INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Interpersonal violence includes, but is not limited to, child abuse & neglect, dating violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, stalking, bullying, hazing, and elder abuse. 

When someone experiences any type of interpersonal violence, the abuse directed at them may be physical, sexual, emotional & psychological, verbal, financial, legally or medically coercive, and/or technological (e.g. stalking someone digital devices or apps). 

For a complete understanding of how the Texas A&M University System defines sexual harassment (including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking) in accordance with federal Title IX regulations, you may reference a glossary of terms through the Department of Civil Rights & Equity Investigations. The Department of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations has housed Title IX since 2019, and all allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class is codified under System Rule 08.01.01. 

Healthy Relationships Spectrum 

All relationships exist on a spectrum from healthy to abusive, with unhealthy somewhere in the middle.  

Healthy Relationship: Individuals or partners make decisions together and can openly communicate concerns. They enjoy spending time together but can be happy when apart. When they disagree about something, they communicate in a proactive and non-combative way about how that behavior made them feel and come up with equitable solutions. 

Unhealthy Relationship: Individuals or partners make decisions about the relationship without regard for each other. One person will try to control aspects of the relationship and fail to see how their behavior harms their partner; when confronted about the behavior, the response is usually combative or avoidant. There are feelings of guilt when partners in an unhealthy relationship spend time apart. 

Abusive Relationship: One person in the relationship exercises complete power and control over the other , making all the decisions. When the person exercising this control is questioned, they react with  criticism, insults, jealousy, physical violence, and/or sexual violence. Over time, abusers can manipulate their partner, friend, etc. into complete social and/or financial dependence, making it difficult if not impossible to safely leave the relationship.

Source: LoveIsRespect, National Domestic Violence Hotline 

Learn more from our team about healthy relationships, by requesting one of our presentations.

The Title IX definition of consent is focused on the prevention of sexual assault: Clear, voluntary, and ongoing agreement to engage in a specific sexual act. 

Consent also applies to non-intimate aspects of our everyday lives and is an essential component of establishing/practicing healthy relationships. It has everything to do with the decision-making behind your actions than the actions themselves. Simply put, consent is: An ongoing mutual agreement between partners about what they want to experience (Source: Love Is Respect). 

In your interactions with different people in your life, consent should be a proactive discussion about your boundaries and what you are comfortable doing. Consent should not be reactive, or something that a person or people have to accept or resist in a moment with little planning, discussion, or understanding.   

Learn more from our team about consent, by requesting one of our presentations.

There are four basic steps to helping someone who has experienced interpersonal violence: 

1. Offer to listen and provide emotional support. You do not have to have any answers or solutions. Just listening and providing affirmation of their experience is enough. 
2. Don't give them an ultimatum or judge their experience. They need to decide if and when they want help from formal resources. 
3. Certified advocates can help devise safety plans. If they are in immediate danger, we recommend staying with them while calling a confidential resource for guidance. If someone has experienced a physical or sexual assault, we recommend encouraging them to get medical treatment sooner rather than later. 
4. They know their own situation better than anyone. Your experience is not their experience. For a variety of reasons, someone who is harmed may not seek immediate assistance from resources. Your role as a supporter is to help them understand where resources are located and what they do. This will help them get comfortable with options and decide whether any of those services could help them in the moment. 

Other tips to being a good supporter: Remember the 3 Rs. 

• Recognize: "It takes strength and courage to share this information." 

• Respond: "How can I best support you in this moment?" 

• Refer: "Texas A&M offers resources on- and off-campus that can help you. May I share some of that information with you?" 

Learn more from our team about interpersonal violence prevention, by requesting one of our presentations.

Looking for books, articles, podcasts, documentaries, resources, or national organizations to follow on social media that provide accurate and evidence-based information on the prevention of relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking? Visit our Health Promotion LibGuide, hosted by Texas A&M Libraries: tx.ag/BooksThatSpeakOut 

Title IX at Texas A&M

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sexual harassment, sexual violence, and discrimination on the basis of sex.

The Department of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations (CREI) is charged with the investigation and resolution of alleged violations of Texas A&M University civil rights policies, including Title IX.

Texas A&M strongly encourages students to report incidents of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, or sex discrimination — including discrimination of the basis of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation — in addition to sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, related retaliation, and stalking.

How Can You Make a Report?

• Make a report to Title IX at Texas A&M
• Employees, make a mandatory report to Title IX
• Make a report to law enforcement
• Make an anonymous report

Contact Information

Jennifer Smith, Title IX Coordinator and Assistant Vice President
979-458-8407
[email protected]
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
Location: YMCA Building, Suite 108.
Address: 365 Houston St., College Station, TX 77843-1268

Student Life recognize that many people choose not to disclose their abuse for many reasons. Barriers to reporting can include fear of retaliation, feeling at fault or ashamed, inability to access resources, and fear of not being believed. We believe you, and we are here to support you.