Campus Police
Sexual Assault/Harassment
Alvin Community College prohibits sexually violent acts, termed “Sexual Misconduct.” which can be crimes as well. Sexual misconduct includes non-consensual sexual intercourse, non-consensual sexual contact, sexual exploitation, interpersonal relationship violence, sex/gender-based stalking and sexual harassment. While Alvin Community College utilizes standards and definitions similar to the Texas Code, sexual misconduct often overlaps with crimes of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence and domestic violence. For complete student information, please see the ACC Student Handbook, Rights and Responsibilities in The POD/Campus Services/Student Support or local ACC Policy FFDA, Freedom From Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation/Sex and Sexual Violence.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; sexually motivated physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct; or other conduct or communication of a sexual nature. Students or employees can report allegations of sexual harassment by using one of the following methods:
1. Submit an anonymous complaint.
2. Submit a complaint which will include your name and other pertinent information.
How to Report a Sexual Assault
If you are the victim of sexual assault, some or all of these safety suggestions may guide you after an incident has occurred.
- Go to a safe place and speak with someone you trust.
- If there is any immediate danger while on campus contact Campus Police at 281-756-3700 or call 911 if you are off campus.
- For your safety and well-being, immediate medical attention is encouraged. Further, being examined as soon as possible, ideally within 120 hours, is important in the case of rape or sexual assault. The hospital will arrange for a specific medical examination at no charge.
- To preserve evidence, it is recommended that you do not bathe, shower, douche, eat, drink, smoke, brush your teeth, urinate, defecate or change clothes before receiving medical attention.
- If you have physical injuries, photograph them with a date stamp on the photo.
- Record the names of any witnesses, and their contact information. This information may be helpful to the proof of a crime, to obtain an order of protection or to offer proof of a campus policy violation.
- Try to memorize details including the physical description, names, license plate number, car description or write notes to remind you of details, if you have time and the ability to do so.
- If you obtain external orders of protection e.g. restraining orders, injunctions, protection from abuse, please notify Campus Police (H132) or the campus Title IX Coordinator (F109) so that those orders can be observed on campus.
- Consider securing immediate professional support/resources (e.g. counseling, victim advocacy, medical services, etc.) to assist you with the crisis. More resources can be found at the Attorney General of Texas sexual assault/information for adult survivors webpage.
- If you are on campus during regular business hours, you may go to the Admissions Office and request to speak with a Licensed Professional Counselor on staff.
- If a report has been filed in Brazoria County, assistance may also be obtained from the Women’s Center of Brazoria County 281-585-0902.
- Contact the Alvin Community College Police Department 281-756-3700 if you need assistance with college related concerns, such as Protective or No-contact orders or other protective measures. The Women’s Center of Brazoria County and the Alvin Police Department Crime Victim Liaison will also assist in any needed advocacy for students who wish to obtain protective or restraining orders from local authorities. The College is able to offer reasonable academic accommodations, transportation accommodations, escorts, no contact orders, counseling services and other supports and resources as needed by a victim.
Legal Definitions
Sexual assault can be defined as any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs by force or without consent of the recipient of the unwanted sexual activity. Falling under the definition of sexual assault is sexual activity such as forced sexual intercourse, child molestation, incest, fondling, and attempted rape. It includes sexual acts against people who are unable to consent either due to age or lack of capacity.
The complete Texas rape and sexual assault offense definitions are listed in Texas Penal Code Section 22.011 and are listed below.
Intentional touching of another person’s intimate parts without that person’s consent;
or
Other intentional sexual contact with another person without that person’s consent;
or
Coercing, forcing, or attempting to coerce or force a person to touch another person’s
intimate parts without that person’s consent; or
Rape, which is penetration, no matter how slight, of (1) the vagina or anus of a person by any body part of another person or by an object, or (2) the mouth of a person by a sex organ of another person, without that person’s consent.
Where the assailant uses force, fear or threats to accomplish sexual intercourse against the will of the spouse. This provision of the law is known as the “spousal rape law.”
Other Sexual Offenses
Besides sexual assault, other sexual offenses include the following.
- sodomy (forced anal intercourse)
- oral copulation (forced oral-genital contact)
- rape by a foreign object (forced penetration by a foreign object, including a finger)
- sexual battery (the unwanted touching of an intimate part of another person for the purpose of sexual arousal)
Stalking
Stalking brochure from Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA)
Sexual Consent
Consent must be informed, voluntary, and mutual, and can be withdrawn at any time.
There is no consent when there is force, expressed or implied, or when coercion, intimidation,
threats, or duress is used. Whether a person has taken advantage of a position of
influence over another person may be a factor in determining consent. Silence or
absence of resistance does not imply consent.
Past consent to sexual activity with another person does not imply ongoing future consent with that person or consent to that same sexual activity with another person. If a person is mentally or physically incapacitated or impaired so that such person cannot understand the fact, nature, or extent of the sexual situation, there is no consent; this includes impairment or incapacitation due to alcohol or drug consumption that meets this standard, or being asleep or unconscious.
Bystander Intervention
Bystander intervention is when a bystander witnesses a potentially harmful or dangerous
situation and they have the ability to respond.