Deciding whether or when to report sexual misconduct is a personal decision. Should an individual wish the details of an experience be kept confidential as they seek information related to the reporting and investigative process; interim protection strategies; or counseling or medical support; please speak with a Confidential Source. The following people have been identified as a confidential source:

Rev. Tim McFarland, C.PP.S.

Director of Mission Effectiveness
Room 611
(219) 473-4351
tmcfarland@ccsj.edu

Kerry Knowles

P.A.T.H. Counselor
Room 176
(219) 413-3702
kknowles@ccsj.edu

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN’S ACT (VAWA)

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a federal law that was implemented in 1994 in recognition of the severity of the crimes associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013 to strengthen the law.

The Violence Against Women Act provides protection to women against crimes of sexual violence. The act was amended on several occasions and placed new obligations on colleges and institutions to report and conduct educational programs under its Campus Sexual Violence Act (Campus SaVE Act), which amended the Clery Act.

The 2013 VAWA Reauthorization added a non-discrimination provision that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex by organizations that receive funding under the Act and allows an exception for “sex segregation or sex-specific programming” when it is deemed to be “necessary to the essential operations of a program”.

Critical to ending violence and maintaining a safe campus is recognizing and avoiding abusive behavior. Abuse can surface in many ways (emotional, verbal, psychological, sexual, and physical). Some warning signs of abuse are:

• Frequent yelling directed at a partner
• Blaming partner for own faults
• Name-calling
• Consistently accusing a partner of infidelity
• Kicking, holding, slapping, and scratching
• Forcible sex (e.g., wanting sex after hitting)

Impact on CCSJ

All institutions are charged with adopting the following VAWA requirements:

• A statement that the institution prohibits the offenses of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
• A clear definition of what constitutes domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the applicable jurisdiction
• A definition of consent in regard to sexual activity, in the applicable jurisdiction
• Safe and positive options for bystander intervention in order to prevent or intervene when there is a risk of sexual violence or stalking against another individual
• Information on risk reduction to recognize warning signs of abusive behavior or how to avoid potential attacks

CCSJ’s VAWA Policy Statement

CCA is committed to maintaining a safe and secure work and academic environment free of any form of sexual misconduct including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sexual harassment. A violation of the Violence Against Women’s Act shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal from the College.

The following training has been completed by our Title IX officers:

Training Materials for Title IX Personnel: § 106.45(b)(1)(iii) & § 106.45(b)(10)(i)(D)

• The Title IX Rule requires schools’ Title IX personnel to be unbiased and free from conflicts of interest.
• Title IX personnel include the Title IX Coordinator, any investigator, any decision-maker, and any person who facilities an informal resolution (such as mediation).
• Schools must ensure that Title IX personnel receive training as follows:
  • On Title IX’s definition of “sexual harassment”
  • On the scope of the school’s education program or activity
  • On how to conduct an investigation and grievance process
  • On how to serve impartially, including by avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue
  • On how to avoid conflicts of interest and bias
  • Decision-makers must receive training on any technology to be used at a live hearing, and on issues of relevance of questions and evidence, including when questions and evidence about a complainant’s sexual predisposition or prior sexual behavior are not relevant
  • Investigators must receive training on issues of relevance to create an investigative report that fairly summarizes relevant evidence
• All materials used to train Title IX personnel:
  • Must not rely on sex stereotypes,
  • Must promote impartial investigations and adjudications of formal complaints of sexual harassment,
  • Must be maintained by the school for at least 7 years,
  • Must be publicly available on the school’s website; if the school does not maintain a website the school must make the training materials available upon request for inspection by members of the public.
• Under the Title IX Rule, students, employees, the Department, and the public will be able to examine a school’s training materials, providing a necessary safeguard to improve the impartiality, reliability, and legitimacy of Title IX proceedings. This requirement will improve the overall transparency and integrity of a school’s Title IX policies and procedures.
• Schools must publish training materials that are up to date and reflect the latest training provided to Title IX personnel.

Listed below are trainings and educational material used to train University employees involved with the Title IX process. This list is updated regularly to comply with regulations and to reflect the ongoing training that is taken.

2020, CUPA-HR                               Title IX Final Rule Released: What you Need to Know Now
2020, Barnes & Thornburg           Title IX Changes: Key Considerations for ICI
2020, Barnes & Thornburg           Title IX Coordinator Training
2020, Barnes & Thornburg           Title IX Investigator Training
2020, Barnes & Thornburg           Title IX Decision Makers and Advisors Training
2020, D. Stafford & Associates    Title IX Regulations: Policy Implications and Practical Application
2021, Cozen O’Connor                  Title IX Training

2022, Cozen O’Connor                  Title IX Training
2023, Jodie Ferise                           Title IX Training