Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law (Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, H.R. 3355) signed as Pub.L. 103-322 by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994 (codified in part at 42 U.S.C. sections 13701 through 14040).

On March 7, 2013, President Obama signed The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (“VAWA”), which establishes improved responses to violence against women.  VAWA mandates higher education institutions to educate students and/or the university community in helping to prevent gender based violence. This act also imposed that additional rights were provided to campus victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  

ULM is committed to fostering a safe environment free from sexual misconduct, including but not limited to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. The University expects all relationships or associations be established upon mutual respect, open communications, and clear consent. 

ULM will present primary prevention and awareness programs for new students and new employees, in addition to on-going awareness campaigns related to prevention of sexual assault dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking for all students and employees. 

Vector Solutions was selected as an online interactive awareness learning program to educate students on the topics of sexual assault and interpersonal violence.

The Green Dot Bystander program was chosen as the bystander intervention program to educate students on ways to proactively help others while ensuring their own safety and well-being.  Training for all University employees will be provided on dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assaults, and stalking.  This training will be based on the requirements under VAWA, Title IX and the Clery Act. 

ULM strongly encourages all individuals to report incidents of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking to University officials and police. Individuals may report incidents to the ULM Campus Police or the Title IX Coordinator, tel. (318) 342-1004, email: titleix@ulm.edu, Walker Hall #1-32. Individuals may also make confidential reports to designated Confidential Advisors.

The University will provide resources to support persons who have been victims of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Click here to view the available resources.

If an individual reports to you that they are a victim of a crime please follow the procedures provided in the Sexual Misconduct Policy and/or the Sexual Misconduct Formal Complaint Resolution Procedure. Provide the individual with an informational resources brochure and complete the ULM Sexual Misconduct online report. For more information on Title IX and VAWA please refer to the Title IX website.

The University will provide programs that promote awareness and avert domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus and in our community. Initial programming will be directed at all new students and employees, followed by on-going programs directed to all students and employees in culturally relevant training including:  

• Awareness programming on dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault.
• Risk-reduction strategies designed to promote healthy behaviors/relationships and recognize early warning signs of abusive behavior. 
• Prevention programs to avert acts of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
• Safe and positive Bystander intervention education and training.
• On-going University prevention and awareness campaigns. 

All training provided in the above areas needs to be recorded through the Title IX Coordinator in care of VAWA and is to be reported in the Annual Security Report through the ULM Campus Police Department.