Sexual Violence Prevention

Sexual Violence Prevention

Student Right to Know Act states that schools must notify students on where they can obtain information in regards to sex offenders who must register with the state. For students who attend the YTI Career Institute- Altoona, you can obtain this information by contacting the Altoona Police Department at 814-949-2489. For students who attend the YTI Career Institute-Lancaster, you can obtain this information by contacting the East Hempfield Township Police Department at 717-898-3103. For students who attend the YTI Career Institute- York, you can obtain this information by contacting the Springettsbury Township Police Department at 717-757-3521.

Also this information can be obtained by logging on to the Pennsylvania State Police Website at http://www.psp2.state.pa.us/svp/index.htm. You can e-mail the state police and they will send you the information you request electronically.

Information is also available at the following website locations:
US Department of Justice http://www.nsopw.gov/Core/Portal.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Megan's Law https://www.meganslaw.com/

Sexual Assault programs and procedures:

The Sexual Violence Education Program is to increase awareness of and improve every student's understanding of sexual violence and to reduce the likelihood of sexual violence. Individuals who are victims of sexual violence have local, state, and federal rights to report such incidents.

Sexual assault, including rape, is a violation of YTI's Sexual Harassment Policy, as well as a violation of the penal code.

Definitions:

Sexual Assault is a general term used to describe many forms of sexual offenses. Any unwanted sexual contact or sexual attention committed by force, fear, duress, menace, trick or violence is sexual assault. An offense that meets the definition of rape, fondling, incest, or statutory rape as used in the FBI's UCR program.

Sex Offenses is any sexual act directed against another person, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.

Rape is the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

Fondling is the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her age or because of temporary or permanent mental incapacity.

Incest is sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.

Statutory Rape is sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.

Domestic violence includes asserted violent misdemeanor and felony offenses committed by the victim's current or former spouse, current or former cohabitant, person similarly situated under domestic or family violence law, or anyone else protected under domestic or family violence law. It is a general term used to describe abusive behavior that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.

Dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. Includes, by not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. Whether there was such a relationship will be gauged by its length, type, and frequency of interaction.

Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his/her or others' safety, or to suffer substantial emotional distress.

Consent in reference to sexual activity; effective consent is informed, freely and actively given, mutually understandable words and/or actions which indicate a willingness to participate in a mutually agreed upon sexual activity.

Bystander Intervention is safe and positive options carried out by individuals to prevent harm or intervene when there is a risk of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Procedures victims should follow if a sex offense, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking has occurred:

All victims of campus crime are strongly encouraged to report the incident.

It is important to keep the following in mind when reporting an incident:

  1. Get to a safe place.
  2. The importance of preserving evidence. Seek medical attention and preserve any physical evidence.
  3. Students may report any such incidents to any YTI staff or faculty member with complete confidentiality, unless there is a continuing risk to the campus, in which case the faculty member will have to disclose the risk to campus Director of Operations and Education and/or student services in order to issue a timely warning. All YTI staff and faculty must uphold the promise of discretion, concern, sensitivity, and dignity when dealing with such reports. The Student Services Department in conjunction with outside organization and agency assistance are available to assist with carrying out the provisions of the state and federal requirements.
  4. Anonymous reports may be made through the Ethics Hotline:
  5. Options regarding law enforcement and campus authorities, including notification of the victim's option to notify law enforcement if the victim so chooses, and the option to decline to notify such authorities. Campus authorities will assist in notifying authorities, if the victim so chooses.
  6. If a student wants to file a claim with the Title IX Coordinator, he or she may do so at any time.
    -Title IX Coordinator, Randi Wolf, randi.wolf@yti.edu

Prompt, fair, and impartial proceedings in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases:

All incidents reported have the right to a reasonable prompt, fair and impartial proceeding as designated by YTI's policies. Proceedings are all activities related to a non-criminal resolution of the institutional disciplinary complaint, including, but not limited to: fact finding investigations, formal or informal meetings and hearings. This includes the process that allows for the extension of timeframes for good cause and with written notice to the accuser and the accused of the delay and the reason for the delay. This does not include communications and meetings between officials and victims concerning accommodations or protective measures to be provided to the victim.

