Cultural Legal Issues - International Student Guide - Admissions - Antioch University New England

Section 4 - Cultural/Legal Issues

Unattended Children

It is illegal in the United States to leave small children or babies unattended in a home, hotel, or car by themselves. If you and your spouse must leave your child, you must arrange for someone else (not a young child) to care for your children. An adult or responsible older child (usually 12 years or older) should be supervising the children’s activities. U.S. laws may subject a parent who leaves a child unattended to charges of negligence or “endangering the welfare of a child.” Please leave your children with an adult friend or neighbor if you need to go out without your children. If you are concerned about the welfare of someone else’s children, and you suspect the possibility of neglect or abuse, you may call the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1.800.342.3720. This is a 24-hour toll-free number.

Domestic Abuse

Spouse/Partner/Child abuse is considered a felony and may be a deportable offense. No one has the right to frighten, hit, or injure any other person. It is against U.S. law. If you have any questions about these issues, you may contact the Admissions Office, who can direct you in to the appropriate assistance. All contacts with our Admissions Office will be treated with appropriate confidentiality.

Sexual Harassment

What Is Sexual Harassment? Sexual harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other physical or verbal behavior of a sexual nature which has the effect or intent of interfering with an individual’s academic or work performance by creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Essentially, sexual harassment implies a power relationship between individuals, which can seriously undermine the teaching/learning environment. Please read the student handbook for ANE’s sexual harassment policies

What may happen to someone charged with sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is not only a violation of graduate school policy; it is also a violation of state and federal law. While different cultures may permit varied behaviors between and among the sexes, certain behavior which could be interpreted as harassment will not be tolerated at this institution. Violators may be subject to disciplinary action and/or arrest.

What are my options if I think I have been sexually harassed? If you believe that you have been sexually harassed, one of the most important things to realize is that the harassment was not your fault. There is nothing wrong with you. The blame for sexual harassment lies with the perpetrator, not with the recipient.

If there has been a physical assault (including rape), it is a crime and should be reported immediately.

What will happen If I complain about sexual harassment? Given the variety of factors involved in sexual harassment incidents, including your own wishes regarding actions to be taken, it is not possible to provide a uniform description of sexual harassment complaint processes. Complaints are handled on a case-by-case basis, and confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible. When you come forward with a sexual harassment complaint you are taking a very difficult but absolutely essential first step toward ending harassment behavior, both towards yourself and toward others (the harasser has probably victimized a number of other people over time and will continue to do so until stopped). ANE has personnel who will work with you to explain complaint processes and explore options most suited to your own needs.

How can I avoid other forms of sexual discrimination? Sexual harassment is a very damaging form of sex discrimination. It is demeaning, insulting, and embarrassing. It can destroy opportunities, threaten careers, and ruin lives. Publishing this information sheet may help stop sex discrimination in its most blatant and deliberate manifestation, but its more subtle forms will persist as long as demeaning attitudes towards individuals, especially women, remain unchanged.

Unlike overt acts of sexual harassment, most gender-biased attitudes are unconscious, and the discriminatory behavior resulting from them is normally non-intentional. Intentional or not, however, such behavior – like sexual harassment itself – serves to belittle women and to deny their full participation in the rights and privileges of employment and education. While the following suggestions, provided by the Women’s Studies Program Committee at California State University, Northridge, are directed toward eliminating sex discrimination in the classroom, they may be modified to address the treatment of women in general:

When making general statements about women – as with any other subject – be sure that what you say is accurately based on reliable information. Avoid using derogatory terms or stereotypic generalizations, such as “Older women don’t belong in college,” or “Women can’t think geographically.”
Avoid “humor” or gratuitous remarks that demean or trivialize women, just as you would avoid remarks that demean or belittle people because of their race, religion, or physical characteristics
Avoid as much as possible using generic masculine terms to refer to people of both sexes. Continual use of the generic “he” or “man” evokes primarily masculine images and renders women peripheral or invisible
When giving examples, try to avoid sexist stereotypes, such as making all authority figures men and all subordinates women
Choose course material which does not ignore or deprecate women or use sexist language
Monitor your behavior toward men and women to ensure that you are treating them in the same manner

Summary of Legal Issues

Thousands of laws may affect your time in the U.S. Even as a visitor, you will be expected to know about and obey those laws. Ignorance of the law is no defense in the U.S. If you have any questions or concerns, please schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Admissions Office or stop by the Human Resources Office for an appointment with a designated professional.