Reporting IS Supporting: A Title IX Refresher

We all have Title IX reporting obligations. When someone – student or employee – discloses to you that they have been or are currently being subjected to any type of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact, dating violence, domestic violence and/or stalking, report it.

A report is NOT a complaint. A report provides information our college needs to be able to identify and support students and employees in their continued success at NOVA. Reports also allow us to track potential patterns disrupting safety within our community, so we can eradicate these harms, prevent their recurrence and restore our community.

Why do you have to report? When a student or employee discloses sexual misconduct to you, they have put the College on notice. A disclosure may occur verbally during office hours or class discussion or in writing in an email, text message or course assignment. Some disclosures are made by a third party who is concerned about someone in our community. Regardless of how the disclosure is made or when or where events occurred, you must report the disclosure.

Once the College is on notice, we have a legal responsibility to respond promptly in a manner that is not deliberately indifferent. As a community we also want to provide adequate support and care for students, faculty and staff. When someone discloses an incident of sexual misconduct, no matter how vague the description, they may be expressing a need for assistance. Your responsibility is to report the incident to Title IX staff so they can respond appropriately and ensure the impacted person knows their rights, resources and options. You should also tell the person who disclosed that you are reporting the incident, so they are not surprised to receive communications from the Office of Title IX.   

You can find the answers to other questions in the NOVA Employee Reporting Obligations – Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking – FAQ on SharePoint.

• What if the disclosing person tells you they do not want you to report?
• What do you have to include in the report you submit?
• Should you tell your supervisor about the disclosure or that you made a report?
• What if someone says they are going to hurt themselves or someone else?
• Can you follow up with the person who disclosed an incident?

 Interested in additional Title IX training?

Please contact the Office of Title IX at titleix@nvcc.edu with any requests for Title IX training. Thank you.

Submitted by:
Lauren Buchs, Title IX Coordinator, LBuchs@nvcc.edu