NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY’S PREVENTION AND RESPONSE TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, DATING VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND STALKING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 1.4.1, Harassment including Sexual Harassment and South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 1.4.2, Prevention of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Stalking prohibits sexually violent acts, termed “Sexual Misconduct” by the University of South Dakota, which can be crimes as well. Sexual misconduct includes non-consensual sexual intercourse, nonconsensual sexual contact, sexual exploitation, interpersonal relationship violence, sex/gender based stalking and sexual harassment. While the University of South Dakota utilizes different standards and definitions than the South Dakota Code, sexual misconduct often overlaps with crimes of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence. In an effort to reduce the risk of sexual misconduct as well as the crimes of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence occurring among its students, Northern utilizes a range of campaigns, strategies and initiatives to provide awareness, educational, risk reduction and prevention programming. It is the policy of Northern to offer programming to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault (including stranger and known offender assaults), and stalking each year. Educational programs are offered to raise awareness for all incoming students and employees and are conducted during new student (Wolfpack Welcome) and new employee orientation and throughout students’ tenure at the university. This training is also provided to Residence Life Staff. These programs and others offered throughout the year include strong messages regarding not just awareness, but also primary prevention (including normative messaging, environmental management and bystander intervention), and discuss institutional policies on sexual misconduct as well as the South Dakota definitions of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and consent in reference to sexual activity. Bystander intervention is encouraged through safe and positive intervention techniques and by empowering third-party intervention and prevention such as calling for help, using intervention-based apps, identifying allies, and/or creating distractions. Programs also offer information on risk reduction that strives to empower victims, how to recognize warning signals, how to avoid potential attacks and do so without victim-blaming approaches. Throughout the year, ongoing awareness and prevention campaigns are directed to students and employees, including faculty, often taking the form of campaigns, emails, guest speakers, and events such as a mandatory online training. In the event that sexual misconduct, gender-based violence, or the crimes of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence or domestic violence do occur, Northern takes the matter very seriously. The university employs supportive measures such as interim suspension and/or no contact orders in any case where a student’s behavior represents a risk of violence, threat, pattern, or predation. If a student is accused of sexual misconduct, other gender-based violence or the crimes of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, or domestic violence, s/he is subject to action in accordance with South Dakota Board of Regents policies. To report incidents please Annual Security and Fire Safety Report 12
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