Teams fight against harrassment

Editor's Note: This story corrects misinformation contained in the article, "Meeting advocates activism," in the April 4 edition of the IDS.\n"Meet here for gay sex," read the sentence scrawled across a residence hall message board. The statement offended some residents, and they sought redress. The incident was brought before the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team, which served as an intermediary between individuals and offered plausible courses of action.\nEleven years ago, no such outlet existed. Though a similar group existed to assist in racially motivated incidents of discrimination, homosexuals on campus had virtually no means with which to report harassment. \nThe Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team was established in January 1990 by the dean of students and the dean of women's affairs. The Gender Incidents Team was formed in the fall of 2000. \nThe teams have two purposes, according to their mission statement -- to assist and support students and to document information about incidents involving discrimination.\nThe Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team, which meets weekly, deals with issues ranging from hate crimes to sexual harassment incidents and handles about 100 cases each semester, said Doug Bauder, coordinator of the offices of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Student Support Services. \nIt consists of faculty and staff possessing expertise in "diversity issues and conflict resolution," Bauder said. \nStudents can contact the team in a variety of ways. An incident report form can be completed and brought to the Office of Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs, 705 E. Seventh St. Gender-related incidents can be addressed by calling 855-3849 or by e-mailing sexism@indiana.edu. Race-related incidents can be directed to reportit@indiana.edu or 855-4463. \nAfter an incident is brought before the team, options for action are debated while a team member contacts the individual who filed the report. The individual meets with members of the team to decide how to pursue the issue, team member Pamela Huggins said.\nPossible courses of action, according to the GLBT Web site, include mediation, educational intervention or referral to external campus offices. These offices include the campus judicial system, the Affirmative Action Office or an appropriate academic department. Students can also file academic complaints or pursue legal recompense, either through campus or community police, attorneys or the Human Rights Commission, Huggins said. \nAfter all intervention, a file is created in which results are detailed and evaluated. These files are then closed, although follow-up options remain for the individual who reported the incident.\nHuggins said that students should not be afraid to report incidents of harassment, and that case proceedings are held in confidence. \n"We want students to report in order to react conscientiously to educate offenders, support victims and, overall, make IU an inclusive and respecting community," Huggins said.\nBill Shipton, co-chairman of both teams, said the collection of data is important, even if nothing can be done about the incident.\n"We know that there are significant numbers of homosexual students on the IU campus," Shipton said. "Unfortunately, we live in a society where homophobia is real, and there needs to be a place for those students to report incidents involving discrimination and harassment.\n"Even if it's an incident where nothing can be done, it's important to collect data about incidents that occur"