Sexual harassment includes any and all unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual propositions, unnecessary and inappropriate contact, and any other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of sexual nature that is intimidating, violent, or offensive. Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

• displaying or distributing sexually explicit drawings, pictures, or written materials
• performing sexual gestures or touching oneself sexually in front of others
• telling sexually explicit or dirty jokes
• spreading sexual rumors or rating other students as to sexual activity or performance
• repeated unwanted sexual flirtations, advances or propositions
• continued or repeated verbal abuse or innuendo of a sexual nature
• uninvited physical contact such as touching, hugging, patting, brushing or pinching
• verbal comments of a sexual nature about an individual’s body or sexual terms used to describe an individual
• display of graffiti, pictures, posters or cartoons of a sexual nature
• prolonged staring or leering
• making obscene gestures or suggestive or insulting sounds
• demand for sexual favors accompanied by an implied or overt threat concerning an individual’s employment or academic status or promises of preferential treatment
• indecent exposure
• circulating or showing e-mails or websites of a sexual nature.

Consent is a freely given agreement to sexual activity, (ii) a person’s lack of verbal or physical resistance or submission resulting from the use or threat of force does not constitute consent, (iii) a person’s manner of dress does not constitute consent, (iv) a person’s consent to past sexual activity does not constitute consent to future sexual activity, (v) a person’s consent to engage in sexual activity with one person does not constitute consent to engage in sexual activity with another, (vi) a person can withdraw consent at any time, and (vii) a person cannot consent to sexual activity if that person is unable to understand the nature of the activity or give knowing consent due to circumstances, including without limitation the following:

Adopted from 110 ILCS 155/10, the following highlights what consent is and isn’t.

1. the person is incapacitated due to the use or influence of alcohol or drugs;
2. the person is asleep or unconscious;
3. the person is under age; or
4. the person is incapacitated due to a mental disability.”

For more information, you may visit the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Sexual Harassment Department’s website.

Also, under the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2013, American Islamic College strictly prohibits behavior such as domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The college will assist students who have obtained or seek to obtain judicial no-contact, restraining, and protective orders. Thus, AIC is committed to providing an educational atmosphere that is free from all forms of sexual harassment and misconduct. Such harassment violates College policy as well as state and federal law. Anyone perpetrating such illegal behavior will face disciplinary action up to dismissal from the College and will be subject to persecution.