UCR's Office of Civil Rights (formerly the Office of Title IX, Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action), as part of its mission to promote equity and create a working, living and learning climate free from discrimination and harassment, enforces UC anti-discrimination policies.  The two most important policies are the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, which we call the SVSH Policy, and the UC's Anti-Discrimination Policy. This website focuses on the SVSH Policy.  For information on the Anti-Discrimination Policy, which covers sex-based discrimination (and other types of discrimination and harassment, such as racial), please visit our main office website.  

MAKE An online report of discrimination, harassment, bias, hate, sexual violence, or retaliation

The SVSH Policy prohibits harassment based on sex.  It also prohibits retaliation for people who make a report of sexual harassment or engage in other protected activities. 

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct that is sexual in nature or otherwise based on sex and that is severe, persistent or pervasive and creates an intimidating or offensive environment.  

• Sometimes this type of harassment is sexual conduct--like someone repeatedly asking someone out for a date after they have said no (for example). 
• Sexual harassment can be hostility towards one gender (like a woman who is more critical of her male staff), or someone who makes repeated offensive jokes about someone because they do not fit their idea of a stereotypical "man" or "woman" (for example).  
• Deliberately misgendering someone such as by repeatedly using the wrong pronouns or refusing to use their lived name can be sexual harassment. 

The Policy prohibits several types of sexual violence.  

Sexual violence is conduct that is, by its nature, severe and understood to create an intimidate or offensive environment (and so to constitute sexual harassment).  The types of sexual violence are:

• Sexual assault.  Sexual assault basically is sexual physical contact without consent.  There are two types of sexual assault, penetration and contact.  The full definition is found in the SVSH Policy.  
   
• Relationship violence, including dating violence and domestic violence.  Relationship violence basically is physical violence in the context of a close relationship and part of a pattern of abusive behavior.  Conduct that causes someone to fear physical violence may also be relationship violence (if, again, it is part of a pattern and in the context of a close relationship). The full definition is found in the SVSH Policy.  
   
• Stalking.   Stalking basically is repeated conduct that causes someone fear for their safety or substantial emotional distress, when the conduct is based on or motivated by sex (such as romantic interest).  Examples of stalking include following, monitoring, or surveilling. The full definition is found in the SVSH Policy.  
   
• Sexual Exploitation.  Taking sexual advantage of another, such as facilitating sexual assault, trafficking or prostituting another, or lying about contraception use in order to get someone to engage in a specific sexual act. 

Retaliation is any conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from reporting sex-based harassment or participating in an investigation or resolution process, such as harassment or intimidation.  The full definition is found in the SVSH Policy.  

The SVSH Policy also prohibits invasion of sexual privacy, sexual exploitation, exposure, sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 18, and failing to comply with a no-contact order or suspension or order of exclusion.  

The SVSH Policy establishes the procedures UCR uses to resolve reports of sex-based harassment (conduct that violates the Policy).  There are different procedures available depending on whether the person reported to have engaged in the conduct is a student, faculty member, or staff, and whether the conduct is covered by the 2020 Title IX Regulations. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: The SVSH Policy and UCR's jurisdiction are limited.   Our resolution processes are most appropriate for matters that relate to current UCR students, employees (including volunteers), contractors/vendors, visitors, guests and patients), and that occurred:

1. on UCR property
2. in connection with UCR employment or in the context of a UCR program or activity, or
3. off UCR property and outside a UCR program or activity but with continuing adverse effect on UCR property, program or activity.   

Determining whether the Policy applies or whether or what process and measures may be used for a specific matter can be complicated; Title IX staff can answer questions you have about this, or you may read the Policy to learn more.  

IMPORTANT NOTE: The current version of the Policy only applies to conduct alleged to have occurred on or after the effective date of the Policy.  Previous versions of the SVSH Policy and adjudication frameworks are archived on this website.