Interpersonal Violence Prevention
Interpersonal violence is the intentional use of physical force or power - threatened or actual - against a person or community that results in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation. These acts can be committed by any person, and their motivation is to have power and control over another individual.
Types of Interpersonal Violence
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 Office of Civil Rights & Title IX. All allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class are codified under System Rule 08.01.01.
Healthy Relationships
All relationships exist on a spectrum from healthy to abusive, with unhealthy somewhere in the middle. Understanding where a relationship falls on that spectrum is one of the most important tools you have.
Healthy Relationship
Both people feel safe, respected, and heard. Communication is open and honest, even when it’s hard. Each person maintains their own identity, friendships, and interests. When conflict arises, it’s resolved through conversation and compromise – not intimidation or control.
Unhealthy Relationship
One person makes decisions without regard for the other or attempts to control aspects of the relationship. When confronted, the response is typically combative or dismissive. Guilt, jealousy, or pressure may be present, but the harm isn’t always obvious – which is part of what makes it difficult to recognize.
Abusive Relationship
One person in the relationship exercises complete power and control over the other – making decisions, using criticism, manipulation, or violence to maintain that control. Over time, this can lead to social or financial dependence that makes it feel impossible to safely leave. If this resonates with your situation, you are not alone, and help is available.
Consent
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.
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.
How to Help
There are four basic steps to helping someone who has experienced interpersonal violence:
- 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.
- Don’t give them an ultimatum or judge their experience. They need to decide if and when they are ready to seek help from formal resources.
- 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 as soon as possible.
- 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 what resources exist so they can make informed decisions when they are ready.
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?”
Books That Speak Out
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 LibGuide, hosted by Texas A&M Libraries.
Reporting
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 Office of Civil Rights and Title IX (CR/T9) 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