What is Sexual Violence?
Sexual violence is defined under the Board of Higher Education/Massachusetts Community Colleges’ Policy on Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity ("Policy on Affirmative Action"). Sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent (e.g., due to the person’s age or use of drugs or alcohol, or because an intellectual or other disability prevents the person from having the capacity to give consent). A number of different acts fall into the category of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, aiding in the commission of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual battery and sexual coercion. Sexual violence can be perpetrated by employees, students, or third parties. All acts of sexual violence are forms of sex discrimination and are prohibited under Title IX of the Educational Amendment Act of 1972, state law and the Policy on Affirmative Action.