Victims Assistance

Sexual Violence

Student Code of Conduct

Consent

According to Winthrop University's Student conduct code, "Consent is the equal approval, given freely, willingly, and knowingly by each participant to desired sexual involvement. Consent is an affirmative, conscious decision - indicated clearly by words or actions — to engage in mutually accepted sexual contact."

Sexual Assault

Winthrop University's Student Conduct Code defines sexual assault "as any unwanted sexual acts that involve threats, physical force, intimidation or deception. Sexual assault can be defined as one or more of the following:

  1. Offensive Touching - The touching of an unwilling person's intimate parts; touching an unwilling person with one's own intimate parts; causing an unwilling person to touch another's intimate parts.
  2. Non-Consensual Sexual Assault - Unwilling or non consensual penetration of any bodily opening with any objects or body part.
  3. Forced Sexual Assault - Requires the use of physical force and/or penetration. Coercion, the threat of immediate physical harm, the restriction of movement, and/or the administration of a drug, intoxicant or a physical substance that impairs the faculties of a person would all constitute forced sexual assault."

Sexual Misconduct

According to Winthrop University's Student Conduct Code, sexual misconduct will not be tolerated in the Winthrop community. Sexual misconduct can occur in many relationships and may involve sexual assault, sexual harassment, relationship violence, and stalking. This behavior interferes with the educational mission by:

  • Endangering the physical and emotional safety of community members
  • Damaging trust in the community
  • Offending the dignity and violating the autonomy of community members
  • Disrupting the academic progress of victims or survivors during their recovery