Sexual Misconduct (including sexual assault)
Policy Statement
Acts of sexual assault are acts of violence that will not be tolerated at Haverford College. They are anathema to Haverford’s foundational principles, principles that underscore human dignity, promote equality, and repudiate violence in any form. The College is committed to helping students who are survivors of sexual assault to deal with its physical, emotional, and psychological effects. We are also committed to supporting any student if she/he chooses to pursue judicial action against an accused assailant outside the College through the criminal justice system, and/or through internal judicial processes. The College will make every effort to respect the choices of the survivor of sexual assault.
Both men and women can be victims of sexual assault. Regardless of age, race, income level, gender identity or education, the experience for the victim is always a violation of their person. It is not uncommon for a sexual assault victim to have feelings of guilt, fear, betrayal, shame, anger, confusion or thoughts of suicide. These are all normal reactions after a violent crime.
Students who have been victims of sexual assault may choose to contact directly the medical, psychological, or judicial personnel on or off campus indicated on the Resources and Support page, but if a victim is in physical danger or has physical injuries which require immediate attention, she/he should call Security or 911, and a Security/police officer will respond right away.
Haverford College will make every effort to safeguard the identities of students who seek help and/or report incidents of sexual misconduct. While steps are taken to protect the privacy of victims, the College may need to investigate an incident and take action once an allegation is known, whether or not the student chooses to pursue a complaint. This is a requirement of Title IX, federal legislation passed in 1972 to require institutions to address issues of sex discrimination and gender equity, including sexual harassment (of which sexual assault is an example). However, Title IX also obliges schools to take concrete steps to prevent retaliation after an allegation of assault, and if the allegation is proven, to take concrete steps to prevent a recurrence of the harassment. If you have questions or concerns in this area that are impacting your decision on whether to come forward with an allegation, we encourage you to discuss them with a dean, the Title IX coordinator or other administrator.