George Mason University Policies
George Mason University Sexual Assault Policy
Effective 1993, Revised 2000, 2003
This policy applies equally to all members of the George Mason University community: students, faculty, administrators, staff, contract employees and visitors.
The university is committed to providing an institutional environment where all persons may pursue their studies, careers, duties, and activities in an atmosphere free of threat of unwelcome and unwanted sexual actions. It strongly condemns sexual offenses, will not tolerate sexual offenders, and supports those who have been victimized.
Sexual assault includes the attempt or act of rape (sexual intercourse without consent or with a child under the age of thirteen, by a stranger, an acquaintance or an intimate), forced sodomy (forced oral or anal sex), or the forced penetration by a foreign object either animate, such as a finger, or inanimate. Non-penetration sexual assault includes the act of touching an unwilling person’s intimate parts such as genitalia, anus, groin, breast, or buttocks, or the clothing covering these parts, or forcing an unwilling person to touch another’s intimate parts.
The above acts constitute sexual assault when they are committed against a person’s will as evidenced by refusal of consent or through the use of force, threat, manipulation, or intimidation, or against a person who, by virtue of mental incapacity or physical helplessness, is unable to give or withhold consent. This includes, but is not limited to, incapacity or helplessness caused by alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication of the assailant shall not diminish the assailant’s responsibility for the sexual assault.
The university will respond promptly, fairly, and decisively to all reports of sexual assault. Members of the university community accused of sexual assault will be subject to university disciplinary procedures when the alleged incident has occurred on campus or when the incident has occurred off campus and materially affects the learning environment or operations of the university.
Sexual assaults are serious violations of the university’s student judicial code, faculty standards and university employee policies. They are crimes under state law and punishable by fines and /or imprisonment. In addition, these actions are subject to civil suit for damages.
George Mason University is compliant with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act) as amended in 1998, which requires all post-secondary institutions to publish and distribute certain information regarding campus crimes, including reports of campus sexual assault, sexual assault policies and security programming to all current students, employees and to any applicant who so requests.
George Mason University shall make 24-hour assistance available to those who have been affected by sexual assault through the Office of Sexual Assault Services.
This sexual assault policy was revised by the George Mason University Sexual Assault Services Campus-Community Coordinating Council and approved through the University review process. For more information on sexual assault or this policy please contact Sexual Assault Services at 703-993-4364.
For more information about Special Procedures for Adjudicating Charges of Sexual Misconduct, please click here.
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