Definitions

Definitions. In this Act: "Awareness programming" means institutional action designed to communicate the prevalence of sexual violence, including without limitation training, poster and flyer campaigns, electronic communications, films, guest speakers, symposia, conferences, seminars, or panel discussions. "Bystander intervention" includes without limitation the act of challenging the social norms that support, condone, or permit sexual violence. "Complainant" means a student who files a complaint alleging violation of the comprehensive policy through the higher education institution's complaint resolution procedure. "Comprehensive policy" means a policy created and implemented by a higher education institution to address student allegations of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. "Confidential advisor" means a person who is employed or contracted by a higher education institution to provide emergency and ongoing support to student survivors of sexual violence with the training, duties, and responsibilities described in Section 20 of this Act. "Higher education institution" means a public university, a public community college, or an independent, not-for-profit or for-profit higher education institution located in this State. "Primary prevention programming" means institutional action and strategies intended to prevent sexual violence before it occurs by means of changing social norms and other approaches, including without limitation training, poster and flyer campaigns, electronic communications, films, guest speakers, symposia, conferences, seminars, or panel discussions. "Respondent" means a student involved in the complaint resolution procedure who has been accused of violating a higher education institution's comprehensive policy. "Sexual violence" means physical sexual acts attempted or perpetrated against a person's will or when a person is incapable of giving consent, including without limitation rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse, and sexual coercion. "Survivor" means a student who has experienced sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking while enrolled at a higher education institution. "Survivor-centered" means a systematic focus on the needs and concerns of a survivor of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking that (i) ensures the compassionate and sensitive delivery of services in a nonjudgmental manner; (ii) ensures an understanding of how trauma affects survivor behavior; (iii) maintains survivor safety, privacy, and, if possible, confidentiality; and (iv) recognizes that a survivor is not responsible for the sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. "Trauma-informed response" means a response involving an understanding of the complexities of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking through training centered on the neurobiological impact of trauma, the influence of societal myths and stereotypes surrounding sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, and understanding the behavior of perpetrators. (Source: P.A. 99-426, eff. 8-21-15.)