OCOM Discriminatory Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Retaliation Online Complaint Form
OCOM Discriminatory Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Retaliation Policy
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
What to do if you are a victim of sexual assault (Reporting and Resources)
OCOM Employees and Confidentiality
What happens if I make a report under Title IX?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational institutions which receive federal financial assistance. Title IX also prohibits sexual harassment, which includes sexual assault and sexual violence.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
OCOM recognizes the individual dignity of each employee, student, patient, volunteer, and job applicant. OCOM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. OCOM does not consider any of the above attributes in administration of its employment policies, educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan program, and other school-administered programs. In its policies and actions, OCOM will comply with its obligations under state and federal law including Title VI and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Oregon Revised Statutes, and any other applicable law.
Title IX Coordinator
Effective August 2017, OCOM has identified its This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as:
Amber Appleton
75 NW Couch Street
Portland, OR 97209
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
503-253-3443 x106
The Title IX Coordinator’s responsibilities are critical to the development, implementation, and monitoring of meaningful efforts to comply with Title IX legislation, regulation, and case law. In broad terms, the Title IX Coordinator oversees monitoring of college policy in relation to Title IX law developments; implementation of grievance procedures, including notification, investigation and adjudication of complaints; provision of educational materials and training for the campus community; conducting and/or coordinating investigations of complaints received pursuant to Title IX; ensuring a fair and neutral process for all parties; and monitoring all other aspects of OCOM’s Title IX compliance.
Sexual Misconduct
OCOM is committed to providing a healthy learning and work environment for its students, faculty and staff. OCOM works to prevent instances of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault and other forms of sexual and interpersonal violence, and to remediate situations that are found to constitute discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct. If you are, or believe to be, the victim of sexual misconduct, sexual assault, or other forms of violence, there are internal and external resources available to you.
Sexual misconduct is defined as any non-consensual sexual contact or act that violates the rights of another. Sexual misconduct typically involves acts that are severe, persistent and pervasive, but also may be a one-time occurrence. Examples of sexual misconduct include non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, intimate partner or relationship violence, sexual exploitation, bullying, stalking, cyberbullying and sexual harassment.
What to do if you are a victim of sexual assault
Off-Campus Reporting and Resources
- Portland Police Bureau: 911 (Emergency) or 503-823-3333 (non-emergency)
- Portland Women’s Crisis Line (PWCL): 503-235-5333 or www.pwcl.org
Sexual assault advocates are available 24 hours to assist students and help them access community resources. This service is available for individuals regardless of whether they choose to take legal action or not. PWCL can also help link students in domestic violence situations with the appropriate referrals including emergency shelter and support groups.
PWCL maintains an extensive listing of community resources. - Sexual Assault Resource Center: 503-640-5311 or http://sarcoregon.org/
SARC operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating sexual violence in our community through education, support and advocacy. SARC provides access to a 24-hour crisis line and survivor advocates. SARC’s role is to ensure that survivors get the information they need, that they are listened to, and that they are treated with sensitivity, respect and dignity. - Multnomah County Crisis Line: 503-988-4888
Staffed 24 hours/day, 7 days a week, the crisis line provides: - Crisis Counseling by phone, with translation services for non-English speakers
- 24/7 mobile crisis outreach for in-person assessment
- Referral to low-cost or sliding-scale agencies
- Help finding mental health providers, including those who have culturally linguistically specific services
- Information about non-crisis community resources
- Multnomah County Victim Assistance: 503-988-3222 or http://mcda.us/index.php/protecting-victims-families/victim-assistance-program/
Victim advocates are generally assigned in felony and domestic violence cases. Advocates will work directly with crime victims to explain the criminal justice system, including what rights are available to them, provide court accompaniment, offer referral information to appropriate community services and guide victims through the prosecution process. - National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
When you call 800-656-HOPE (4673), you’ll be routed to a local Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) affiliate organization based on the first six digits of your phone number. Cell phone callers have the option to enter the zip code of their current location to more accurately locate the nearest sexual assault service provider.
On-Campus Reporting and Resources
Reporting to the Portland Police is NOT required of any victim of sexual assault, domestic or interpersonal violence with the exception of child or elder abuse. However, reporting to the Portland Police is always an option.
Any reports of sexual misconduct towards or of a MINOR MUST be reported directly to campus safety and security and/or the Portland Police Bureau immediately. There are no exceptions to this policy. The Portland Police Bureau’s non-emergency phone number is: 503-823-0000.
On-Campus Reporting Options:
Reporting experienced, observed, or disclosed harassment or apparent violations of OCOM's Discriminatory Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Retaliation Policy, is strongly encouraged. Any student who believes that they are being or may be subjected to sexual harassment, discrimination, or misconduct in violation of this policy should immediately report it to any one of the following:
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Vice President of Academic Affairs
- Associate Dean of Clinical Education
- Dean of Doctoral Studies
- Associate Dean of Doctoral Studies
Reports can also be filed online by clicking here or the link at the top of the page. Any report submitted online should include a summary of the incident (anonymous reports are accepted) and referrals provided to the complainant within 24 hours of interaction to the Title IX Coordinator (or designee thereof) or program dean. Information should not be shared with ANY department, faculty, or administrator unless requested by the student or determined by the Title IX Coordinator. Upon receipt of the report, the Title IX Coordinator will determine if there is a campus safety issue and act accordingly, as well as determine next steps of action.
OCOM Employees and Confidentiality
All OCOM employees are mandatory reporters, which means they are legally required to notify the Title IX Coordinator when they become aware of a situation involving sexual harassment and/or assault of a student. Reports are kept private to the greatest extent possible unless a risk of safety to the student and/or broader campus community is determined by the Title IX Coordinator. Confidential reporting to an OCOM employee is only available when a student is being treated as a patient by a licensed practitioner. Any OCOM response will take into account the individual’s wishes to the greatest extent possible.
What happens if I make a report under Title IX?
Reports made to the Title IX Coordinator will be investigated to the extent possible and information shared with certain campus administrators, if necessary, to protect the safety of individuals involved and that of the campus community. Reporting to the Title IX Coordinator does not obligate the student to pursue a formal complaint through the college system. A reporting student may choose to engage the formal complaint process at any time. The college may initiate the formal complaint process or take other actions if a threat to the student or greater college community is determined.
Other Resources and Referrals
- Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) Emergency Room: 503-494-7551
OHSU provides 24-hour emergency services for immediate medical needs and forensic exams for survivors of sexual assault. Sexual assault exams are offered by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) through a service called Rapid SAVE Investigation. The founder of Rapid SAVE Investigations attends the Multnomah County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). - Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force Campus Reporting Options Website is a non-OCOM site outlining Title IX rights and reporting options.
- Victims’ Rights Law Center
The VRLC provides holistic legal assistance to victims of rape and sexual assault in Multnomah County.
