Title IX and School

You may not have heard of Title IX or what it entails, but if you attend school than it may affect you. Title IX is a federal law that requires schools (including private K-12 schools and the majority of universities) to protect their students against gender-based discrimination and take action to investigate and end sexual assault on campus. If you attend college, there are school officials that are Title IX coordinators who enforce federal Title IX rules and regulations. Understanding more about Title IX can help you determine what to do if you attend school and are sexually assaulted.

How Can This Affect You

In most cases, you have the right to report sexual assault to the police, to the school, both, or neither. In some cases, schools that you are attending may require that you report the sexual assault to them, especially if it occurred on school property. If you are unsure what your school requires, check their website for their sexual assault resources. Title IX requires that all schools must publish procedures for students to file complaints of sexual harrassment or sexual violence. Depending on your situation, it might not be enough to only report sexual assault to the police.

Reporting to the School

The process of reporting sexual assault to your school will vary from school to school, however it will be similar to reporting sexual assault to the police. You will likely be interviewed and a report drafted to the school's own law enforcement. Because of Title IX, you will most likely have the ability to request changes to your academic, living, transportation, and/or working situations, even if you choose not to report. Understand that if the school knows or reasonably suspects possible sexual harrasement or sexual violence occurred, the school must investigate the situation to determine what happened and take steps to a resolution.