Interpersonal Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy
Report an incident
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[section title=”WHAT CAN I DO? WHOM DO I CALL>”]
The Title IX Coordinator ensures that Jackson State University establishes and follows a prompt, thorough, and equitable process for addressing allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and discrimination or differential treatment based on sex. The Title IX Coordinator receives a copy of all reports filed. He encourages campus members to contact him with questions or concerns regarding this process. With respect to specific cases, the Title IX coordinator will work with the appropriate offices to provide academic and residential accommodations as well as no-contact orders.
Title IX Coordinator 601-979-6883 or 601-979-1561
You Are Encouraged to Get a Medical Exam.
You or whomever you are seeking assistance from can call the victim’s advocate. The advocate will meet you at the hospital and stay for the duration. S/he will provide assistance and advocacy if you wish. You need to have the exam performed within 72 hours of the assault; an exam can take up to four or more hours. The Health Center can also test for “date-rap” drugs if you do not want to go to the hospital.
Jackson State University Health Center 601-979-2260
You Can File an External Complaint with the Jackson Police Department: Press Criminal Charges The University encourages you to file a report with the Jackson Police and University officials will assist you in notifying the police, if you so choose. A member of Campus Safety or SMART can accompany you. Evidence can be used from the evidence collection kit (see below) if one is completed within 72 hours of the incident.
Jackson Police Emergency 911 Non-Emergency: 601-960-1234
You Can Call JSU Public Safety Department
Public Safety officers are mandated reporters. They must report all relevant details of the incident, including names of those involved, to the Title IX coordinator and other campus officials who may need to be informed. If you do not want your name or the name of the offender reported you have other options (see below). If the University determines that there is a serious or ongoing risk to the campus community, a timely warning will be issued to the campus. You can file an anonymous report or speak to a fully or semi-confidential person.
Department of Public Safety 601-979-2580
You Can Disclose in Full Confidence
The Applied Psychological Services Clinic and the Latasha Norman Counseling Center staff have privileged communication under the law. They will keep your information and name confidential unless it is determined that you and/or the campus are in imminent danger. If the University determines that there is a serious or ongoing risk to the campus community, a timely warning will be issued to the campus.
Applied Psychological Services Clinic 601-979-3381
LaTasha Norman Counseling Center Student Center 601-979-0374
You Can Make a Report to a S.M.A.R.T. Member: Sexual Misconduct/Assault Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.) You can speak to a SMART member to receive support, guidance, referrals, and information. SMART members are trained in victim and survivor response. SMART members are mandated reporters and are required to provide all relevant details of the incident, including the names of those involved, to the Title IX coordinator. If the University determines that there is a serious or ongoing risk to the campus community, a timely warning will be issued to the campus. The University is obligated to investigate every report and can do so only up to the degree that is possible, depending on the information provided. Your report will be documented and reported to the Title IX coordinator. A student who wishes to bring a complaint against a member of the administration/staff or faculty should consult the Title IX Coordinator.
[/section] [section title=”Interim and Protective Measures”]
Interim and protective measures are support services, accommodation, and other assistance the university puts in place after receiving notice of incidents of relationship violence or sexual misconduct. These measures can be implemented before any final outcomes (investigatory, disciplinary, or remedial) have been determined. Interim measures are available even if an individual chooses not to report to law enforcement or participate in a university or criminal investigation. JSU will implement reasonably available interim measures to protect a claimant and facilitate the claimant’s continued access to university employment or education programs and activities. Interim measures may be both remedial, which are designed to address a claimant’s safety and well-being and continued access to education opportunities, or protective, which involve action against a respondent.[/section]
[/section] [section title=”Education and Awareness Program”]
JSU has several methods of providing education about relationship violence and sexual misconduct to campus, including online and in-person training, educational and awareness campaigns, and other educational opportunities throughout the academic year. These educational programs are designed to:
-Raise awareness of the impact of relationship violence and sexual misconduct;
-Clearly communicate that relationship violence and sexual misconduct is prohibited at JSU;
-Reduce the prevalence of relationship violence and sexual misconduct;
-Connect students and employees with campus and community resources; and
-Encourage active bystander intervention and community involvement in shaping our campus culture.
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[/section] [section title=”Consent”]
Clear and unmistakable agreement, expressed in mutually understandable words or actions, to engage in a particular activity. Consent can be withdrawn by either party at any point. Consent must be voluntarily given and may not be valid if a person is being subjected to actions or behaviors that elicit emotional or psychological pressure, intimidation, or fear. Consent to engage in one sexual activity, or past agreement to engage in a particular sexual activity, cannot be presumed to constitute consent to engage in a different sexual activity or to engage again in a sexual activity.
Consent may be questioned if the consenter is found to have been under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when consent was given. Consent CANNOT be given by a person who was incapacitated at the time due to alcohol, drugs or other factors including but not limited to:
1. The person is incapacitated due to the use or influence of alcohol or drugs;
2. The person is asleep or unconscious;
3. The person is under the applicable age of consent; or
4. The person is incapacitated due to a mental disability.
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[/section] [section title=”Definitions”]
“Complainant” means a student who alleges to the higher education institution that he or she has been the victim of a violation of the comprehensive policy, regardless of whether the complaint was initially submitted to the higher education institution by him or her, or by someone else.
“Respondent” means a student involved in the complaint resolution procedure who has been accused of violating a higher education institution’s comprehensive policy
“Comprehensive policy” means a policy created and implemented by a higher education institution to address student allegations of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
“Confidential advisor” means a person who is employed or contracted by a higher education institution to provide support to student survivors, complainants, or respondents in the context of an investigation of alleged violation of the comprehensive policy described herein, or in seeking assistance or accommodations related to such an alleged violation.
“Confidential communication” means information exchanged between a survivor, complainant, or respondent and a confidential advisor during the course of the advisor providing support and assistance, including all records kept by the advisor concerning the survivor and services provided to the survivor, complainant, or respondent, except where failure to disclose the information would violate the law, would result in an imminent threat of physical harm, or would violate a professional oath or the requirements of a professional license.
“Sexual assault” means physical sexual contact attempted or perpetrated without a person’s consent, as defined by the higher education institution’s policy consistent with the requirements of this act.
“Domestic Violence” means a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
“Stalking” means purposefully engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, or who makes a credible threat, and who knows or should know that the conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her own safety, to fear for the safety of another person, or to fear damage or destruction of his or her property, is guilty of the crime of stalking.
“Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault” means drugs and/or alcohol are often used to compromise an individual’s ability to consent to sexual activity as well as to minimize the resistance and memory of the victim of a sexual assault.
“Survivor” means any student who has experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking while enrolled at a higher education institution, irrespective of whether or not he or she seeks disciplinary action under the comprehensive policy, accommodations, or confidential assistance.
“Diminished capacity” means an individual does not have the capacity to consent. Reasons for this inability to consent include, but are not limited to: sleeping, drugged, passed out, unconscious, mentally incapacitated, etc. It is important to understand diminished capacity because often times victims of sexual assault in these situations blame themselves because they drank, consumed drugs, etc. It is essential to emphasize that it is not his or her fault, that the aggressor is the one who took advantage of his or her diminished capacity.
“Witness” means a person who directly observes the alleged incident.
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Contacts
Thomas K. Hudson, Special Assistant To the President
Title IX Coordinator/EEO Officer
Ayer Hall, 315
601-979-1561
thomas.k.Hudson@jsums.edu
Keisha S. Varnell, Coordinator Of Student Diversity
Title IX Investigations
Ayer Hall, 320
601-979-1315
lakesha.s.varnell@jsums.edu