Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct

Report Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Violence or Sexual Harassment

Resources for Victims of Sexual Violence, Harassment, Dating/Domestic Violence and Stalking

Your Rights under TTIC’s Sex Discrimination Policy

Sex Discrimination, Sex-Based Harassment, and Pregnancy Modifications Policy

TTIC is committed to maintaining an academic environment in which its members can freely work together, both in and out of the classroom, to further education and research. Sexual misconduct violates the community values and principles of our institution and disrupts the living, learning, and working environment for students, faculty, staff and other community members.

TTIC prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct, including but not limited to, sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence, and sexual harassment. In furtherance of this policy TTIC has adopted the following standards of conduct with respect to sexual misconduct. These standards apply equally to all regardless of the sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression of any of the individuals involved.

Sexual Harassment

The Institute cannot thrive unless each member is accepted as an autonomous individual and is treated civilly, without regard to their sex or any other factor irrelevant to participation in the life of the Institute. All members of our community – students, faculty, and staff, as well as vendors, contractors, visitors, guests, and third parties – should understand that this standard must shape our interactions regardless of whether it is inappropriate even though not “illegal”; speech can be offensive even though allowed.

The Institute is also committed to the uninhibited, robust and wide-open pursuit of ideas. We must take great care neither to stifle that pursuit by a multitude of rules, nor to make it “dangerous” to speak one’s mind.

Every member of the community must recognize that harassment compromises the integrity of the Institute, its intellectual freedom, and the trust placed in its members. It is the intention of TTIC to take all necessary actions to prevent, correct, and, where indicated, discipline sexual harassment and harassment based on a person’s protected status. All members of the TTIC community should report any incidents of sexual harassment that they witness, whether they are the victim or a third-party bystander.

No member of the TTIC community may sexually harass any other member of the community. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature where sexual favors are used or threatened to be used as a basis for academic or employment decisions (quid pro quo harassment); where the conduct creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive academic or working environment; where the conduct has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or where other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to limit a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity.

Examples of sexual harassment may include:

Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is another prohibited form of sexual misconduct. Sexual violence includes physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or when a person is incapable of giving consent due to use of drugs and/or alcohol or to an intellectual or other disability. Some examples of sexual violence may include rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual coercion, dating violence, and domestic violence.

If you have experienced sexual violence, you have options:

The Confidential Advisor at Resilience is privileged under Illinois law to keep communications confidential. Seeking advice from a Confidential Advisor does not constitute reporting an incident to law enforcement or TTIC. Your Confidential Advisor can give you more information and regarding confidentiality of reports, resolution procedures and possible accommodations, as well as be an advocate for you in the event you file a complaint with TTIC or law enforcement.

More information on your options to report or not to report can be found in the Resource Guide for Victims.

If you are a third-party witness to sexual violence, you can also report it using the same mechanisms as a victim.

Information and Resources

Report a Violation

Resources for Victims of Sexual Violence, Harassment, Dating/Domestic Violence and Stalking

Your Rights under TTIC’s Sex Discrimination Policy

Sex Discrimination, Sex-Based Harassment, and Pregnancy Modifications Policy