FAQ's

GVEO stands for Gender Violence Education and Outreach. 

We provide education and outreach programming to address gender violence on campus.

We are currently housed in the Wellness Center.

Gender violence refers to acts of harm, control, or intimidation that are rooted in power imbalances and often target people because of how they are perceived or treated in society. It can take on many forms including physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual coercion, stalking, etc. Gender violence can occur in platonic or romantic relationships, families, workplaces, and is often reinforced by strict or unhealthy social norms found within a community. 

Gender-based violence can affect anyone, across all cultures and identities.  

We have a core curriculum focused on bystander intervention, consent education, healthy relationships, sexual health and more. We also work with student organizations to develop individual programs unique to those groups' needs. Learn more here! (link to “programs” page) 

Confidential: Resources designated as confidential will not report any information disclosed during conversations. Except in rare, extreme circumstances, nothing will be shared without the permission of the student. This allows survivors to share their experience without reporting to authorities, if that is their choice. CAPS, GV Intervention Coordinator, Clergy, The Office of the Ombuds, and Student Health are considered Confidential. 

Non-Confidential: Non-confidential resources, or responsible employees, have a responsibility to report incidents of sexual assault and other types of sexual misconduct. Most employees at Duke, if not listed under the confidential resource list above, are considered non-confidential at Duke University.   

When you share a report of sexual misconduct, it does not automatically start a formal investigation. You are always in control of what happens next. Making a report simply creates space for your experience to be heard and for you to learn about the resources and options available to support you. If you’d like to explore more about what the reporting process can look like, including what a formal complaint/investigation process can look like, you can find details in our guides below.

What Happens When You Report

Formal Investigation Process

Formal Hearing Process

Students accused of gender violence, either informally or through an official report, are encouraged to receive support. They have all the same access to resources as complainants and are encouraged to reach out. CAPS offers confidential counseling and support for students accused of gender violence. Duke Reach is an additional resource who can assist in connecting to resources.

If a student is a respondent in a disciplinary case being investigated by OIE, they will have the same rights and protections as the complainant. This includes the right to be treated with respect, dignity, sensitivity, and fairness throughout the entire process. As a reminder, a respondent is deemed not responsible for any grievance until a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of the grievance process. Duke Reach can work with students to make sure they have a clear sense of their rights and responsibilities. 

You can find resources and the university definition of Title IX here. 

GVEO's goal is to mitigate gender violence on Duke's Campus through education and the development of pro-social relationships.

The Tile IX Coordinator represents the Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) and they work to promptly and equitably investigate sexual assault and harassment, supporting students during the process.

To put simply, GVEO focuses on prevention while the Title IX Coordinator focuses on intervention through reporting measures. 

Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual harassment which is defined as conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following: 

1. Quid pro quo: An employee of Duke conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit, or service of the institution on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct. 
2. Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity. 
3. Sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking as defined in other federal laws (Clery Act and VAWA). 

You can find more information about Title IX at the Student Conduct page here.

You can report an incident of gender violence to Duke University at any time, regardless of when the incident took place.

Supportive measures are disciplinary, non punitive services provided by Duke to individuals involved in a report of sexual misconduct. They are available to any student, whether or not they choose to file a formal report or participate in the investigative process. Simply put, supportive measures are actions taken by Duke designed to help students continue their education and feel safe without punishing anyone.

Students can work with the Duke Reach and/or the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) to determine which accommodations are appropriate.  

Example of Supportive Measures include:

NO-CONTACT DIRECTIVES 

• Ex. Alex is afraid the respondent will try to talk to her if she sees him on campus. She has also been receiving unwanted text messages and social media requests from him. She can contact Duke Reach or OIE, and they can determine whether a No-Contact directive is appropriate. These are taken very seriously; if this directive is violated, the respondent will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

CHANGE IN SCHEDULE

• Ex. Avery doesn’t feel comfortable going to class because the respondent is in the same class section. Avery can go to the Duke Reach to request a transfer to another class section, so that Avery and their respondent never have to cross paths. 

PARKING PASSES AND ROUTES

• Ex. John’s assaulter is on the tennis team, and John parks in the Blue Zone, so he often has to pass his respondent. John can go to the Duke Reach and the OIE to request a new parking pass, as well as to get help mapping out routes around campus that don’t pass areas his assaulter frequents.   

CHANGE IN DORM 

• Ex. The incident took place in Luz's dorm, and now it is a triggering space for her. She can request to be moved to a new building.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

• Ex. Sam can request extensions on their projects in the aftermath of an assault.  
• Ex. Cassius can connect with his Academic Dean and/or the Time Away Office and discuss taking a leave of absence and or withdrawing from a course past a deadline. 

FURTHER SUPPORTIVE MEASURES

• You can always ask for what you need, and the staff at OIE and Duke Reach will work with you to determine what will be possible or appropriate.

WHY CHOOSE SUPPORTIVE MEASURES?

• Accommodations are accessible and inclusive. You do not have to even file a report to receive supportive measures. You can also receive them regardless of whether you're the complainant, respondent, or a witness.
• Seeking supportive measures does not preclude you from also filing a report, participating in a formal student disciplinary case, and/or asking for a mediated, alternative resolution.