Proceedings will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with policies and transparent to the accuser and the accused; includes timely notice of meetings at which the accuser or accused, or both, may be present; and provides timely and equal access to the accuser, the accused, and appropriate officials to any information that will be used during informal and formal disciplinary meetings and hearings; and conducted by officials who do not have a conflict of interest or bias or against the accuser or the accused.

Results, including: initial, interim, or final decisions by any official or entity authorized to resolve disciplinary matters within the institution will be communicated to the accuser and the accused simultaneously in writing and in a timely manner. The result will include any sanctions imposed by the institution.

Victims have the right to request accommodations or protective measures to be provided.

Additional Resources

YWCA–Violence Intervention Prevention Program: 717-238-7273 (Harrisburg)

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape Centers YWCA of York/Victim Assistance Center: 717-848-3535 (York)

Bill of rights, consistent with the federal campus sexual assault victims' bill of rights under section 485(f)(8) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)(8)).

Each institution of higher education shall establish and implement a written policy establishing a campus sexual assault victims' bill of rights which provides that the following rights shall be accorded, by all campus officers, administrators and employees of such institution, to victims of campus-related sexual assaults:

You have the following rights:

(1) The right to have any and all sexual assaults against you treated with seriousness; the right, as victims, to be treated with dignity; and the right for campus organizations which assist such victims to be accorded recognition.
(A) that does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation or veteran's status.

(2) The right to have sexual assaults committed against you investigated and adjudicated by the duly constituted criminal and civil authorities of the governmental entity in which the crimes occurred; and the right to the full and prompt cooperation and assistance of campus personnel in notifying the proper authorities.

(3) The right to be free from any kind of pressure from campus personnel that victims--
(A) who chose not to report crimes committed against them to civil and criminal authorities or to campus law enforcement and disciplinary officials; or
(B) who report crimes as lesser offenses than the victims perceive them to be.

(4) The right to be free from any kind of suggestion that campus sexual assault victims not report, or under-report, crimes because--
(A) victims are somehow `responsible' for the commission of crimes against them;
(B) victims were contributorially negligent or assumed the risk of being assaulted; or
(C) by reporting crimes they would incur unwanted personal publicity.

(5) The same right to legal assistance, or ability to have others present, in any campus disciplinary proceeding that the institution permits to the accused; and the right to be notified of the outcome of such proceeding.

(6) The right to full and prompt cooperation and confidentiality from campus personnel in obtaining, securing, and maintaining evidence (including a medical examination) as may be necessary to the proof of criminal sexual assault in subsequent legal proceedings.

(7) The right to be made aware of, and assisted in exercising any options, as provided by State and Federal laws or regulations, with regard to testing of sexual assault suspects for communicable diseases and with regard to notification to victims of the results of such testing.

(8) The right to counseling from any mental health services previously established by the institution, or by other victim-service entities, or by victims themselves.

(9) After campus sexual assaults have been reported, the victims of such crimes shall have the right to require that campus personnel take the necessary steps or actions reasonably feasible to prevent any unnecessary or unwanted contact or proximity with alleged assailants, including immediate transfer of classes if requested by the victims.
(A) both parties shall be informed of the outcome of such requests, in writing within one business day of final results being reached.

Where to go if you or someone you know needs help - Altoona

UPMC Crisis 1-888-7-YOU CAN (1-888-796-8226)
UPMC Altoona 814-889-2011
Contact Altoona 814-946-9050
Family Services, Inc. 814-944-3583

Where to go if you or someone you know needs help - Lancaster

Domestic Violence Services of Lancaster County 717-299-1249
YWCA Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center 717-392-7273

Where to go if you or someone you know needs help - York

YWCA of York/Victim Assistance Center 1-800-422-3204
York Hospital 717-851-2345
Memorial Hospital 717-843-8623
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape Centers YWCA of York/
Victim Assistance Center 717-848-3535

National Help

UPMC Crisis 1-888-7-YOU CAN (1-888-796-8226)
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255
National Center on Domestic & Sexual Violence/ National
Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE