantial emotional distress, when judged both objectively (meaning that a reasonable person would find the behavior to be abusive) and subjectively (meaning the impacted individual felt the behavior was abusive).
Physical abuse
Emotional or verbal abuse
Sexual abuse

8. Sexual harassment
Any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Two categories:
Quid pro quo: Submission to or rejection of such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of a person’s employment, academic standing, or participation in any University program/activity
Hostile Environment: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, or deprives an individual from participating in or benefitting from the University’s education or employment programs/activities. Existence of hostile environment is to be judged both objectively and subjectively.

9. Sexual harassment Examples:
Pressure for dating, romantic, or intimate relationships
Unwelcome sexual advances, touching, kissing
Pressure for or forced sexual activity
Unnecessary references to parts of the body
Sexual innuendo or humor

10. Reporting

11. As an employee at Northwestern, you are required to immediately report any sexual misconduct of which you become aware during the scope of your role

12. What happens when you make a report to the Office of Equity?
The Office of Equity receives the report
The student, staff, or faculty member who experienced the misconduct receives an outreach containing information about resources and options, and an invitation to meet
The person decides whether to respond or not. Generally, they are not obligated to meet with an Office of Equity staff member if they do not want to

13. The Office of Equity can provide:
Connection to support services, confidential resources
Interim measures and accommodations, including changes to work or school schedule, no-contact directives, changes to living arrangements
Informal action such a training for a specific department
Formal resolution through investigation

14. Confidential resources on campus
Some people will prefer to talk with a confidential resource about their experience. In that instance, you can direct them to the following resources.
CARE (Center for Awareness, Response, and Education): ; Serves students.
CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services): (24-hrs); northwestern.edu/counseling. Serves students.
Religious + Spiritual Life: ; Serves students
Faculty Wellness Program: ; northwestern.edu/ provost/faculty-resources/work-life/faculty-wellness.html. Serves faculty.

15. Confidential resources off-campus
Rape Victim Advocates: ; rapevictimadvocates.org
YWCA Evanston: ; ywca.org/evanston
Center on Halsted: ; centeronhalsted.org
Center for Contextual Change: ext 304; centerforcontextualchange.org
Porchlight Counseling Services: ; porchlightcounseling.org
Employee Assistance Program: (24 hr); northwestern.edu/hr/work-life/employee-assistance-program.html. Serves employees only (not students)

16. How to respond if someone tells you they’ve experienced sexual misconduct
Listen:
Confirm the person’s safety. If they’re not safe, help them create a plan to get to a safe place
Provide non-judgmental support. Avoid questions that suggest blame
Respond with compassion and sensitivity

17. How to respond if someone tells you they’ve experienced sexual misconduct
Refer:
Review reporting options with the person
Direct them to on-campus and/or off-campus confidential resources

18. How to respond if someone tells you they’ve experienced sexual misconduct
Report:
Explain your obligation to report the information to the Office of Equity
Report online at bit.ly/NUReportSexualMisconduct
Remind the person that they will receive an from the Office of Equity

19. Anticipating and responding to disclosures
Explain your reporting responsibilities before someone discloses to you
Explain that though you are not confidential, you will keep the information private
Let them know they will be contacted by the Office of Equity
Assess their needs, offer to make an appointment with CARE, CAPS, or another resource if appropriate

20. But how do I talk about my reporting obligations?
“Before you tell me anything else, I want to make sure you know that I’m required to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the University, so that anyone who has experienced harm can get the help they need.”

21. But how do I talk about my reporting obligations?
“What you’ve just shared is really concerning, and I want to make sure you have access to all the information so you can determine what’s best for you.”

22. But how do I talk about my reporting obligations?
“If you’d like to talk to someone confidential instead, I can help you make an appointment at CAPS, CARE, or Religious and Spiritual Life.”

23. Practice
How would you respond if a student or colleague said this to you?
1) My girlfriend has been getting really angry at me lately. Sometimes she yells and it’s scary.
2) My friend is wondering if she should report something to the Office of Equity.
3) Are you confidential?

24. Do I need to report if…
I heard the information indirectly: “my friend’s roommate was assaulted at a party last night”? Yes.
The incident happened off-campus? Yes.
The incident happened before the person was a student or staff member at Northwestern? Yes.
I overheard the information in a public space? Yes.

25. bit.ly/NUReportSexualMisconduct

26. Anonymous reporting Another reporting option
Can also be used to report other types of harassment or discrimination
EthicsPoint: northwestern.edu/ethics or
Does not fulfill mandatory reporting obligations

27. Recap
You are required to report any sexual misconduct of which you become aware, if it involves members of the NU community
Report sexual misconduct online at bit.ly/NUReportSexual Misconduct
You have options, and support. Reach out to the Office of Equity as needed: (847)