Title IX

Sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment comprises a broad range of behaviors focused on sex and/or gender that may or may not be sexual in nature. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, gender-based harassment, stalking, domestic violence, and dating violence are all forms of sexual misconduct.

Sexual misconduct can occur between strangers or acquaintances, or people who know each other well, including between people involved in an intimate or sexual relationship. Sexual misconduct, discrimination, or harassment can be committed by anyone regardless of gender identity, and it can occur between people of the same or different sex or gender.

RSU does not tolerate any form of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment and all misconduct is prohibited by University Policy. To further the goal of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment from its community, RSU offers:

• educational and preventative programs
• services for victims and others affected by gender-based misconduct
• accessible, prompt, and fair methods of investigation and resolution of reports of misconduct
• protections designed to prevent against recurrence.

Dating Violence

The use of physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation, stalking, or other forms of emotional, sexual or economic abuse directed towards a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or sexually intimate nature with the victim. Dating violence can be a single act or a pattern of behavior in relationships.

Domestic Violence

The use of physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation, stalking, or other forms of emotional, sexual or economic abuse directed towards (a) a current or former spouse or intimate partner; (b) a person with whom one shares a child; or (c) anyone who is protected from the respondent’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of Oklahoma.

Sexual Assault

Includes both non-consensual sexual touching and intercourse. Any intentional sexual touching or sexual intercourse with any object without a person’s consent.

Sexual Harassment

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical, or visual conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: (i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s education, or educational or campus life activities; or (ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or student life decisions affecting that individual; or (iii) such conduct has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, demeaning, or offensive campus or living environment.

Sexual Exploitation

Non-consensual abuse or exploitation of another person’s sexuality for the purpose of sexual gratification, financial gain, personal benefit or advantage, or any other non-legitimate purpose.

Stalking

A course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear or suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking involves repeated and continued harassment against the expressed wishes of another individual, which causes the targeted individual to feel emotional distress, including fear or apprehension.

Consent is the act of willingly agreeing to engage in sexual contact or conduct. Individuals who consent to sex must be able to understand what they are doing.

Consent is informed, knowing and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable permission regarding the conditions of sexual activity.

• Consent to one form of sexual activity cannot imply consent to other forms of sexual activity.
• Previous relationships or consent does not imply consent to future sexual acts.
• Consent cannot be procured by use of physical force, compelling threats, intimidating behavior, or coercion.

Use of alcohol, medications, or other drugs will not excuse behavior that violates this policy. Examples of when a person should know the other is incapacitated and may be unable to give valid consent include, but are not limited to:

• the amount of alcohol, medication, or drugs consumed
• imbalance or stumbling
• slurred speech
• lack of consciousness or inability to control bodily functions or movements
• vomiting
• legal incapacity, such as in the case of a minor and/or persons under legal guardianship

The term “consent” means the affirmative, unambiguous and voluntary agreement to engage in a specific sexual activity during a sexual encounter which can be revoked at any time. Consent cannot be:

• Given to an individual who:
  • is asleep or is mentally or physically incapacitated either through the effect of drugs or alcohol or for any other reason, or
  • is under duress, threat, coercion or force; or
• Inferred under circumstances in which consent is not clear including, but not limited to:
  • the absence of an individual saying “no” or “stop”, or
  • the existence of a prior or current relationship or sexual activity.

O.S. § 113 (effective June 6, 2016)

If you have experienced sexual misconduct and harassment, you are likely to have many concerns, including about your health and safety, mental and emotional well-being, medical concerns, and questions about disciplinary and legal options available to you.

As you think about how you want to move forward, it is most important to do what is right for you. Friends, family, and others may have strong feelings about what you should do. But every person has the right to make the right decision for him or herself. The information below and elsewhere on RSU’s website can help you determine what is right for you.

Immediate Actions to Consider

Students who experience an incident of sexual misconduct and harassment should consider the following immediate actions.

Contact Law Enforcement

• Claremore Campus:
  • Campus Police: 918-343-7624
  • Local Law Enforcement: 918-341-1212
• Bartlesville Campus:
  • Campus Police: 918-338-8020 or 918-440-9479
  • Local Law Enforcement: 918-338-4282
• Pryor Campus:
  • Campus Police: 918-825-6034 or 918-373-0357
  • Local Law Enforcement: 918-825-1212

Seek Medical Attention

• Claremore Campus:
  • Hillcrest Hospital: 918-341-2556
  • Domestic Violence Intervention Services: 918-GET-HELP
• Bartlesville Campus:
  • Jane Phillips Medical Center: 918-333-7200
  • Family Crisis Counseling Center: 918-336-1188
• Pryor Campus:
  • Integris Mayes County Medical Center: 918-825-1660
  • Domestic Violence Intervention Services: 918-GET-HELP

Contact a Trained, Experienced Counselor

Contact Personal Relationships for Support

• Parents
• Relatives
• Close Friends