Sexual Violence Prevention and Education

In 2017, and again in 2021, Dean College was awarded the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women [OVW] Grant to Reduce Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on campus. Through the Campus Programs Grant the college can further design and implement sustainable prevention, intervention, and response efforts for our campus community.

The Office of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education offers bystander education and proactive  including Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, workshops for students, staff and faculty, effective intervention and resources for survivors and victims of gender-based violence.

Strategies to Offer Support

For more information on how to support a friend or loved one who has experienced gender-based violence please contact our Survivor Advocate or Advocacy Specialist at amahajan@dean.edu.

Important Terminology

The following information contains definitions and information outlining the warning signs of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, we are here to help you – please contact the Title IX office or a confidential resource on campus that can be found on the support and resources page.

Sexual Assault / Rape

Rape and Sexual Assault is defined as sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse with a person, by force and against their will, or by threat of bodily injury. Rape/sexual assault is defined by three elements:penetration including anal, oral, or vaginal penetration with a body part or any object; forced oral sex constitutes rape; force or threat of force including verbal threats, physical restraint, drugging someone, or the use or presence of weapons against the will of the person or without consent, generally including romantic relationships. Mass. Gen. Laws. Ann. ch. 265, § 22.

Dating and Domestic Violence

can be defined as a pattern of behavior by an intimate partner in dating, sexual, domestic, or marital relationships that may include economic, physical, sexual, spiritual or emotional abuse to gain and maintain power and control over the other partner. Dating and domestic violence occurs in all types of relationships and between people of all genders.

• "pattern of behavior" may include verbal, emotional, or physical behavior. This behavior typically includes repeated words, and/or actions and inactions to intimidate, demean, or assert control.
• Physical Abuse
  • slapping, punching, kicking, use of weapons, throwing objects, and/or denial of physical needs (food, sleep, medical attention) to control or scare partner.
• Sexual Abuse
  • sexual harassment, rape, or sexual assault [see definition], coercion, use of force [including threats and/or weapons], degrading sexual comments aimed toward partner, and/or any touch that is unwanted.
• Economic Abuse
  • control of assets, family finances, bank accounts or car, limited monthly monetary allowance, puts bills in partner's name then runs up charges, refusal of access to money, food, clothing and other basic needs, preventing from having/keeping a job, or interfering with work or education.
• Emotional Abuse
  • Emotional abuse may be difficult to define and every relationship is different. Emotional abuse may include, but is not limited to: gaslighting manipulation using privilege [to cut access to resources, define roles of relationships] volatility blaming, denying, minimizing, or humiliation blackmailing or guilting isolation threats of future abuse intimidation partner threatens self-harm if relationship ends jealousy to justify actions preventing or denying the practice of religious or spiritual beliefs
• Do you...?
  • Feel like you're "walking on eggshells" around your partner?
  • Feel worse about yourself now than when you started the relationship?
  • Feel like you can't choose when to see your family, friends, or loved ones?
  • Make excuses for your partner's volatile behavior towards you?
  • Feel like your partner makes all the decisions in the relationship that impact you negatively?
  • Feel like your partner has sudden mood swings or blames you for their feelings, behavior, or anger?

Stalking

engaging in a willful and malicious course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to (a) fear for their safety or the safety of others or (b) suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking is defined as a crime in all 50 states.

• “Course of Conduct” includes, but is not limited to, behaviors by a person directly, indirectly, or through a third party.:
  • follows
  • monitors
  • observes
  • surveils
  • threatens
  • communicates
  • interferes with another person's property
• “Reasonable Person”: an average/typical person who under the same circumstances would react with similar fear or distress.
• Cyber-stalking can be defined as threatening behavior or unwanted advances directed at a person using the Internet and other forms of online and electronic communications.
  • Cyber-stalking can take many forms including but not limited to electronic media internet social media or networks blogs phones, texts, calls.

*Please note that these definitions are contained within college policies and are not the same standard applied in law enforcement proceedings.

Coordinated Community Response Team:

Through the OVW Grant, The Coordinated Community Response Team [CCRT] cultivates a group of campus and community members who share a trauma-informed, power-conscious, and inclusive approach to ending gender-based violence. We aim to create dynamic, proactive prevention and effective intervention strategies as well as campus resources to promote safety and well-being for survivors and in our campus community.

Our Mission:

The Coordinated Community Response Team [CCRT] cultivates a group of campus and community members who share a trauma-informed, power-conscious, and inclusive approach to ending gender-based violence. We aim to create dynamic, proactive prevention and effective intervention strategies to promote safety and well-being for survivors and in our campus community.

Our Members:

Members of the Coordinated Community Response Team:

• Aastha Mahajan, Dean Clinician / Advocacy Specialist
• Ken Corkran, Assistant Vice President of Law Enforcement and Risk Management
• Shawn Tremblay, Director of Student Conduct / Deputy Title IX
• Shannon Overcash, Associate Dean of Students / Title IX Coordinator

External Members of the Coordinated Community Response Team:

• Franklin Police Department
• Wayside Trauma Intervention Services
• New Hope Inc.

Gender-based violence can be perpetrated by people of all genders and affect people of all genders and sexuality.

To Learn More

For more information about CCRT initiatives, contact the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education: 508-541-1585

Coming soon!

For more information or to get involved in upcoming programming, workshops or awareness months please contact the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education at 508-541-1585.