Sexual Assault Policy

The Board of Trustees of The Community College of Baltimore County is committed to providing a learning and working environment free from sexual assault and harassment, and takes measures to ensure that faculty, staff, students and visitors are appropriately protected from such actions. This safe environment includes all campus locations and all off-campus, college-related activities and sites.

Commission of a sexual assault is a violation of college policy and of state law. Sexual assault is broadly defined as being any unwanted attempted or actual sexual activity, including forcible and non-forcible sexual offenses.

Definitions
A forcible sexual offense is any sexual act directed against another person, including unwanted touching, that is against that person's will or which involves the use of force, violence or the threat of force or violence, or a sexual act against a person incapable of giving consent. Forcible sexual offenses include rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and all forms of nonconsensual touching such as fondling.

Non-forcible sexual offenses are acts of unlawful sexual activity against persons incapable of giving consent, such as statutory rape. Acts which are commonly expressive of familiar or friendly affection and accepted medical purposes are not included.

Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination that is prohibited by federal and state law. It is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other physical or verbal conduct of a sexual nature including, but not limited to, the following circumstances:

1. when submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or a part of the educational process; or
2. when submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such an individual; or
3. when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment

Examples of conduct which violate this policy include, but are not limited to, intentional physical conduct which is sexual in nature; unwanted sexual advances, propositions, or other sexual comments; preferential treatment, or the promise of such, for submitting to sexual conduct; displaying pictures, objects or materials which are sexually offensive; physical assault of a sexual nature or attempts to commit such an assault; and retaliation for making a sexual harassment complaint or participating in a sexual harassment investigation.

Persons found guilty of sexual assault or sexual harassment will be disciplined in accordance with the system's disciplinary polices, which include expulsion from the college or termination of employment. These sanctions will be in addition to criminal or civil penalties imposed by federal or state courts. Any person found guilty of filing a false accusation of sexual harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well.

Each campus of The Community Colleges of Baltimore County will develop an educational and informational campaign to assist with the prevention of sexual assaults and sexual harassment.

Furthermore, each campus will establish and distribute detailed procedures relating to the reporting and handling of cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Procedures can be found in detail in the college catalog.

Each campus will investigate all complaints of sexual assault and sexual harassment, adjudicating them in accordance with the campus disciplinary and appeal procedures.

In addition each campus will routinely assess the safety of the campus environment and will take corrective action to alter any identified potential problem areas. If an assault occurs, the appropriate campus officers will issue timely warnings or notification to the campus community. Statistics on campus rapes and sexual offenses will be made available to students under procedures developed in accordance with the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act.

Sexual Assault Reporting Procedure

Any victim of a sexual assault should report the incident to any of the following:

• CCBC Public Safety Catonsville: (410) 455-4455
• CCBC Public Safety Dundalk: (410) 285-9700
• CCBC Public Safety Essex: (410) 780-6300
• Baltimore County Police Department: 911
• Dean of Learning and Student Development Dundalk: (410) 285-9687
• Dean of Students Essex: (410) 780-6327
• Counseling Dundalk: (410) 285-9809
• Counseling Essex: (410) 780-6368
• Any Campus Administrator or Faculty

It is important to report the incident immediately and to preserve all physical evidence of the sexual assault.

Victims or witnesses may make a voluntary, confidential crime report for inclusion in the annual crime report. Counselors may inform their clients of the opportunity to make such a report.

What to Do If You Are Sexually Assaulted

Get to a place where you will be safe from further attack. For your own protection, call the police immediately, especially if the assailant is still nearby. The police will help you whether or not you choose to prosecute the assailant.

Call a friend or family member for support. Get medical attention immediately. The primary purpose of a medical examination following a rape is to check for physical injury, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy as a result of the rape. The secondary purpose of a medical examination is to aid in the police investigation and legal proceedings. So get medical attention as quickly as possible.

Don’t bathe or douche. Bathing or douching might be the first thing you want to do. You might literally be washing away valuable evidence. Wait until you have an examination.

Save your clothing. It is all right to change clothes. But save what you were wearing. Your clothing could be used as evidence for prosecution. Place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag for police.

Report the incident to the Police. It is up to you, but reporting a rape isn't the same thing as prosecuting a rape. Prosecution can be determined later. To contact police, call 911, 24-hours a day. A number of Campus personnel are willing and able to assist victims in reporting assaults to the proper authorities. If you are a victim of a sexual assault and decide not to notify the police, please secure medical attention and contact any of the victim support resources listed below. The campus will also assist the victim with contacting any of these supporting agencies.

• Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center (SADVC) 410-828-6390
• Eastern Family Resource Center 410-887-0400
• Turn Around 410-377-8111
• Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center 410-836-8431
• Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault 1-800-983-7273

The campus will assist the victim, at their request, in notifying the appropriate law enforcement authorities to file criminal charges. The campus will also provide full and prompt cooperation in assessing the appropriate medical attention for the victim, including transportation to a hospital equipped with the Maryland State Police sexual assault evidence collection kit - Franklin Square Hospital or Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

The campus will investigate sexual assault complaints and adjudicate them in accordance with college disciplinary procedures. Both the victim and the accused will be allowed to have witnesses present during the hearing process, and will be notified of the outcome of the campus disciplinary process.

The campus is committed to protecting reasonable confidentiality of the victim, affording protection against reprisal, and providing due process to those accused of violations. The campus will provide other services as appropriate or feasible including alternative class scheduling and psychological support.

An educational and informational campaign to assist with the prevention of sexual assaults will be readily available to students, faculty and staff. The educational programs are provided through various formats (films, lectures, workshops, etc.), which address the issues germane to sexual assault and its prevention, including acquaintance rape, rape, spousal and cohabitant abuse, and self-defense. In addition, there are free pamphlets available on acquaintance rape, rape, sexual assault, and spousal abuse in the Student Life and Counseling areas of the campus.