60 | STEVENS ANNUAL SECURITY AND FIRE SAFETY REPORT APPENDIX E: DEFINITIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RELATED TERMS IN THE STEVENS POLICY ON GENDER-BASED AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE AND STALKING Discrimination The treatment of members of a certain sex or other protected group more or less favorably on the basis of their sex or other protected characteristic or the establishment of an institutional policy or practice that has a disparate impact on members of a certain sex or protected group. Sexual Violence Sexual contact against the will or without the consent of the other person. This includes sexual contact by the use or threat of force or coercion, without effective consent, or where the other individual is incapacitated. A number of acts fall into the category of sexual violence, including acts that are forcible or non-forcible and including penetrative acts as well as sexual touching or disrobing not involving penetration. Sexual Harassment Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature or on the basis of sex, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, acts of sexual violence, or other verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct, when one of the following conditions is present: • Submission to or rejection of the conduct is either an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment, instruction, evaluation of academic work, or participation in any University academic program, activity, or benefit; • Submission to or rejection of the conduct by an individual is used as a basis for evaluation in making academic or personnel decisions or decisions regarding participation in a University activity; or • The conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it unreasonably • interferes with, limits, or denies an individual’s participation in or benefit from any educational experience, working conditions or campus living conditions by creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment when viewed from a subjective and an objective perspective. A hostile environment can be created by persistent or pervasive conduct or by a single or isolated incident, if sufficiently severe. For example, a single instance of sexual violence may be sufficiently severe to constitute sexual harassment. Additionally, conduct does not have to be directed at a particular person to constitute harassment. Examples of sexual harassment, if sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive, include, but are not limited to: • Pressure for sexual activity, sexual favors or a romantic or intimate relationship; • Unwelcome touching of a person’s body, hair, or clothing; • Verbal abuse or hostile behavior such as insulting, teasing, mocking, degrading, or ridiculing another person or group based on gender or sex;
