Examples of Sexual Misconduct
- Pressure for sexual activity
- Requests for sexual favors
- Unwelcome patting, hugging or touching of a person’s body, hair or clothing
- Sexual innuendos, jokes or comments
- Disparaging remarks to a person about his or her gender or body
- Displaying or transmitting sexually suggestive electronic content, including emails and texts
- Sexual assault
What should I do if I am assaulted?
If the incident(s) involve sexual assault or rape, you are encouraged to immediately contact the ACU Police Department (325-674-2305) and/or go to the Emergency Room at Hendrick Medical Center and ask to be seen by the SANE nurse, a health care professional who specializes in examining sexual assault victims.
What do I do to preserve evidence of sexual assault?
For information on preserving evidence, please see the RAINN webpage regarding what to do in the aftermath of a sexual assault.
What do I do if I believe a friend or myself have been subjected to sexual misconduct?
You should make a report of the facts of the incident(s) in a timely manner by contacting the Title IX Coordinator. The university will not tolerate sexual misconduct of its students or employees and will investigate all allegations. Where violations occur, steps will be taken to end it immediately and remedy the situation.
What if I’m not sure if my experience truly constitutes sexual misconduct?
If you are unsure of whether it was a violation of ACU’s policy, you should contact the Title IX Coordinator. The Coordinator, or designee(s), will help clearly define acts that constitute misconduct, and provide information regarding options.
What if I want to report something, but I know I broke a rule under ACU’s Student Code of Conduct?
The university encourages the reporting of harassment whenever it occurs. Sometimes, victims are hesitant to report to college officials because they fear that they may be charged with policy violations, such as underage drinking at the time of the incident. To encourage reporting and comply with state law, the University offers victims and witnesses of sexual misconduct immunity from being charged with policy violations related to the particular incident.
Will the complaint remain confidential?
Before reporting, it is important to know that different people on campus have different reporting responsibilities and different abilities to maintain confidentiality, depending on their roles. For more information, please see section VI of the Title IX Policy. We encourage you to contact one of the Coordinator or a Deputy Coordinator because they are best equipped to help. Please rest assured that if you contact one of them, only people that need to know will be told.
Will my parents be told?
No, not unless you tell them. Whether you are the complainant or the accused, the university’s primary relationship is to the student and not to the parent. However, in the event of major medical, disciplinary, or academic jeopardy, students are strongly encouraged to inform their parents. University officials will directly inform parents when requested to do so by the student. The university also reserves the right to inform parents where permitted by FERPA, including in a life threatening situation.
Do I have to name the perpetrator?
While you are not required to name the perpetrator, without the name of the accused, the university is limited in its ability to respond to allegations, offer certain remedies for the complainant, and to sanction the accused. Sometimes victims are hesitant to report for fear of retaliation. ACU vigorously enforces a policy of no retaliation.
What types of remedies are available to me? For instance, what if I want to change residence halls or my class schedule?
While the Coordinator can provide specifics, remedies may include room changes, no contact order, assistance with or rescheduling academic assignments, transferring classes, temporary withdrawal and other accommodations for safety reasons as necessary.