Cape Cod Community College seeks to ensure a safe and secure campus environment for all of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We have established procedures and response systems to maintain a peaceful and productive educational atmosphere in which to learn, teach, and work. Public Safety has partnered with Student Wellness to address mental health situations on campus and provide alternatives to enforcement whenever appropriate.
If you are concerned for the well-being of anyone at any of our Cape Cod Community College facilities, please know that there are resources available to help. You may file a report with the college's behavioral intervention team or consult the posted resources for students and employees listed on this website.
Please make sure your information is updated on the 4Cs Emergency Notification System (Rave).
Familiarize yourself with exits, evacuation routes.
In an emergency follow instructions of the Public Safety, your instructor, and/or college administrators.
Should you become aware of communications, actions, or behaviors that are perceived as inappropriate, please inform Public Safety, faculty or staff immediately.
If you have an active Restraining Order, Harassment Protection Order, or any other court order, please file it with the Public Safety.
If you have or develop special needs advise your instructor or the O'Neill Center for Student Access & Support.
For emergencies on the main campus, call 4349 for Public Safety or call 911 from any campus location.
According to federal law, specifically the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (re-named the Clery Act in 1998), the public safety department is required to report "statistics concerning the occurrence of certain criminal offenses reported to the local police agency or any official of the institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities." Additionally, the college must designate employees to serve in the role of Campus Security Authority (CSA).
The definition of "Campus Security Authority", according the federal law, is as follows: "An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings." For example, a dean of students who oversees a student center or student extra-curricular activities, has significant responsibility for student and campus activities. Similarly, faculty advisor to a student group also have significant responsibility for student and campus activities. A single teaching faculty member is unlikely to have significant responsibility for student and campus activities, except when serving as an advisor to a student group.
The criminal offenses that we are required to report are murder/non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, sex offenses (forcible and non-forcible), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, liquor law violations, drug violations and/or illegal weapons possession, crimes which involve domestic/intimate partner violence, and stalking.
We are also required to report statistics for hate (bias) related crimes for the following classifications: murder/non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, sex offenses (forcible and non-forcible), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, vandalism, intimidation, simple assault, liquor law violations, drug violations and/or illegal weapons possession.
We are required to report offenses that occur on campus, in non-campus property and on public property adjacent to our properties.
If a serious crime that may cause an ongoing threat to the campus community is reported to anyone who is defined as a Campus Security Authority, that individual should not wait until the end of the year to report that incident. The institution has a responsibility to notify the campus community about any crimes which pose an ongoing threat to the community, and as such, Campus Security Authorities are obligated by law to report crimes immediately to the police department. If there is any question about whether an ongoing threat exists, immediately contact Public Safety at x4349.
Domestic Violence (also called Relationship Violence) can be defined as a pattern of behaviors by an intimate partner that may include physical, sexual, economic and/or emotional abuse, for the purpose of establishing or maintaining power and control over the other partner. While domestic violence occurs in all types of relationships and between people of all genders, it is overwhelmingly a problem of violence perpetrated by men against women.
Physical Abuse can include: slapping, punching, kicking, use of weapons, throwing objects, denial of physical needs (food, sleep, medical attention) to control or scare partner.
Sexual Abuse can include: non-consenting sexual acts/behaviors, use of force (including threats/weapons), "guilt-tripping" partner into having sex, degrading or sexually attacking comments aimed at partner, or any touch that is unwanted.
Emotional Abuse can include: blaming partner for everything that goes wrong, controlling what partner does, wears, reads, limiting contact with family and friends, threats of future abuse, telling children, family or friends lies about partner to control or manipulate partner.
Note: Emotional abuse is often the core of an abusive relationship. There are services available whether or not the abuse becomes physical or a crime has occurred. See our Resources link to find out about services and support.
Economic Abuse can include: control of assets, car, credit card, refusal to let partner get a job, puts bills in partner's name, then runs up charges, refusal of access to money, food, clothing and other basic needs.
Even though every relationship is different, these common warning signs are often part of a relationship that is abusive. Many abusive relationships include some of these warning signs but may not include all of them. If you think your relationship might be unhealthy or abusive, there is help available. See our Resources link to find out about services and support.
Does your partner:
Do you:
See also: ChangingOurCampus.org
The abuse of alcohol and other drugs is a serious problem for many people. Alcohol and drug abuse can damage body organs, impair brain activity, and harm mental and emotional health. The illnesses, accidents, and violence caused by alcohol and drug abuse can result in death.
