Title IX is a critical federal law. Almost every person in the United States (citizen or non-citizen – it applies to both) is protected by Title IX at some point in their life, be it during grade school, high school, or higher education.  Furthermore, Title IX applies to everyone who is connected to federally-funded education, from staff to students, and from presidents to professors. However, while Title IX is a well-written law, the failures appear in application and enforcement, typically by educational institutions ill-prepared to dealing with sexual violence or sexual harassment despite their legal mandates.

Here are some sobering statistics and thoughts, courtesy of TitleIX.info, that highlight how much work needs to be done:

• 8 in 10 students experience some form of harassment during their school years, and more than 1 in 4 experience it often;
• Girls are more likely than boys to experience sexual harassment (56% v. 40%), but boys are more likely to be harassed today than in 1994; and
• Victims of sexual harassment are impacted deeply.

If you have any questions about this blog, or would like to speak to someone about sexual violence and harassment, please contact us today.