Types of Sexual Violence

The core values that define the character of the College of Charleston community exclude behavior that in any way violates the rights or diminishes the dignity of any person. Sexual misconduct can never be tolerated. The information provided below offers clarity in defining “sexual misconduct” and provides an outline for initiating a campus judicial process for an allegation involving another student.

Sexual misconduct, defined as any non-consensual conduct of a sexual nature, encompasses a broad range of behavior from inappropriate touching to sexual assault and includes, but is not limited to:

  • Forcible Sexual Intercourse or other Sexual Act – the involvement in any sexual act with another person, without the consent of the other person, in which there is force which overcomes reasonable resistance; or the threat of force, expressed or implied; or the use of intimidation, duress, coercion, or deception.  Examples of sexual intercourse or other sexual acts include, but are not limited to:
    • vaginal penetration, by a penis, object, tongue or finger;
    • anal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger;
    • oral copulation (mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact)

Relevant definitions:  a threat is an expression of intention to inflict injury, harm or damage; intimidation means to place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm and/or emotional distress through the use of threatening words, repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior or other conduct or both, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the person to physical attack; and duress/coercion means to use psychological pressure, threats or intimidation to make somebody do something against his or her will.

  • Non-consensual Sexual Intercourse or other Sexual Act – the involvement in any sexual act, without the consent of the other person, particularly when the other person is incapacitated by alcohol, drugs, mental deficiency, or other disability. 
  • Non-consensual Sexual Contact/Touching – any intentional contact and/or touching, without the consent of the other person, of intimate body parts such as genitalia, groin, breast, buttocks, or any clothing covering them, touching a person with one’s own intimate body parts, or compelling another to touch one’s intimate body parts.
  • Sexual Exploitation - non-consensual sexual advantage of another for one’s personal or third-party benefit that does not otherwise constitute one of the other sexual misconduct offenses. Examples of sexual exploitation include, but are not limited to such acts as:
    • inducing incapacitation with the intent to rape or sexually assault another student;
    • non-consensual video or audio taping of sexual activity;
    • allowing others to observe a personal act of consensual sex without knowledge or consent of the partner;
    • voyeurism
    • knowingly transmitting an STD or HIV to another student;
    • Prostituting another student (monetary gain, privilege or power from the sexual activities of another student).
  • Intimate Partner Violence – conduct between people who are or were involved in a sexual or romantic relationship when one person in the relationship causes harm or significant alarm or distress to the other person. This includes but is not limited to threats, assault, or other action against the person or their property when used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge.
  • Stalking – any intentional repetitive and/or menacing pursuit, following, watching, harassment, and/or interference with the peace and/or safety of another person.
  • Cyberstalking:  a pattern of threatening behaviors and unwanted advances directed from one individual to another through the use of the internet or other electronic or telecommunication means.
  • Sexual Harassment (Verbal and Non-Verbal)Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors based upon gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression; Verbal harassment, such as sexual innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions or threats; epithets; slurs; negative stereotyping (including “jokes”); Repeated, unwelcome requests for social engagements; Questions or comments about sexual behavior or preference.
    Display or sexually suggestive objects or pictures, leering, whistling, obscene gestures; written or graphic material (including communications by computers, cell phones, etc.) that defames or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

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