DEFINITIONS

There are numerous terms used by Tarrant County College District in our policy and procedures.

Sexual Assault: Means an offense classified as a sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation, which states any act directed against another person, without the consent of the

victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent. Sex offenses are further categorized as

Rape- 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- 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 his/her temporary or permanent

mental incapacity. Incest- sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degree

wherein marriage is prohibited by law. Statutory Rape- sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory

age of consent. In Texas, sexual assault is committed if a person intentionally or knowingly causes the penetration

of the anus or sexual organ of another person by any means, without that person’s consent; causes the penetration

of the mouth of another person by the sexual organ of the actor, without that person’s consent; or causes the sexual

organ of another person, without that person’s consent, to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of

another person including the actor or the person intentionally or knowingly causes any of the above listed acts to

occur to a child, in this section a child is a person younger than 17 years of age.

Domestic Violence: Includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former

spouse of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person cohabitating with or

has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected

from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction. In Texas, the relationship for a

Domestic Violence or Family Violence offense is established under the State of Texas Family Code 71.0021(b),

71.003

and 71.005.

Dating Violence: Means violence committed by a person — (a) who is or has been in a social relationship of a

romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and (b) where the existence of such a relationship will be determined

based on a consideration of the following factors:

(i) The length of the relationship.

(ii) The type of relationship.

(iii) The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

In Texas dating violence is of the same consideration of factors as above and violence is intended to result in

physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault or that is a threat that reasonably places the victim in fear of

imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault. A casual acquaintanceship or ordinary fraternization

in a business or social context does not constitute a “dating relationship” under Subsection (b).

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Stalking: Means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable

person to—a) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or b) suffer substantial emotional distress. In Texas,

stalking is defined as the following:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person, on more than one occasion and pursuant to the same scheme or

course of conduct that is directed specifically at another person, knowingly engages in conduct that:

(1) constitutes an offense under Section 42.07 of the Texas Penal Code, or that the actor knows or reasonably

should know the other person will regard as threatening:

(A) bodily injury or death for the other person;

(B) bodily injury or death for a member of the other person’s family or household or for an individual with

whom the other person has a dating relationship; or

(C) that an offense will be committed against the other person’s property;

(2) causes the other person, a member of the other person’s family or household, or an individual with whom

the other person has a dating relationship to be placed in fear of bodily injury or death or in fear that

an offense will be committed against the other person’s property, or to feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed,

abused, tormented, embarrassed or offended; and

(3) would cause a reasonable person to:

(A) fear bodily injury or death for himself or herself;

(B) fear bodily injury or death for a member of the person’s family or household or for an individual with

whom the person has a dating relationship;

(C) fear that an offense will be committed against the person’s property; or

(D) feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused, tormented, embarrassed or offended.

(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree, except that the offense is a felony of the second

degree if the actor has previously been convicted of an offense under this section or of an offense under any of the

following laws that contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense under this section:

(1) the laws of another state;

(2) the laws of a federally recognized Indian tribe;

(3) the laws of a territory of the United States; or

(4) federal law.

(c) For purposes of this section, a tier of fact may find that different types of conduct described by Subsection (a),

if engaged in on more than one occasion, constitute conduct that is engaged in pursuant to the same scheme or

course of conduct.

(d) In this section:

(1) “Dating relationship,” “family,” “household,” and “member of a household” have the meanings assigned by

Chapter 71, Family Code.

(2) “Property” includes a pet, companion animal, or assistance animal, as defined by Section 121.002, Human

Resources Code.

17. Please provide the following definitions specific to the jurisdiction where your University/College is located

(they should be in your current Annual Security Report):

The definition of sexual assault in your State Crimes Code and per your Student Code of Conduct (if the

definition differs from your State Crimes Code)

The definition of domestic violence in your State Crimes Code and per your Student Code of Conduct (if the

definition differs from your State Crimes Code)

The definition of dating violence in your State Crimes Code and per your Student Code of Conduct (if the

definition differs from your State Crimes Code)

The definition of stalking offenses in your State Crimes Code and per your Student Code of Conduct (if the

definition differs from your State Crimes Code)

The definition of consent, with reference to sexual offenses in your State Crimes Code and per your Student

Code of Conduct (if the definition differs from your State Crimes Code)