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“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Gandhi

  • What is gender-based violence...

    …and how big of a problem is it on college campuses?

    Gender-based violence is any act of violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to individuals, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. This includes stalking, dating/domestic violence, and sexual assault.

    • Nearly half (43%) of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors.
    • More than half of all college students (57%) say it is difficult to identify dating abuse and (58%) don’t know how to help someone who’s experiencing it.
    • Approximately 75% of undergraduate and 69% of graduate/professional students who identify as TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, non-conforming) reported being sexually harassed.
    • Slightly more than 20% of TGQN college students have been sexually assaulted.
  • What is consent?

    Words or actions that demonstrate a knowing or voluntary willingness to engage in mutually-agreed-upon sexual activity constitutes consent.

    Want to see consent in action? Check out this video from Campus Clarity.

    Consent cannot be gained by force, by ignoring objections, or by taking advantage of another’s incapacitation. Consent may not be inferred from silence or any other lack of active resistance. It may not be implied by attire or inferred from an individual by spending money on that individual (e.g. buying a meal on a date). Prior consent does not imply consent to future sexual acts. In addition, consent to one type of sexual act does not automatically imply consent to another type of sexual act. Once a person says “no,” it does not matter if or what kind of sexual behavior has occurred at an earlier date in time. For example, if one individual says “no” and the other forces penetration, it is sexual misconduct.

    Consent may not be given by the following persons:

    • Individuals who are mentally incapacitated at the time of the sexual contact in a manner that prevents them from understanding the nature or consequences of the sexual act involved
    • Individuals who are unconscious or otherwise physically helpless
    • Minors, as defined by the Commonwealth of Virginia

    Incapacitation is defined as the physical and/or mental inability to make informed, rational judgments that voids an individual’s ability to give consent. Incapacitation may be caused by a permanent or temporary physical or mental impairment. Incapacitation may also result from the consumption of alcohol or the use of drugs.

    The use of alcohol or drugs may, but does not automatically affect a person’s ability to consent to sexual contact. The consumption of alcohol or drugs may create a mental incapacity if the nature and degree of the intoxication goes beyond the stage of merely reduced inhibition and has reached a point where the victim does not understand the nature and consequences of the sexual act. In such cases, the person cannot consent.

    A person violates Emory & Henry College’s sexual misconduct policy if they have sexual contact with someone they know or should know is mentally incapacitated or has reached the degree of intoxication, which results in incapacitation. The test of whether an individual should know about another’s incapacitation is whether a reasonable, sober person would know about the incapacitation. An accused student cannot rebut a sexual misconduct charge merely by arguing that they were drunk or otherwise impaired and, as a result did not know that the other person was incapacitated.

    A person who is passed out or unconscious as a result of the consumption of alcohol or drugs is physically helpless and is not able to consent.

  • Stalking

    Stalking is defined as a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or any other course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. To convict a stalker, several legal elements of the crime must be proven to the court (See Code of Virginia Code §§ 18.2-60.3).

  • Dating Violence

    Dating violence is defined as violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim.

  • Domestic Violence

    Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior used by one individual to assert power or maintain control over another in the context of an intimate or family relationship. This can be physical, sexual, emotional/verbal, economic, or digital actions or threats of actions that influence another person.

  • Sexual Assault

    Sexual assault is defined as sexual contact without effective consent and includes: intentional touching, either of the victim or when the victim is forced to touch, directly or through clothing, another person’s genitals, breasts, thighs, or buttocks; rape (sexual intercourse without effective consent whether by acquaintance or a stranger); attempted rape; sodomy (oral sex or anal intercourse) without effective consent; or sexual penetration with an object without effective consent. (The legal definition of criminal sexual assault is located in Virginia Code §§ 18.2-61 through -67.10.)

Beginning Fall 2018, E&H CARES will begin offering Bringing in the Bystander(R), a curriculum that emphasizes the prevention and intervention along the continuum of sexual and relationship violence, which may include stalking, cyberstalking, and digital abuse. The program draws connection between the ways proactive bystanding may contribute to lowering the rate of sexual relationship violence.

This project is supported by Grant No. 2016-­WA-­AX-­0016 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Top Story

