Campus Sexual Violence Education

Delaware County Community College is committed to an environment conducive to the academic, professional, and personal development of students, faculty and staff without the fear of sexual assault. In creating a community free from sexual violence in all its forms, respect for the individual and for human dignity is of paramount importance.

The federal government recognizes that the impact of violence on victims and the surrounding community can be severe and long lasting, and passed legislation to address sexual violence occurring on college campuses. The Campus Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights is a product of this legislation. The Bill of Rights serves to articulate requirements for policies, procedures, and services for victims at all post-secondary educational institutions throughout the state. It is designed to insure that the needs of victims are met and that colleges and universities maintain communities that support human dignity.

The following rights shall be accorded to victims of sexual assault that occur on the campus of any public or independent institution of higher education, and in circumstances in which the victim or alleged perpetrator is a student at such an institution, and/or when the victim is a student which has been sexually assaulted in an off-campus setting. Delaware County Community College is committed to providing victims of sexual violence with the following rights:

Human Dignity Rights – Victims have the right:

to be free from any suggestion that they must report the crimes to be assured of any other right guaranteed under this policy;
to have allegations of sexual assault treated seriously;
to be treated with dignity;
to be free from any suggestion that victims are responsible for the crimes against them, including the right to be free from any pressure from anyone to:
- report crimes if the victim does not wish to do so;
- report crimes as lesser offenses than the victim perceives the crime to be;
- refrain from reporting crimes;
- and refrain from reporting crimes to avoid unwanted publicity.

Rights to Resources On and Off Campus- Victims have the right:

to be notified of existing campus and community-based medical, counseling, mental health, and student services for victims of sexual assault whether or not the crime is formally reported to campus or civil authorities;
have access to campus counseling under the same terms and conditions as apply to other students in their institution seeking such counseling;
to be informed of and assisted in exercising:
- any rights to confidential or anonymous testing for sexually transmitted infections, human immunodeficiency virus, and/or pregnancy;
- any rights that may be provided by law to compel and disclose the results of testing of alleged perpetrators for communicable diseases.

Campus Judicial Rights - Victims have the right:

to be afforded the same access to legal assistance as the alleged perpetrator;
to be afforded the same opportunity to have others present during a campus disciplinary proceeding that is allowed the alleged perpetrator;
to be notified of the outcome of the sexual assault disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator.

Legal Rights - Victims have the right:

to have any allegation of sexual assault investigated and adjudicated by the appropriate criminal and civil authorities of the jurisdiction in which the sexual assault is reported;
to receive full and prompt cooperation and assistance from campus personnel in notifying the proper authorities;
to receive full, prompt, and victim-sensitive cooperation from campus personnel with regard to obtaining, securing, and maintaining evidence, including a medical examination when it is necessary to preserve evidence of the assault.

Campus Intervention Rights - Victims have the right:

to require campus personnel to take reasonable and necessary actions to prevent further unwanted contact of victims by their alleged perpetrators;
to be notified of the options for and provided assistance in changing academic and living situations if such changes are reasonably available.

The Sexual Violence Awareness Education Program at Delaware County Community College provides students, staff, and faculty a discussion on sexual violence, consent, drug and alcohol facilitated violence, risk education and personal protection by offering numerous workshops and virtual and printed materials at each campus location.

Current workshops include the following but new workshops are continuously developed and implemented into the workshop rotation as needed:

Maintaining Healthy Relationships: Are you or someone you know involved in a relationship that can be considered unhealthy? Come to this workshop to become more aware of the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship.Learn about the various patterns and mistakes that can be made in a relationship.Ways to maintain one's own identity while in a relationship will be discussed. This workshop will also teach skills for successful communication in relationships.

College Students and Drinking: Making Wise Choices: This workshop will be conducted in a “Question/Answer” format with lots of informative facts to help students stay safe and make wise choices during their college years.

The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County: Healthy relationships include caring ways to resolve conflicts. Physical violence and emotional abuse are not normal ways to settle disagreements. This workshop will help you identify domestic abuse and the resources available to help and support adults and children who are experiencing domestic abuse.

The Link: Partying and Sexual Assault: Many students are learning about dating and relationship behaviors and sometimes receive misinformation that puts them at risk for either becoming a victim or perpetrator of sexual violence. This workshop will provide factual information about contributing factors such as peer pressure, drug & alcohol use, and communication in date rape situations. Discussion will include the legal definition of consent, barriers to reporting sexual violence, and how to help someone you may know who has become a victim.

What Every College Student Needs to Know about Date Rape/Dating Abuse: What are the dating do’s and don’ts? Are you confused about what is and isn’t healthy in a good relationship? Are you or someone you know involved in a relationship that could be considered abusive? What should you do if you have been a victim of date rape? Come to this workshop to learn about verbal and physical abuse as well as the various patterns and mistakes that can be made in relationships.

Sex, Relationships, and Violence: This presentation will explore abuse and violence in committed relationships.

AIDS and STDs: Information You Need to Know: How do you contract a Sexually Transmitted Disease? Are you or your friends at risk? What are the symptoms? Did you know that more than a million people live with HIV in the U.S. and an estimated 25% of those with HIV don’t even know they have it? Come to this informative session to learn of potential risks and safe prevention. Free confidential HIV/AIDS testing held on campus will also be explained.

A Visit from Planned Parenthood: For 95 years Planned Parenthood has been striving to provide comprehensive services and advocacy, to women of all ages. Some of the vital services they offer are information on health care, birth control services, pregnancy assistance, STD awareness, and support for body images issues and relationships. Please join us as a guest speaker from Planned Parenthood discusses the organization and answers questions.

Relationships 101: What qualities form a healthy foundation in personal relationship? In this workshop male and female students will discuss characteristics of respectful relationships and warning signs of dating violence. According to the US Department of Justice, women ages 16-24 experience the highest per capita rate if intimate partner violence. Everyone has the right to feel safe. Relationships 101 will empower students with information, options, and resources for survivors, friends of victims, and bystanders.

Respectful Relationships and Dating Violence: What qualities are important in personal relationships? In this workshop, students will brainstorm qualities of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Students are encouraged to share opinions on how issues such as peer pressure, individual rights/boundaries, and drug/alcohol use can affect any type of relationship. Options and Resources for both the victim and involved friends are discussed.

Printed and Virtual Informational Pamphlets are also available, including topics such as: Sexual Harassment, Getting What You Want from Relationships, Mental Fitness: Being Emotionally Healthy, 9 Sexually Responsible Behaviors, Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, and Emotional Abuse.

Victims of sexual violence are encouraged to report the incident to the Department of Safety and Security, the Vice President of Human Resources, the Associate Dean of Student Success, a member of the Career and Counseling Center staff or with whomever they feel most comfortable. A victim of sexual violence may bring charges through the local police department, the College disciplinary system, both or none. All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to report sexual violence incidents to the local police department. When requested, Delaware County Community College will provide assistance in notifying these authorities. The decision to notify police rests solely with the victim. In addition, the College will report sexual assault crime statistics as required by law.

Members of the Educational Community include:

The laws governing campus sexual misconduct or discrimination based on sex are the Pennsylvania State College and University Security Information Act 73, the federal Higher Education Act (20U.S.C.1092), the Reauthorization Violence Against Women Act and the Campus save (Sexual Assault Elimination) Act. The College has a Title IX coordinator to oversee its efforts at preventing sexual misconduct, responding promptly and equitably to instances of misconduct and fostering a climate of sexual respect. When a complaint is lodged with the College, the College will conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the incident. If the investigation shows that sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual violence or retaliation has occurred further action will be taken, which may include disciplinary action such as but no limited to warnings, reprimands, suspensions, dismissals, expulsion, mandatory training, change of work assignment, and/or termination. The accuser and the accused are afforded the same opportunity to have others present during a campus disciplinary proceeding and to be notified of the outcome of those proceedings.