Support Services Overview

Sexual Assault

Any sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent (i.e. through the use of threats, pressure, intimidation, physical force, power dynamics or intoxication).

I.e. A campus member persistently asks their peers if they want to engage in sexual activity after they have said no or expressed discomfort.

Relationship Violence

A pattern of coercive, intimidating or manipulative behaviors used to exert power and control over a current or former partner or a family member. This can include emotional abuse, economic abuse or denying or minimizing needs.

I.e.  A student is studying with a friend in the library. They continually get texts from their partner and say “I’m sorry, I need to respond to these texts. My partner gets upset when I don’t answer quickly because he worries about me and he wasn’t really happy about me coming over in the first place.” 

Stalking

A pattern of behavior that seriously alarms, annoys or harasses another person in a way that would cause a reasonable person substantial emotional distress or fear. 

I.e. A friend has expressed that their coworker has been tracking their location through social media and has been gathering information about them through their friends and family. 

Academic Concerns, Including Difficult Interactions with Faculty or Peers

Managing your education is a challenge within itself. It can become further challenging if you feel you are being treated unfairly or having difficulty with your professor, classmates or other campus members. The Gender Equity Center can assist in navigating these complex conversations.

I.e. A student feels their professor is not honoring their pronouns and/or name. The student has expressed and corrected the professor multiple times, but it still continues to happen with no intention to change.  

I.e. A student experienced physical harm from their intimate partner.  They have multiple assignments and a test later that week that they are having difficulty preparing for and completing.  They want to get help and support in communicating with their professor but they are worried of how their professor may respond if they tell them, and what they should do next in order to get help

Gender-Based Discrimination/Harassment

Gender discrimination/harassment is when someone is treated unfairly or discriminated against based on their gender identity. It doesn’t necessarily need to be of sexual nature. 

I.e. A feminine presenting individual is having a conversation with their supervisor. The community member starts to make statements about how feminine presenting individuals “belong in the kitchen” or should be “caring for children at home.” As the individual continues to come to work, they begin to notice that their supervisor gives them different tasks than their masculine presenting counterparts and continues to make statements specific to gender to the individual and their “abilities.”

Navigating an LGBTQIA+ Identity

Navigating an LGBTQIA+ identity is a complex process and contains many intricacies. Therefore, navigating an LGBTQIA+ identity through support services can cover a multitude of situations. 

I.e. A student has recently come out as transgender and is interested in changing their gender marker on their driver’s license, passport and Boise State’s internal systems. 

Institutional Advocacy

Institutional advocacy is considered to be support within the complex systems at Boise State.  It is also considered to be supporting a student at Boise State University, both inside and outside of the classroom.

I.e. A student is needing assistance submitting a name change to the Registrar and doesn’t know where to begin; or, a student needs assistance accessing resources on campus such as the Campus Food Pantry or the Student Emergency Fund.

Engaging in Difficult Conversations

Everyone experiences situations in which they are required to engage in conversations that may include conflict or discomfort. This could range from stressful conversations with parents, friends, family, co-workers or other supports involved in one’s life. The Gender Equity Center can assist in processing and offering client-centered ideas and suggestions in addressing complex conversations.

I.e. A student is struggling with one of their roommates and their cleanliness. They are hesitant to bring it up in conversation because the last time they provided feedback about something that had to do with common spaces, their roommate got upset and didn’t speak to them for weeks. They are worried it is going to be a similar situation this time.