Stopping Harassment and Assault | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/stopping-harassment
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:09
Stopping Harassment and Assault | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
Stopping Harassment and Assault
The U.S. National Science Foundation will not tolerate harassment or assault within the agency or at awardee organizations, field sites or anywhere science or education is conducted.
NSF is committed to ensuring a culture free from sexual assault and harassment not only for those conducting research but also those in supportive roles, such as NSF federal employees, contractors and affiliates who work in support of NSF or whose work is funded by the agency.
NSF is dedicated to holding people accountable for their actions and to working closely with the NSF
Office of Inspector General
and other law enforcement officials when appropriate.
On this page
Prohibited behaviors and definitions
Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Any non-consensual sexual act proscribed by federal, tribal or state law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.
Physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent.
How to report harassment or assault
To file a complaint of harassment and other forms discrimination:
The NSF
Office of Civil Rights
manages reporting options for victims of harassment, and discrimination.
The NSF
Equal Employment Opportunity Program
ensures equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants in all personnel/employment programs and management practices and decisions.
Visit the program's webpage to learn how to submit a complaint.
The NSF
Awardee Civil Rights Compliance Program
ensures that NSF awardee organizations comply with Title VI, Section 504, Title IX and the “Age Discrimination Act of 1975.”
Visit the OCR webpage to report harassment or discrimination
.
For support with understanding your reporting options for sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking and access to support resources:
The
NSF Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response (NSF SAHPR) program office
is the agency’s central point of contact for coordinating response to sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking incidents and is responsible for overseeing comprehensive prevention practices.
NSF strives to ensure a victim/survivor-centered approach and to always place the rights, confidentiality, wishes, needs, safety and well-being of the victim/survivor at the center of all prevention and response efforts.
Visit the SAHPR program office webpage to learn how to initiate a report of sexual assault, sexual harassment or stalking.
Requirements and guidance
Requirements for organizations supported by NSF
NSF's
Award Term and Condition
requires awardee organizations to report when findings of sexual harassment are made using the
Organizational Notification of Harassment Form
.
Guidance on NSF's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
NSF's Equal Employment Opportunity website
provides information on how the agency processes equal employment opportunity-based harassment and discrimination complaints for NSF employees and applicants.
Additional resources
STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence
VetoViolence
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network)
For any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns regarding NSF's work to combat sexual assault and harassment, please contact:
NSF SAHPR program office
Email:
saferscience@nsf.gov
For any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns regarding NSF's work to combat other forms of harassment or discrimination, please contact the
NSF Office of Civil Rights.
For media and press inquiries, please contact the NSF public affairs office at
media@nsf.gov
or (703) 292-8070.
Top
Stopping Harassment and Assault
The U.S. National Science Foundation will not tolerate harassment or assault within the agency or at awardee organizations, field sites or anywhere science or education is conducted.
NSF is committed to ensuring a culture free from sexual assault and harassment not only for those conducting research but also those in supportive roles, such as NSF federal employees, contractors and affiliates who work in support of NSF or whose work is funded by the agency.
NSF is dedicated to holding people accountable for their actions and to working closely with the NSF
Office of Inspector General
and other law enforcement officials when appropriate.
On this page
Prohibited behaviors and definitions
Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Any non-consensual sexual act proscribed by federal, tribal or state law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.
Physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent.
How to report harassment or assault
To file a complaint of harassment and other forms discrimination:
The NSF
Office of Civil Rights
manages reporting options for victims of harassment, and discrimination.
The NSF
Equal Employment Opportunity Program
ensures equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants in all personnel/employment programs and management practices and decisions.
Visit the program's webpage to learn how to submit a complaint.
The NSF
Awardee Civil Rights Compliance Program
ensures that NSF awardee organizations comply with Title VI, Section 504, Title IX and the “Age Discrimination Act of 1975.”
Visit the OCR webpage to report harassment or discrimination
.
For support with understanding your reporting options for sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking and access to support resources:
The
NSF Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response (NSF SAHPR) program office
is the agency’s central point of contact for coordinating response to sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking incidents and is responsible for overseeing comprehensive prevention practices.
NSF strives to ensure a victim/survivor-centered approach and to always place the rights, confidentiality, wishes, needs, safety and well-being of the victim/survivor at the center of all prevention and response efforts.
Visit the SAHPR program office webpage to learn how to initiate a report of sexual assault, sexual harassment or stalking.
Requirements and guidance
Requirements for organizations supported by NSF
NSF's
Award Term and Condition
requires awardee organizations to report when findings of sexual harassment are made using the
Organizational Notification of Harassment Form
.
Guidance on NSF's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
NSF's Equal Employment Opportunity website
provides information on how the agency processes equal employment opportunity-based harassment and discrimination complaints for NSF employees and applicants.
Additional resources
STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence
VetoViolence
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network)
For any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns regarding NSF's work to combat sexual assault and harassment, please contact:
NSF SAHPR program office
Email:
saferscience@nsf.gov
For any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns regarding NSF's work to combat other forms of harassment or discrimination, please contact the
NSF Office of Civil Rights.
For media and press inquiries, please contact the NSF public affairs office at
media@nsf.gov
or (703) 292-8070.
Top