Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is coercion or attempted coercion with or without the use of physical force for the purpose of sexual relations; or sexual contact or attempted contact to which any party involved does not give full and free consent. Force may include, but is not limited to, the use or display of a weapon, physical battering, or the immobilization of the other person.

Definition of Consent

Consent shall be defined as the affirmative and voluntary agreement to engage in a specific sexual act at a specific time. Consent is clearly communicated in words, or by voluntary actions, that are unmistakable in their meaning. Psychologically pressuring or coercing an individual or any attempt to take advantage of an individual under duress or when incapable of making a decision on his or her own is a direct violation of this policy. This includes situations in which an individual incapacitated by alcohol, drugs, and/or prescribed medications. Consent is an ongoing, mutual agreement and must be given for every sexual act. Consent cannot be assumed or implied based on silence, the absence of "no" or "stop", the existence of a prior or current relationship, or prior sexual activity.

The guidelines to support the University’s response to a reported sexual assault are available in Student Development and in the Annual Security Report (found on the IWU health & Safety page).