Sexual Harassment and Assault

You are not alone.

Sexual assault and sexual harassment can happen to anyone by anyone.

The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man; the victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. Sexual assault and sexual harassment can come from someone you live with, work with or interact with on a frequent basis. Those committing assaults and harassment are usually not strangers. Victims are not only the person who has been harassed but could also anyone affected by the offensive conduct.

While you can never completely protect yourself from sexual assault or sexual harassment, there are some things you can do to help reduce your risk of being assaulted. 

It is important to remember that while we can take steps to minimize risk, the only person to blame when sexual violence occurs is the perpetrator.

If you have been the victim of a sexual assault

If immediate emergency assistance is needed, call your country's emergency number (if recommended by your program manager). This should be listed on your MISTI Emergency Info Card.

Once you are able to, you can

  • Call or chat with ISOS
  • Only if recommended by your program manager, call the local police as soon as possible to report the incident.
  • Remember MIT’s Violence Prevention and Response (VPR) office is a resource for anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault. You can also call on behalf of someone if they agree. VPR’s staff can help you think about your options and decide what to do next and is confidential. You can reach VPR by calling collect 24/7 at +1 617-253-2300.
  • If you are comfortable doing so, contact your program manager and/or MISTI's Assistant Director for Health and Safety, Griselda Gomez at gomezg [at] mit.edu or +1 617-252-1483. They can provide assistance and support as well as discuss next steps with you. It is important you call ISOS first to get immediate help.

MISTI staff are considered to be “responsible employees” under Title IX and are obligated to inform MIT's Title IX  of any incident involving a student.

 

Intervening and helping as a bystander

  • If you hear from a fellow student that they has been harassed or sexually assaulted:
    • You can help by listening and reminding that they can talk to their program manager, ISOS or VPR.
    • It is very important not to ignore it if they tell you they feel uncomfortable or have experienced something they feel was harassment or assault.