Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA)
On March 7, 2013, President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) (Pub. Law 113-4) which, among other provisions, amedned section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), otherwise known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). VAWA amended the Clery Act to require institutions to compile statistics for incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to include certain policies, procedures, and programs pertaining to these incidents in their annual security reports (ASRs).
Platt College adheres to the VAWA of 2013 and includes annual security reports online to students, employees, prospective students, and the general public.
The Higher Education Act defines the new crime categories of domestic violence, dating violences, and stalking in accordance with section 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 as follows:
- Domestic violence means a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by: (1) a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, (2) a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, (3) a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, (4) a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies [under VAWA], or (5) any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person's acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.
- Dating violence means violence committed by a person: (1) who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and (2) where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: (a) the length of the relationship, (b) the type of relationship, and (c) the frequency of interaction between the persons involvedin the relationship.
- Stalking means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to (1) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or (2) suffer substantial emotional distress.
Under the VAWA, the following are considered crime categories:
- Rape and Forcible Fondling
- Dating Violence
- Domestic Violence
- Stalking (including cyber-stalking)
Helpful Links Available for Students and Employees Regarding Sexual Assault
What to Do if You Have Been Sexually Assaulted
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Sexual Assault and/or Harassment