No Contact & Protective Orders

What is a no contact order?

A no contact order is issued by your School or unit and is designed to limit or prohibit contact or communications between or among individuals. No contact orders generally are mutual, meaning that they restrict each party from contacting, or communicating with, the other. The Title IX Resource Coordinator for your School or unit can provide you more information about no contact orders.

What is an abuse prevention order?

An abuse prevention order, often called a “209A order,” or a “protective order,” is a civil order issued by a court intended to provide protection from abuse by a family or household member or those in certain dating relationships. For this purpose, “abuse” is defined as attempting to cause or causing physical harm, placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm, or causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat or duress. Massachusetts Court System website

If I hold an abuse prevention order, how can Harvard help me?

Harvard complies with Massachusetts law in recognizing abuse prevention orders and other valid protection orders from Massachusetts or other states.

If you obtain a protective order from domestic or dating abuse, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault from any state in the United States, you should provide a copy to the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) and to your local Title IX Resource Coordinator. HUPD will attempt to serve the protective orders on defendants and will arrest people who violate protective orders on campus. You can provide HUPD with a copy of an active protective order that already was served so that information about the victim and the defendant are made part of HUPD’s record management system and can be shared with all HUPD officers.

If you have a protective order, you may meet with an HUPD officer to develop a safety action plan. Coordinating with your School/unit Title IX Resource Coordinator and other University officials, HUPD will help to put in place safety measures that may include, but are not limited to:

  • the use of a temporary escort
  • special parking arrangements
  • changing classroom location
  • changing supervisor
  • changing work location
  • allowing a student to complete assignments from home, depending on the course

The University cannot apply for an abuse prevention order, no contact order, or restraining order, but can assist a person in obtaining such an order.

If you have a protective order, you may meet with an HUPD officer to develop a safety action plan for your time at Harvard.