Case Western Reserve University uses specific, impartial language throughout our process. The terms below refer to individuals and terms most often involved in investigations of sexual harassment.
Complaint (formal)
A document submitted or signed by a Complainant or signed by the Title IX Coordinator alleging sexual harassment or retaliation for engaging in protected activity against a Respondent and requesting that the university investigate the allegation.
Complainant
An individual who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sexual harassment or retaliation for engaging in a protected activity.
Respondent
An individual who as been reported to be the perpetrator of conduct that could constitute sexual harassment or retaliation for engaging in protected activity.
Witness
Individual(s) who may have information pertinent to the report, may have directly seen behavior, or have been in contact or proximity with Reporting Party or Responding Party around the time of the behavior.
Advisor
A person chose by a party or appointed by the institution to accompany the party to meetings related to the resolution process, to advise the party on that process, and to conduct cross-examination for the party at the Process "A" hearing, if any.
Confidential Resource
An employee who is not a Mandated Reporter of notice of sexual harassment or retaliation (irrespective of Clery Act Campus Security Authority status) For CWRU, it is anyone in University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) and the Student Advocate for Gender Violence Prevention and Outreach. The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) are off-campus confidential resources.
Education Program or Activity
Locations, events, or circumstances where CWRU exercises substantial control over both the Respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurs and also includes any building owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by CWRU.
Mandated Reporter
An employee of the CWRU who is obligated by policy to share knowledge, notice, and/or reports of sexual harassment or retaliation with the Title IX Coordinator. All employees (including resident assistants, teaching assistants and orientation leaders) are mandated reporters.
Sexual Harassment
An umbrella category including the offenses of sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence.
Sextortion or Image Abuse
Sexortion, or "image abuse", is a form of blackmail in which a person threatens to expose explicit images of an individual in order to make the individual do something, such as pay money to the blackmailer. The perpetrator may either be a stranger or a formromantic partner and the goal is to harass, embarrass, control, and/or exploy the victim. For more information, click here.