Sexual Misconduct

Policy on Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct threatens Converse’s community of trust because it endangers the physical and emotional safety of its members, offends the dignity and violates the autonomy of its members, and disrupts the academic progress of survivors during their recovery. Sexual misconduct is a serious violation of the community’s trust and will not be tolerated.

Sexual misconduct by a student or employee may result in disciplinary action under the University’s policies and procedures and may be prosecuted under South Carolina criminal statutes. Even if the criminal justice authorities choose not to prosecute, the University can pursue disciplinary action, and such action could result in dismissal from the University. The University encourages all members of its community to be aware of both the consequences of sexual misconduct and the options available to survivors. It is the policy of the University to encourage survivors to report all incidents and violations to the law enforcement officials or agencies with appropriate jurisdiction and avail themselves of all the services and rights to which they are entitled by law.

Definition of Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct is defined as sexual contact without consent and includes: intentional touching, either of the victim or when the victim is forced to touch, directly or through clothing, another person’s genitals, breasts, thighs or buttocks; rape (sexual intercourse without consent whether by an acquaintance or a stranger); attempted rape; sodomy (oral sex or anal intercourse) without consent; or sexual contact is committed either by force, intimidation, deceit or when the victim is mentally incapacitated or physically helpless.

Verbal misconduct, without accompanying physical contact as described above, is not defined as sexual misconduct. Verbal misconduct may constitute sexual harassment, which is also prohibited under University regulations and is specifically addressed in the Student Handbook, Faculty Handbook, and Administrative/Staff Handbook.

If the sexual misconduct occurred on campus, contact:

Campus Safety at 864.596.9026 and
SAFE Homes Rape Crisis Coalition at 864.583.9803 (24-hour answering service.)

If the sexual misconduct occurred off-campus, contact:

Spartanburg Police at 911 or 864.596.2076 and
SAFE Homes Rape Crisis Coalition at 864.583.9803 (24-hour answering service.)

Collecting Evidence

The sooner the sexual misconduct is reported, the easier it is to collect valuable evidence. Medical attention is crucial to assess possible internal injuries or sexually transmitted diseases, as well as to collect medical evidence, should the survivor choose to pursue prosecution. To facilitate evidence collection, the survivor:

should not bathe or douche
should not urinate
should not drink any liquids
if oral contact has occurred, the victim should not smoke, eat, or brush teeth
if you change your clothes, soiled clothes should be placed in a paper bag (plastic destroys crucial evidence).

Physical evidence can be obtained up to 72 hours after the sexual misconduct, recognizing that as time passes, the quality of the evidence diminishes. Campus Safety, Spartanburg Police, or Ambulance may transport the survivor to an area hospital for medical attention and a rape protocol exam. If the survivor does not want to contact the police, a friend or relative may transport the survivor to the hospital. If the survivor chooses not to go to a hospital, the survivor is strongly urged to seek appropriate medical attention. Converse Health Services on campus (864.596.9258) provides quality confidential medical services, or the survivor may choose to visit another physician.

Reporting the Incident

All survivors of sexual misconduct are encouraged to report the incident to appropriate law enforcement agencies. If requested, college personnel will assist the survivor in notifying these authorities. A student survivor may also choose to file a report with Campus Safety (864.596.9026) or with the Director of Residential Life (864.596.9016).

Reports of misconduct that have occurred off-campus may also be made to either Campus Safety or the Director of Residential Life who will then assist the survivor in locating the appropriate on-campus and off-campus resources for assistance.

Whether legal or disciplinary action is desired, an anonymous report may be filed, at any time, with Converse Counseling Services (864.596.9595) or Health Services (864.596.9258).

Title IX

Inquiries concerning discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex or gender may be referred to Converse’s Title IX Coordinator.