Harassment, Stalking and Dating Violence

Discrimination, including harassment, sexual assault, and other types of sexual misconduct, compromises the integrity of the University. Sexual misconduct may violate the law, does violate the standards of our community, and is unacceptable at the University of Cincinnati. Sexual misconduct can be devastating to the person who experiences it directly and can be traumatic to the person's family, friends, and the larger community as well. In instances of sexual misconduct, special resources are available to help students and other members of the University community. Every effort is made to preserve privacy and respect a person's wishes.

Below you will find descriptions of harassment, stalking and dating violence, in addition to resources available if you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following.

Harassment

Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behavior that disturbs or upsets, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is behavior that appears to be disturbing or threatening. Sexual harassment refers to persistent and unwanted sexual advances, typically in the workplace, where the consequences of refusing are potentially very disadvantageous to the victim.

Harassment includes whistling, leering or comments such as "hey baby" or, "can I get piece of that?" It also includes physical contact such as brushing up against someone, touching, groping, or equally offensive non-physical contact like flashing and public masturbation. Harassment can create a culture where words can escalate to physical contact and other forms of violence, including stalking, assault or rape.

Stalking

Stalking is defined as engaging in a course of conduct (a series of two or more acts toward another person), carried out over time, however short or long, which are not wanted by the victim, and/or that threaten or would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others or cause them to suffer substantial emotional distress.

"Course of conduct" broadly captures the wide range of words, behaviors, and means that perpetrators use to stalk victims, and, as a result, cause their victims to fear for their personal safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress

Stalking may include, but is not limited to, the following acts:

Following the person without proper authority or permission.
Communicating in repeated, unwelcome ways, which can involve communication by any electronic, written, verbal or third-party method, including social media.
Leaving unwanted items for the person.
Vandalizing a person's property
Appearing at a person's residence, classroom, or workplace without permission.

Dating Violence

Dating violence includes violence against a person with whom there has been a romantic or intimate relationship. Relationships are gauged by the length, type, and frequency of interaction.

Dating violence may include the following: