Key Terms

Consent is an agreement between people to engage in sexual activity. This agreement is:

• Freely and actively given using mutually understandable words and actions.
• Free of threats and coercion.
• Ongoing and can be withdrawn at any time.
• Students who are incapacitated from alcohol and/or other drugs cannot give consent.

Sexual Violence refers collectively to sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and intimate partner violence.

Sexual Misconduct is how the Code of Student Conduct refers to acts of sexual violence when they are committed by students against any person, whether the conduct occurs on-campus or off-campus.

Sexual Assault is sexual contact or sexual intercourse without affirmative consent. Sexual contact is intentional sexual touching with any object or body part by a person on another person.

Intimate Partner Violence, including dating violence and domestic violence, is any act of violence or threatened act of violence that occurs between individuals who are involved or have been involved in a sexual, dating, spousal, domestic, or other intimate relationship.

Sexual Harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal, graphic, or physical.

Stalking occurs when a person engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily injury or to experience substantial emotional distress.

Sexual Exploitation is an act attempted or committed by a person for sexual gratification, financial gain, or other advancement through the abuse or exploitation of another person's sexuality.

Bystander Intervention is a strategy for prevention, interruption, and de-escalation of violence.

• A bystander is anyone who witnesses violence.
• An active bystander chooses to do something to stop violence from happening or continuing.

Confidential Resources will not share a victim’s disclosure of sexual violence unless the victim gives permission. 

Private Resources will only share the victim’s disclosure of sexual violence with other Tulane staff to ensure that the victim receives the support they need.