Any kind of gender-related aggression, disrespect, or sexual violence hurts our whole community. It’s on us—all of us—to make Sewanee the kind of community we want to live in and where everyone can be successful.
Click here to be routed to the Title IX webpage.
University reports can be made at or in person to the Title IX Coordinator Dr. Sylvia Gray. Criminal reports can also be made to the Sewanee Police Department (931.598.1111) or by using LiveSafe or to the Franklin County sheriff's department (dial 911).
The University of the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ stands firmly for the principle that its employees, students, and participants of university-sponsored programs and activities have a right to be free from discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy and childbirth, and genetic information. As required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sex or other protected categories in the educational programs or activities which it operates. This requirement of non-discrimination extends to admission to and employment in those programs or activities. The University is committed to sustaining a community in which the dignity of every individual is respected. Key to this value are efforts to nurture an environment of civility and mutual respect and to foster a culture of reporting concerns so that the University can respond promptly and equitably whenever an incident occurs. All employees, students, and participants of university-sponsored programs and activities have the right to be free from harassment and retaliation.
Inquiries regarding the application of Title IX may be addressed to:
Someone is pressured to drink alcohol or use other drugs
Someone is physically rough with another
Someone is deliberately trying to intoxicate, isolate, or corner someone else
Someone ignores another person’s request to stop or to go home
Someone is being disrespected
Someone feels afraid of someone else
Talk to your friends honestly and openly about sexual violence.
Don’t just stand by—if you see something, do something, in any way you can, to change the situation.
Be direct—ask someone who looks like they may need help if they’re okay.
Get someone to help you if you see something—look at all the great resources in the resource section for more guidance.
Demonstrate self-control and
Develop trusting relationships.
If everyone manages these two values, we will all effectively demonstrate care for each other. To understand healthy relationships, first, everyone needs to know some basic expectations related to respect, consent, and sexual activity.
The person desiring to initiate sexual activity is responsible for obtaining effective consent.
In order to obtain consent, permission must be given prior to or simultaneously with the sexual activity in question.
Effective consent should never be assumed. Lack of protest or resistance does not constitute effective consent. “No” means no, but nothing (silence, passivity, inertia) also means no. A verbal “No,” even if it sounds indecisive or insincere, should always be treated as a denial of effective consent.
If there is confusion as to whether effective consent is present (e.g., words, gestures, or other indications of hesitation or reluctance), the parties should stop the sexual activity immediately and verbally communicate with each other to resolve the confusion.
A prior sexual relationship or prior sexual activity does not constitute consent to subsequent sexual activity. Past consent does not imply future consent.
A few definitions ... consent is clear, knowing, and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent.
Sexual misconduct offenses include: non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Each term is more explicitly defined in the Title IX policy. It’s important to know the terms and expectations.
In situations when something doesn’t seem right to you, think about how you can intervene to make it safe for everyone.