Safe Connect

Title IX and the DOJ Campus Grant both exist to help keep students safe, but they do so in different ways. Title IX is a federal law that protects students from sex- and gender-based discrimination, including sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and harassment. On campus, Title IX is the office students can go to when something has already happened and they need support, accommodations, or want to make a report. They help connect students to resources, explain options, and, if a student chooses, guide them through a complaint or investigation process.

The DOJ Campus Grant, on the other hand, focuses more on prevention, education, and strengthening how the campus supports survivors. Through this grant, schools can offer programs like Safe Connect, provide training on consent and healthy relationships, support bystander intervention, and partner with campus and community organizations that specialize in survivor advocacy. While Title IX responds when harm occurs, the DOJ Campus Grant helps create a safer campus culture by working to prevent harm and make it easier for students to get help. Together, they work to ensure students not only have rights and protections when something goes wrong, but also a campus environment that prioritizes safety, respect, and support.

The CCRT (Coordinated Community Response Team) is a group of trained individuals who work together to support students when something serious or harmful happens, like sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, stalking, or other safety concerns. Their job is to make sure students get the help they need—whether that’s medical care, counseling, academic support, accommodations, or reporting options—without having to figure it all out on their own. The CCRT focuses on safety, support, and respect for each student’s choices, and they work to help people feel heard, believed, and connected to the right resources.

Here at WNE, our CCRT is made up of faculty and staff from different departments/divisions, including Public Safety, Center for Health and Well-Being, Dean of Students, Title IX, Student Outreach and Support, Student Accessibility Services, Residence Life, Athletics, and the College of Arts & Sciences, and external community partners from the YWCA and the Hampden County District Attorney's Office. This means students have access to a wide range of experts who can help with whatever they might need.

Supporting a friend who has experienced dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (DVSAS) starts with believing them and listening without judgment. Let them share what they want, at their own pace, and avoid asking questions that sound like blame or doubt. You don’t need to have all the right words or solutions—just being there, telling them you’re glad they told you, and reminding them that what happened was not their fault can mean a lot. It also helps to respect their choices about what they want to do next, whether that’s getting help, making a report, or not doing anything right now. You can offer to walk with them to talk to a counselor, advocate, or campus resource, or help them find information, but don’t pressure them. Most importantly, keep their story private unless they say it’s okay to share, and continue to check in with them so they know they’re not alone.

The Guardian Reporting System is an online tool WNE uses to give students a safe and easy way to report concerns, incidents, or situations that don’t feel right. It can be used to report things like sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, harassment, or other safety issues, and you can usually choose whether to submit your report with your name or anonymously. You can find the Guardian link on WNE’s Title IX website or by following this link: Guardian Reporting Form.

Once you open it, you’ll be guided through a form where you describe what happened, where and when it took place, and who was involved. You can share as much or as little detail as you feel comfortable with and, in many cases, upload screenshots or files. After you submit, trained campus staff review the report and, if you include your contact information, they will reach out to offer support, resources, or explain your options. The goal of the Guardian Reporting System is to make it easier to speak up, get help, and keep the campus community safer.

Consent means that everyone involved freely and clearly agrees to what is happening, every step of the way. It is an enthusiastic and willing “yes,” not just the absence of a “no.” Consent must be given without pressure, fear, guilt, or manipulation, and it can be taken back at any time, even if something has already started. A person also must be able to make that choice, which means they must be awake, sober, and in a clear state of mind. Consent applies to each new action, so agreeing to one thing does not mean agreeing to everything. In simple terms, if it is not a clear and willing yes, it is not consent.

Asking for consent means checking in with the other person in a clear and respectful way to make sure they feel comfortable and want what is happening. It can be as simple as asking things like, “Is this okay?”, “Do you want to keep going?”, or “Do you want to do this?” and then really listening to their answer. It’s not just about asking once—it’s about continuing to check in, because people are allowed to change their mind at any time. Paying attention to someone’s words and body language is important, and if they seem unsure, uncomfortable, or say no, the right thing to do is to stop. Asking for consent isn’t awkward or a mood-killer—it shows care, respect, and that you value the other person’s comfort and boundaries.