Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a type of sex discrimination that is specifically prohibited by the university as well as federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX.
Under Title IX, sexual harassment means conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:- An employee of the university conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit or service of the university on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct;
- Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the university’s education program or activity; or
- Sexual assault as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)(v), dating violence as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(10), domestic violence as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(8), or stalking as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(30).
Under Title VII, which applies to employees only, sexual harassment also means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the individual’s employment and create an abusive working environment.
Who perpetrates sexual harassment?
Perpetrator can be anyone regardless of gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status or race. They do not have to be the opposite sex of the victim. This is to include but not limited to the victim's supervisor, a client, a co-worker, a teacher or professor, a schoolmate, a stranger, even a family member.
Who are victims of sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status or race. The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone who finds the behavior offensive and is affected by it.
What to do
If you have been sexually harassed:
- Tell the perpetrator in person or other documented way (in a manner or at a time when it is reasonably certain that such action will not jeopardize the student's personal safety, academic status or professional future) that the behavior is neither humorous nor welcomed and should cease immediately.
- Keep a written record, documenting, as precisely as possible, what happened, when it took place, the names of witnesses, if any, the student's response, and any other information that may be helpful later.
- Preserve all physical evidence of the harassment.
- Seek advice on how to deal with the situation from a supportive and knowledgeable person.
- Talk with a confidential advocate who is trained to assist with the emotional impact. Resources can be found in student's campus resource list and employee's campus resource list.
- Students and employees who have been sexually assaulted harassed or complainants have access to university assistance in changing academic, living, working and transportation situations after an alleged incident. If the request is made by the student, employee or complainant and if such changes are reasonably available, accommodations to minimize burden on the student or employee.
- Additional resources about legal issues, health care, or other concerns related to the assault can be found in student's campus resource list and employee's campus resource list.
Report sexual harassment
Any university student, employee or other individual may contact one or more of the following.
- Carmen Sirizzotti
Title IX Coordinator
University of Nebraska Medical Center
2010 Administrative Center
402-559-2710 - UNMC University Police or Public Safety
(for assisting in filing a criminal complaint and preserving physical evidence)
4215 Emile St.
402-559-5111 - Local law enforcement to file a criminal complaint.
- The University of Nebraska hotline is available for online reporting at EthicsPoint or by phone at 1-844-348-9584.
- Additionally reports may be made to the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights regarding an alleged violation of Title IX by visiting OCR complaint forms or calling 1-800-421-3481.