MUSC and the CLERY Act New Student/Resident Orientation Academic Year Connie L. Best, Ph.D. Clery Act Coordinator/Title IX Coordinator MUSC Daniel Smith, Ph.D, Office of Gender Equity

What is the Clery Act? In essence, it is a Campus Safety and Crime Reporting Act. The goal: to ensure students, prospective students, parents, and employees have access to accurate information about crimes committed on campus and campus security procedures.

Requirements for the Clery Act? Requires all colleges/universities that receive federal aid funds to record and disclose information about crime on their campuses ◦ Annual security report to DOE ◦ Maintain public crime log ◦ Issue timely warnings ◦ Develop and report on policies pertaining to campus security/safety awareness

What you need to know: MUSC is committed to providing a campus environment free from all forms of interpersonal violence. Specifically, MUSC prohibits any form of:  sexual assault  dating violence  stalking  domestic violence

What you need to know: MUSC is required to provide you with definitions of prohibited activities and relevant concepts (“consent”) MUSC is required to provide you with education about prevention and risk reduction strategies

Definitions

What is Sexual Assault? SC classifies 3 types of Criminal Sexual Conduct: All 3 involve sexual penetration that: 1 st Degree: involves at least one aggravating circumstance: Aggravated force is used; assault takes place in context of another crime; perpetrator gives victim intoxicating or controlled substance 2 nd Degree: involves aggravated coercion (threatens harm, retaliation) 3 rd Degree: involves force/coercion in the absence of aggravating circumstances; if force was not necessary because victim is vulnerable (mental handicap/incapacitation)

What is Dating Violence? A special form of “Assault and Battery” Violence committed by a person who: ◦ is, or has been, in a romantic/intimate relationship with the victim, provided the relationship meets certain parameters

What is Domestic Violence? Another special type of Assault & Battery To cause harm or injury to a household member, or believably threaten harm or injury to a household member “Household member:” spouse, former spouse, adults who have a child in common, opposite sex couple who are (or formerly were) cohabiting.

What is Stalking? A pattern of words or conduct that is intended to cause, and does cause, another (reasonable) person to fear death, assault, bodily injury, sexual assault, kidnapping, or property damage.

What does “consent” mean in SC? SC has no legal definition for consent to sexual activity. SC Attorney General has advised that consent is “complete absence of ‘force or coercion.’” ◦ Federal government’s definition adds instances in which the victim is incapacitated or impaired

Prevention & Risk Reduction

Bystander Intervention Why don’t people speak up when they observe problematic/violent interactions between others? ◦ “Not my business” ◦ “I’m sure someone else will …” ◦ Not sure of what to do.

Bystander Intervention You need to help ◦ You’re here at MUSC to be a helper, right? ◦ So help Evaluate potential courses of action ◦ Formal: calling someone like ◦ Informal: Speak up, reach out, ask for help Tactfully but firmly (and safely) intervene Help negotiate a solution

Risk Reduction What comes to mind when you hear this term? ◦ Travel in groups ◦ Carry a whistle ◦ Don’t accept rides from strangers ◦ Dress conservatively ◦ And so on …

Risk Reduction Why not: ◦ Don’t take advantage of other people ◦ Don’t follow people around/bother people when they’ve told you they don’t want you to ◦ Respect other people’s rights ◦ Understand that flirting isn’t consent ◦ Just because you believe you were “led on” doesn’t give you permission to act

Risk Reduction At MUSC, we DO encourage all students to be aware of their surroundings, use good judgment, and pay attention to their safety. We ALSO demand that our students, faculty, and employees treat each other respectfully, as professionals, and without resorting to violence.

Resources at MUSC Clery Act Coordinator: Connie Best, PhD 67 President St, Room Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) MUSC Dept. of Public Safety National Crime Victims Center (MUSC)