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Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence includes intimate partner violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual assault. It’s important to talk about gender-based violence because victims and perpetrators can be people of any gender, race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Sometimes these types of violence are hard to spot, so having a better understanding of them can help create a safer campus community and ensure every student has a healthy and safe experience at TCU. 

Intimate partner violence. Described as someone using power to gain or maintain control over another person. Intimate partner violence can take on many names – dating violence, domestic violence and partner violence – but it’s all the same thing: a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship. Many people initially think of physical abuse. But intimate partner violence often includes emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse.

Someone who is trying to gain or maintain power and control over their partner might minimize the abuse and that person’s response to it. They might say things like “you’re being too sensitive,” or “it’s not that big of a deal.” Some examples of intimate partner violence include:

  • Threats or intimidation
    • Threatening to hurt their partner, their family or their pets
    • Blaming partner for the abuse
  • Possessiveness
    • Insisting on knowing the other person’s whereabouts at all times.
    • Looking through partner’s texts, emails, social media accounts
    • Censoring partner’s clothing choices
    • Refusing to use or not letting the other person use birth control methods
  • Harassment
    • Constantly texting/calling their partner
    • Following partner to make sure they go to the places they said they were going
    • Sending nude photos
  • Humiliation
    • Ridiculing religious faith, or using religion as a means of control.
    • Name calling, taunts, constant criticism or put-downs.
    • Belittling or demeaning comments
    • Sharing a partner’s nude photos
  • Limiting independence
    • Controlling finances, like taking wages or putting someone on an allowance.
    • Making all the important decisions.
  • Isolation
    • Isolating the victim from family and friends, and possibly putting them down.

Stalking. Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person which would cause a reasonable person to

  1. fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or
  2. suffer significant mental suffering or anguish.

People are most likely to be stalked by someone they know, such as a friend, current or former partner, acquaintance, or someone they met online. Some examples of stalking include:

  • Repeated/unwanted emails, texts, phone calls, direct messages
  • Showing up where someone is because they know that person’s schedule
  • Monitoring emails, texts, phone calls, social media accounts
  • Sending unwanted gifts to someone
  • Contacting or posting about someone on social media
  • Using friends and/or family to get information about someone

Harassment can be defined by behavior that is aggressive pressure or intimidation. Harassment can encompass a wide variety of situations and aggressors; here are two that relate specifically to Gender-based violence:

  • Gender-Based Harassment: Unwelcome conduct based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, which may include acts of aggression, intimidation, or hostility, whether verbal or non-verbal, graphic, physical or otherwise, even if the acts do not involve contact of a sexual nature.
    • Making gender-related comments about a person’s appearance or mannerisms
    • Bullying someone using gender-related comments or conduct
    • Treating a person badly because they don’t fit stereotypic gender roles
  • Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct that is based on sex or is sexual in nature.
    • Unwelcome remarks about a person’s clothing or body
    • Explicit sexual questions, innuendoes, gestures, jokes, stories, and anecdotes
    • Someone inquiring about your sexual activities
    • pressure to accept social invitations, to meet privately, to date, or to have sexual relations
    • Submitting unfair or inaccurate job or academic evaluations or grades, or denying training, promotion, or access to any other employment or academic opportunity, because sexual advances have been rejected

Sexual assault. Known as any sexual activity lacking consent, including instances where a person is incapable of giving consent. Sexual assault includes a wide range of behaviors such as:

  • Any non-consensual sexual contact
  • Groping, touching
  • Making sexual comments (incl. catcalling, sexting, comments on social media)
  • Attempted or completed rape

As Horned Frogs, we play an active role in helping reduce violence on our campus. We strive to support our friends when they reach out to us for help.

How to Support a Survivor

Do’s

Listen: The first thing you can do to help is to listen and be supportive.

Believe: The fear of not being believed is a real concern for people who have experienced an assault or interpersonal violence

Support: Support the survivor/victim and encourage them, but do not force them, to get support.

Be Respectful: Be respectful of the survivor/victim and their privacy and confidentiality.

Don’t

Blame the Survivor: Don’t blame a survivor for what happened or make them feel guilty for what happened.

Be Judgmental: Understand people react differently to situations and they need your support even more following a traumatic incident.

Make Decisions for Them: It is important to empower a survivor to make their own decisions about what to do following an incident, including decisions surrounding reporting and seeking help.

Texas Christian University DOES NOT tolerate any forms of violence. If you experience any of these forms of violence, know that it’s not your fault, and we’re here to help.

Gender-based violence is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. If you or someone you know has experienced gender-based violence, we urge you to seek help from resources not only at TCU but in the community. If you would like to report an instance of gender-based violence, please contact the TCU Office of Institutional Equity at 817-257-8228 or in-person at

The Harrison, Suite 1800

If you would like to speak with a confidential advocate, please contact our TCU CARE advocate at www.care.tcu.edu/report. For more information on TCU’s Title IX policy and definitions, visit www.care.tcu.edu/definitions

Dean of Students
The Harrison, Suite 1600
817-257-7926
deanofstudents@tcu.edu

Counseling & Mental Health Center
Jarvis Hall, Suite 232
817-257-7863
24/7 Counseling Line 817-257-SAFE (257-7233)

Health Center
2825 Stadium Drive
Fort Worth TX 76109
817-257-7940
817-257-7940 (After hours advice)
Contact

TCU Campus Police
3025 Lubbock
Fort Worth, Texas 76129
Emergency: 817.257.7777
Non-Emergency: 817.257.8400
Administration: 817.257.7933
Criminal Investigation: 817.257.4404
Crime Prevention: 817.257.7276
Traffic & Parking: 817.257.6889
Transportation Services: 817.257.7930
Tip Line/Report a Crime