Not at OUR University
At Florida Atlantic University, we care about each other! When we are concerned about something, we do something about it and help out our fellow owls. We want our university to be a place where everyone takes personal responsibility for keeping it safe.
We believe sexual assault is everyone’s concern and we should all be engaged in its prevention. This means all members of our community are taking responsibility to help raise awareness, report incidents, and end sexual assault.
Join us in preventing sexual assaults at FAU by saying: Not at OUR University!
Procedures for Reporting Sexual Assault at FAU
Under Regulation 4.007, Student Code of Conduct, any person or entity may request that charges be filed against a student for alleged violation of law or University regulations or policies. The complaint must be submitted as follows:
- Filing a police report with the University Police Department or another law enforcement agency.
- Providing a written or oral statement to the Dean of Students office. Contact information and reporting forms can be found at the Dean of Students website: fau.edu/dean/
- Report a concern to the Dean of Students Office: FAU | Report A Concern
In addition to the procedures for investigation of Title IX complaints outlined in Regulation 4.007, individuals with questions or concerns about Title IX may contact the University’s Title IX Coordinator and may file a complaint directly with that office. Contact information for FAU’s Title IX Coordinator is as follows:
On campus resources for helping a friend
Be Aware
Be aware of comments and behaviors from others that would indicate they were intent on having sexual intercourse even if the partner was unwilling. Don’t joke about sexual assault; as this can trivialize the severity of the behavior. Many perpetrators are unaware that what they have done is a crime. (They may say, “Yeah, that was messed up, but it was fun.”) Let perpetrators know that what they did was not right and was against the law.
If you become aware that a sexual assault has occurred or are told of an assault occurring:
- Believe the person
- Tell the victim it is not his or her fault
- Be ready to listen when the individual is ready to talk but don’t pry or try to get information out of the person
- If you learn of the perpetrator's identity, don’t suggest retaliation
- Know available resources
- Listen
- Be patient
Sexual Misconduct Policy
In compliance with Title IX, Florida Atlantic University prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex. (See FAU Regulations 5.010 and 4.007)
Florida Atlantic University is committed to ensuring that each member of the University community shall be permitted to work or study in an environment free from any form of unlawful discrimination or harassment that is based on race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, national origin, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any legally protected class or basis(each a “protected class”). The University recognizes its obligation to work towards a community in which diversity is valued and opportunity is equalized.
It is a violation of University Regulations for any officer, employee, agent, or student to discriminate against or harass, as defined in this Regulation, any other officer, employee, agent, student, or applicant. Discrimination and harassment are forms of conduct that shall result in disciplinary or other action as provided by the Regulations and Policies of the University
Under the Student Code of Conduct any of the following actions constitute conduct for which a student, a group of students, or a student organization may be subject to student conduct/disciplinary action:
- Violence or threat of violence to others or actions which endanger any member or guest of the University Community; including physical or sexual assault and relationship/domestic violence.
- Lewd, obscene, indecent behavior or voyeurism.
- Acts of verbal, written (including electronic communications or internet activity) or physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion, or other conduct, the foregoing of which threaten the health, safety or welfare of any person.
- Conduct which constitutes unlawful discrimination or harassment and/or violation of University Regulation 7.001, Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action or University Regulation 5.010, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment.
- Repeated following, contacting of another person, or stalking (including cyber-stalking or cyber-bullying) or other inappropriate pursuit to the extent that it places that person in reasonable fear for his or her physical or emotional welfare.
- Any sexual act that occurs without the consent of the victim, or that occurs when the victim is unable to give consent.
The following additional provisions apply to student conduct cases involving sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual battery, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking:
- Consent: Consent is clear, intelligent, knowing and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in (and the conditions of) sexual activity.
- Consent to any one form of sexual activity cannot automatically imply consent to any other forms of sexual activity.
- Previous relationships or prior consent cannot imply consent to future sexual acts.
- Bystander Intervention: FAU provides training for students related to safe and positive options for students to intervene in situations where they perceive the potential for sexual violence. For more information on the training available, please visit www.fau.edu/wellness.
- Risk Reduction: It is FAU policy to take affirmative steps to reduce the risk of sexual violence on its campus and within the campus community. All members of the FAU community, including students, faculty and staff are required to undergo training related to issues of sexual violence including training on resources available to victims.
- Resources: In cases involving allegations of sexual violence, victims will be provided information from the Dean of Student’s Office regarding immediate steps and all available resources, including:
- Counseling – FAU’s Office of Counseling and Psychological Services provides a complete range of mental health treatment and referrals to community providers.
- Health – FAU’s Student Health Services Center provides a full range of medical health services as well as referral services to local hospitals and medical providers.
- Victim’s Services – The Victim Services Office within the University Police Department is intended to assist students with the traumatizing consequences of being a victim of a crime.
- University Police – FAU’s University Police Department is tasked with providing public safety services for the campus community, and is fully prepared to deal with all forms of sexual violence from a law enforcement perspective including reporting,investigation and crime prevention.
- Retaliation: Under no circumstances should any victim of sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual battery, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or any other Title IX violation be subjected to retaliation for reporting the violation, participating in the investigation of the violation, or assisting someone in reporting or participating in an investigation of such violations. Any such retaliation is a violation of University Policy as well as this Regulation and will not be tolerated.