Information for Parents

About Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment on Campus

At Fairfield University, we take the issue of sexual violence and sexual harassment seriously and strive to provide a safe environment where your student can live and work free from exploitation and discrimination based on gender.

Information and Resources for Parents

We believe it is important for you, as parents and guardians, to better understand what sexual misconduct, interpersonal violence and stalking is and what the University is doing to reduce and ultimately eliminate these incidents, support those affected, and to promote a safe and healthy culture for all.

Conversations on Sexual Assault, Relationship Violence, and Stalking

Young adults want close friends and close relationships.  Understanding boundaries and how to treat others as well as ourselves with respect will help our students develop and maintain healthy relationships. Talk with your student about your values around sex and intimate relationships. Encourage your student to explore what they want out of their social life or dating experiences in college. You don’t need to be an expert; discuss topics that arise from news articles, music, television, or current movies as a starting point. Talking about what we want from relationships helps us to build meaningful and lasting connections with others.

Ideas to Help Start Talking

We know these discussions can be difficult, and we believe it is important for your student to know who they can talk to about significant topics, ask questions, or get advice. Your willingness to talk lets your student know they can turn to you if they need support.  Exploring sensitive subjects with those we trust can be the best way to gather information. Research suggests that discussions between parents or guardians and students in the months before and during college help students to avoid harmful behaviors and negative outcomes at college.

Honest communication provides families with the opportunity to talk about healthy relationships, identify their own expectations and values, as well as set a foundation for their students to fully engage in and safely enjoy the college experience. Below are suggested topics to start and continue the conversation.

1. Know the facts:

• One in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.
• More than 90 percent of sexual assaults go unreported.
• Nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment.
• Among college women, nine out of 10 victims of rape and sexual assault know their offender.

1. Discuss what healthy relationships look like.
2. Consent: what it means and doesn’t mean.
3. Challenge norms and beliefs that perpetuate stereotypes.
4. What happens when alcohol and drugs are involved.
5. Identify red flags or potential problem situations.
6. Bystander intervention strategies. What are realistic ways to get involved in a problem situation?

• Distract- Disrupt the situation or insert yourself into their interaction to help the targeted person get out of the situation
• Delegate- Get support from people around you by calling on others for help
• Direct- Confront the harasser, tell them their words and actions are not okay
• Delay- Check in later and make sure they are ok