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There are many University and community resources available to our students and employees who are affected by sex discrimination and gender-based violence. This guide can help you navigate University policies and procedures, reporting options, and support resources.
This resource card contains contact information for numerous community resources, including 24-hour helplines, veteran services, and organizations that can provide assistance with housing/shelter, mental health, food, clothing, and medical services.
This guide by the University of Hawai‘i, Office of Institutional Equity explains employees’ responsibilities under Interim EP. 1.204.
Consent is an affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in agreed upon forms of sexual contact.
Since different people may experience the same interactions differently, each party is responsible for making sure that partners have provided ongoing, clear consent to engaging in any sexual activity or contact.
A person may withdraw consent at any time during sexual activity or contact through words or actions. If that happens, the other party must immediately cease the activity or contact. Pressuring another person into sexual activity can constitute coercion, which is also considered to be sexual misconduct.
Silence to some forms of sexual activity (e.g., kissing, fondling, etc.) should not be construed as consent for other kinds of sexual activities (e.g., intercourse).
Being or having been in a dating relationship with the other party does not mean that consent for sexual activity exists. Previous consent to sexual activity does not imply consent to sexual activity in the future.
To legally give consent in Hawai’i, individuals must be at least 16 years old.
View detailed information on Campus Climate surveys and previous University of Hawai‘i Campus Climate Survey results from the Office of Institutional Equity.
Climate surveys are important tools to gauge students’ attitudes, behaviors, and standards. The University of Hawai‘i and the University of Hawai‘i President David Lassner are committed to raising awareness about sexual harassment and gender-based violence, addressing students’ experiences and concerns about their personal safety, and ensuring a safe learning and working environment.
The University of Hawai‘i’s Campus Climate Surveys represent this commitment and fulfill the requirements of Section 304A-120 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (Act 208 (2016)), which mandates that the University of Hawai‘i conduct a campus climate survey of students by March 31, 2017, and repeat the survey every two years.
The University of Hawai‘i’s Climate Surveys have focused on measuring student’s attitudes, behaviors and standards in the context of trying to address and prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
PAU Violence Kaua`i (Prevention of Violence Through Awareness & Understanding)
Visit the PAU Violence Kaua`i website
PAU Violence is a University of Hawai‘i system-wide program which promotes the prevention, awareness, and understanding of violence through educational events, awareness, and training for the campus community. All employees and students are welcome to participate in events and/or become a member. PAU Violence Kaua’i can also partner up for events with individuals, groups, and organizations.
To request to partner with PAU Violence Kauai for an event, please complete an online form.
To become a member and for more information, contact:
Shaunte Sadora, Co-Chair
Phone: (808) 245-8337
Email: ssadora@hawaii.edu
Cheryl Lum, Co-Chair
Phone: (808) 245-8351
Email: cstig@hawaii.edu
View information on Federal law, National guidance, Hawaiʻi state law, and legislative reports from the Office of Institutional Equity.
Visit the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) website
From the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
The mission of the OCR is “to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.”
The OCR enforces several Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin); Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (prohibits sex discrimination); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability); and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (prohibits age discrimination.) Most of OCR's activities are conducted by its twelve enforcement offices throughout the country. These enforcement officers are organized into four divisions carrying out OCR's core work -- preventing, identifying, ending, and remedying discrimination against America's students.
A complaint of discrimination can be filed by anyone who believes that an educational institution that receives Federal financial assistance has discriminated against someone on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. The person or organization filing the complaint need not be a victim of the alleged discrimination but may complain on behalf of another person or group.
- Visit the Office for Civil Rights website for more information
- Visit “How to File a Discrimination Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights” for information on filing a discrimination complaint with the Office for Civil Rights
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
915 Second Avenue Room 3310
Seattle, WA 98174-1099
Telephone: (206) 607-1600; DD: (800) 877-8339
Fax: (206) 607-1601
Email: OCR.Seattle@ed.gov
Visit the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) website for detailed and comprehensive information on Title IX.
The OIE oversees the University of Hawai‘i’s centralized initiatives for preventing, reporting and responding to sex discrimination, including sexual and gender based harassment, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.
Its staff provides technical assistance and support to all of the University’s ten campuses and centers in relation to complying with Title IX and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and coordinates University policy and initiatives designed to maintain and promote campus environments for University faculty, staff, students and visitors that are free from sex discrimination and gender based violence.