  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/177-college-awarded-300000-grant-to-fight-sexual" title="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault" aria-label="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault"><img src="/live/image/gid/90/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,770,300/1551_OVW_logo.rev.1512748664.jpg" alt="Logo for Office on Violence Against Women" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="770" data-max-h="300"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/177-college-awarded-300000-grant-to-fight-sexual" title="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault" aria-label="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault">College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Emory & Henry is just one of several colleges receiving a grant to address an important campus issue. <a href="/live/news/177-college-awarded-300000-grant-to-fight-sexual" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault" aria-label="College Awarded $300,000 Grant to Fight Sexual Assault">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/246-tunnel-of-oppression-eamph-installation-highlights" title="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination" aria-label="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination"><img src="/live/image/gid/66/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,720/2287_26733834_10215553434253219_5449157324349081630_n1.rev.1516171286.jpg" alt="Students Sam, Abbey, Destiny, Ethen, and Director of Inclusion and Diversity co-hosted the Black ..." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/66/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,720/2287_26733834_10215553434253219_5449157324349081630_n1.rev.1516171286.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="720"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/246-tunnel-of-oppression-eamph-installation-highlights" title="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination" aria-label="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination">‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination <a href="/live/news/246-tunnel-of-oppression-eamph-installation-highlights" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination" aria-label="‘Tunnel of Oppression’ E&H installation highlights issues of discrimination">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/32-wehc-series-honored-by-the-virginia-association-of" title="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters" aria-label="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/202,0,798,596/764_WEHC_award_alana_simmons.rev.1507210399.jpg" alt="Program host Alana Simmons with the WEHC award." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/202,0,798,596/764_WEHC_award_alana_simmons.rev.1507210399.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/32-wehc-series-honored-by-the-virginia-association-of" title="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters" aria-label="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters">WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Alana Simmons, project coordinator for the Office of Violence Against Women at Emory & Henry College was honored recently by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters for a series that takes an in-depth look at domestic violence in Southwest Virginia. <a href="/live/news/32-wehc-series-honored-by-the-virginia-association-of" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters" aria-label="WEHC Series Honored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/480-college-launches-ambitious-slate-of-diversity-amp" title="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings" aria-label="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1367/4053_41674280311_d8526cbc1b_k.rev.1524842688.jpg" alt="E&H student delivers a presentation on diversity. " class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1367/4053_41674280311_d8526cbc1b_k.rev.1524842688.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1367/4053_41674280311_d8526cbc1b_k.rev.1524842688.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1367"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/480-college-launches-ambitious-slate-of-diversity-amp" title="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings" aria-label="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings">College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Focused on faculty and staff, these trainings will give E&H employees more knowledge and tools to be effective leaders and colleagues at an increasingly diverse college. <a href="/live/news/480-college-launches-ambitious-slate-of-diversity-amp" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings" aria-label="College Launches Ambitious Slate of Diversity & Equity Trainings">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/280-emory-henry-college-opens-interfaith-prayer" title="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room" aria-label="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/3171_InterfaithPrayerRoom16_2.rev.1518211260.jpg" alt="Student Safa Farhoumand helps dedicate the Interfaith Prayer Room." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/3171_InterfaithPrayerRoom16_2.rev.1518211260.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/3171_InterfaithPrayerRoom16_2.rev.1518211260.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/280-emory-henry-college-opens-interfaith-prayer" title="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room" aria-label="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room">Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary"><p> Equipped with chairs, tables, prayer rugs and religious texts, a room in the lower-level of Memorial Chapel on the Emory & Henry College campus is now available for students of all faiths to have a quiet place to pray and meditate.</p><a href="/live/news/280-emory-henry-college-opens-interfaith-prayer" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room" aria-label="Emory & Henry College Opens Interfaith Prayer Room">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/341-college-hosts-inaugural-diversity-reading-group" title="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group" aria-label="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group"><img src="/live/image/gid/66/width/345/height/225/crop/1/3546_Book_Group_Obear.rev.1521040409.jpg" alt="Diversity Reading Group" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/66/width/345/height/225/crop/1/3546_Book_Group_Obear.rev.1521040409.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/66/width/345/height/225/crop/1/3546_Book_Group_Obear.rev.1521040409.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2399"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/341-college-hosts-inaugural-diversity-reading-group" title="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group" aria-label="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group">College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">E&H faculty will read Dr. Kathy Obear’s <em>But I’m Not Racist! Tools For Well-Meaning Whites.</em><a href="/live/news/341-college-hosts-inaugural-diversity-reading-group" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group" aria-label="College Hosts Inaugural Diversity Reading Group">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/242-from-king-to-hip-hop-college-celebrates-mlk" title="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK" aria-label="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/2222_WhiteWhale-MLK-IMG142_2.rev.1516127931.jpg" alt="Dr. Bettina Love at the 2018 MLK Day Celebration." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/2222_WhiteWhale-MLK-IMG142_2.rev.1516127931.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/2222_WhiteWhale-MLK-IMG142_2.rev.1516127931.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2136"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/242-from-king-to-hip-hop-college-celebrates-mlk" title="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK" aria-label="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK">From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary"><p> Dr. Bettina Love, award-winning author and associate professor of educational theory and practice at the University of Georgia, delivered the keynote address for the College’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the McGlothlin Center for the Arts.</p><a href="/live/news/242-from-king-to-hip-hop-college-celebrates-mlk" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK" aria-label="From King to Hip Hop, College Celebrates MLK">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/297-student-explores-battle-of-saltville" title="Student Explores Battle of Saltville" aria-label="Student Explores Battle of Saltville"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,616/3322_EmmaGraceThompsonSaltvilleLyceum.rev.1519140029.jpg" alt="Emma Grace Thompson presents her research a lyceum event in the Board of Visitors Lounge." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,616/3322_EmmaGraceThompsonSaltvilleLyceum.rev.1519140029.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="616"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/297-student-explores-battle-of-saltville" title="Student Explores Battle of Saltville" aria-label="Student Explores Battle of Saltville">Student Explores Battle of Saltville</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary"><p> Emory & Henry College student Emma Grace Thompson is looking to the past to build a future career as an historian.</p><a href="/live/news/297-student-explores-battle-of-saltville" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Student Explores Battle of Saltville" aria-label="Student Explores Battle of Saltville">Keep reading</a></div></div>