Published:
Friday, October 8, 2010
The New York Times recently reported that sex offense rates on the campuses and surrounding areas of 12 colleges and universities are 83 percent higher than the overall national average. As the Women’s Rights Project of the ACLU explained, “This statistic . . . highlights the importance of a school’s response to rape.” Fortunately, federal law has acknowledged the importance of a school’s response to sexual assault by requiring that schools respond to victims’ needs and take action to protect students.
Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment, rape, and other incidents of sexual assault. A college or university that receives federal funds may be held legally responsible when it knows about and ignores sexual harassment or assault in its programs or activities. Washington courts made this clear in 2008 by holding that the University of Washington could be liable under Title IX for a single instance of peer-on-peer sexual assault by a member of the football team.
Please see this fact sheet for more information on your rights and your college’s responsibilities under Title IX. Contact the ACLU of Washington or the Office of Civil Rights if you feel your school has deliberately ignored sexual harassment or assault on campus.
Fortunately, federal law has acknowledged the importance of a school’s response to sexual assault by requiring that schools respond to victims’ needs and take action to protect students.
