Common Terms
No Contact Order (WFU)
A “No Contact Order” can be issued by Title IX or the Office of the Dean of Students to prevent a student from having any type of communication with another student at Wake Forest University. For more information on obtaining a No Contact Order you can contact the Safe Office.
Rape
A particular type of Sexual Assault, defined within the Wake Forest Sexual Misconduct policy as, “Attempted or completed intercourse or penetration (anal, oral or vaginal), however slight, with any body part or any object, by a man or a woman upon a man or a woman, without effective consent. This includes vaginal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger; anal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger; and oral copulation (mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact).”
In January 2012, the FBI expanded their definition of rape to, “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the person.”
In the state of North Carolina, “rape” legally refers to penile penetration of the vagina. All other forms of unwanted penetration are referred to as “sexual offenses.”
Keeping in mind the local and national laws, we want to provide a disclaimer that these laws do not cover every case of rape. Heteronormativity is not something we accept at the Safe Office and we are dedicated to providing support to all those impacted in ways that the law does not account for. Additionally, the Safe office staff will provide support to anyone who needs to navigate through exclusionary legalities on top of issues of interpersonal violence.
Relationship Violence
One person using a pattern of behaviors to control the other person with whom they are involved in any type of relationship (romantic, roommate, friend, family, etc.). Anyone can be a victim of relationship violence, and often people who are in abusive relationships do not view themselves as victims and their abusers do not see themselves as being abusive. People often view relationship violence as physical violence, such as hitting. However, relationship violence can take on many forms, such as psychological, emotional, financial, or sexual abuse.
SART (Sexual Assault Response Team)
A team of health care providers (e.g. forensic nurses, ER doctors, law enforcement, victim advocates, and mental health professionals) that are specially trained in responding to victims of sexual assault. This team works together to ensure that sexual assault survivors receive comprehensive medical attention, evidence collection examinations, emotional support, and resource information.
Sexual Assault
(Also see: Sexual Violence) Any sex act or sexual contact against someone’s will, without consent, or when someone is unable to freely give consent. In most sexual assaults, no weapons are used except for force. Force can include the use of verbal, physical or emotional pressure or manipulation, substances, threats, coercion and/or the use of alcohol or other drugs.
Some lesser-known examples of sexual assault include voyeurism, exhibitionism, and sexual harassment. Sexual Assault can occur in different situations such as in an isolated place, on a date, at a party, or in the home of you or someone that you know. Sexual assault may be committed by a stranger, however, it is most often perpetrated by someone that the victim knows.
Sexual Harassment
The misuse of power, involving two people of perceived unequal authority and status, in a situation that has sexual overtones. It is manifest in a range of behaviors that bring unwanted, unwelcomed attention directed toward a person’s or group’s sexuality or sexual identity.
The Wake Forest Sexual Misconduct policy defines Sexual Harassment as, “A form of discrimination that includes verbal, written, or physical behavior of a sexual nature, directed at someone, or against a particular group, because of that person’s or group’s sex, or based on gender stereotypes, when that behavior is unwelcome and meets either of the following criteria: (1) Submission or consent to the behavior is reasonably believed to carry consequences for the student’s education, employment, on-campus living environment, or participation in a University activity. […] (2) The behavior has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the student’s work or educational performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or demeaning environment for employment, education, on-campus living, or participation in a University activity.”
The Safe Office recognizes that while some parts of the issue are covered by the Wake Forest Sexual Misconduct policy, there are more factors that play into who is more likely to experience discrimination in the form of sexual and relationship violence and/or stalking. It is important to think about how different identities intersect with each other, to put one at further risk of experiencing harassment. Race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability status are all factors which the Safe Office staff values when talking about issues of sexual harassment. We are here to support anyone who not only has been affected by relationship and sexual violence but who also wants to talk about what the university’s policies do not account for. Disclosing survivorship is not a requirement for us. If you wish to come to talk to us about how you feel the University’s policy wording is exclusive, we would love to see you at the Safe Office.
Sexual Misconduct
The Wake Forest University Sexual Misconduct Policy defines “Sexual Misconduct” as, “any act of a sexual nature perpetrated against an individual without effective consent or when an individual is unable to freely give consent.” Wake Forest University uses the term “Sexual Misconduct” to discuss acts of sexual violence that may constitute both a violation of University policy and criminal activity.
Sexual Violence
(Also see: Sexual Assault) A broad term that includes rape, incest, child sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment, exhibitionism, and voyeurism.
Stalking
Legal definitions may vary by jurisdiction, but stalking is generally defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a person to feel fear. Stalking is a crime in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and the federal government as well as a violation of the Wake Forest University Sexual Misconduct Policy. Stalking is serious, often violent, and can escalate over time.
Survivor
(Also see: Victim) Someone who has experienced the crime and trauma of interpersonal violence. Often used instead of “victim,” particularly when someone is healing or empowered after the violence. Most people do not like to think of themselves as victims in any way, and it can be empowering for an individual to refer to themselves as a “survivor” instead.
Victim
(Also see: Survivor) Someone who has experienced the crime and trauma of interpersonal violence.
Adapted from
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), Stalking Resource Center, and UNC-Chapel Hill