To address the problem of alcohol and other drug use at Cape Cod Community College and to comply with federal laws governing drug use and abuse in schools and the workplace, Cape Cod Community College has adopted and implemented a program to prevent the illicit use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol by students and employees.
These community agencies and/or groups are available to provide assistance to persons with substance abuse problems.
Massachusetts Hate Crime Law
Hate crimes are against the law. It is the policy of the Cape Cod Community College Public Safety Department to safeguard the State and Federal rights of all individuals irrespective of their race, religion, ethnicity, handicap, sexual orientation, and gender and to treat seriously any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes that infringe upon these rights.
MGL Chapter 265 Section 39 states: "(a) Whoever commits an assault or a battery upon a person or damages the real or personal property of a person with the intent to intimidate such person because of such person's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than two and one-half years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The court may also order restitution to the victim in any amount up to three times the value of property damage sustained by the owners of such property. For the purposes of this section, the term "disability" shall have the same meaning as "handicap" as defined in subsection 17 of section one of chapter one hundred and fifty-one B; provided, however, that for purposes of this section, the term "disability" shall not include any condition primarily resulting from the use of alcohol or a controlled substance as defined in section one of chapter ninety-four C.
(b) Whoever commits a battery in violation of this section and which results in bodily injury shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Whoever commits any offense described in this subsection while armed with a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years or in the house of correction for not more than two and one-half years. For purposes of this section, "bodily injury" shall mean substantial impairment of the physical condition, including, but not limited to, any burn, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, injury to any internal organ, or any injury which occurs as the result of repeated harm to any bodily function or organ, including human skin.
There shall be a surcharge of one hundred dollars on a fine assessed against a defendant convicted of a violation of this section; provided, however, that moneys from such surcharge shall be delivered forthwith to the treasurer of the commonwealth and deposited in the Diversity Awareness Education Trust Fund established under the provisions of section thirty-nine Q of chapter ten. In the case of convictions for multiple offenses, said surcharge shall be assessed for each such conviction.
A person convicted under the provisions of this section shall complete a diversity awareness program designed by the secretary of the executive office of public safety in consultation with the Massachusetts commission against discrimination and approved by the chief justice for administration and management of the trial court. A person so convicted shall complete such program prior to release from incarceration or prior to completion of the terms of probation, whichever is applicable."
See also: National Crime Prevention Council, ChangingOurCampus.org
Be aware, be safe on campus
Sexual assault does not always happen in dark alleys like it does in the movies. Rape can occur anywhere and anytime of the day.
Acquaintance or Date Rape
Although date rape is becoming more common due to availability of "date rape" drugs, there are many things you can do to protect yourself. The following strategies are simple and should become common practice to avoid dangerous and violent situations:
The biggest deterrent to sexual assault is to never put yourself in a position where you do not feel safe. Listen to your instincts and if things do not feel right, leave immediately and go to a safe place.
Being aware of your own capabilities, strengths, and limitations is very important and could be your best weapon for survival. Remember to always, above all else, remain alert and aware of your surroundings.
Stalking is a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or any other course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.
Stalking can include:
What to Do If You Are Being Stalked:
See also: Stalking Resource Center
Bullying is preventable.
Everyone deserves the right to feel safe in their community and their school. It is important that schools/communities are pro-active in creating and maintaining safety for all. For more information on creating more safety in your school or community, a list of additional resources was compiled with useful lesson plans, curricula, and other ideas to address bullying and harassment in your community:
Sexual assault takes many forms, including attacks such as rape or attempted rape as well as any unwanted sexual contact or threats. Usually a sexual assault occurs when someone touches any part of another person's body in a sexual way, even through clothes, without that person's consent. Attackers commit sexual assault by way of violence, threats, coercion, manipulation, pressure, or tricks.
Acquaintance rape," "date rape," "silent rape," and "social rape" are all different names used to describe sexual violence against a person by someone that the victim knows. Studies have shown that 84% of rape victims knew their attackers, and 57% of the rapes happened while on a date. One-third of young adults between ages 16 and 24 have reported being involved in at least one dating situation that has involved dating violence.
Whatever the circumstances, no one asks or deserves to be sexually assaulted.
In the event you are assaulted:
Victims of sex-related crimes on campus should call 911 immediately. We work with outside agencies, to offer victim advocacy to survivors of sexual assault and to provide educational programs about sexual assault.