Although sexual violence/harassment can possibly happen to anybody, college-going ladies are affected disproportionately. Their rights to education, ability to engage in campus activities, comfort, and safety tend to get impeded. Sexual misconduct in the university campus is covered legally under Title IX, which safeguards students against sexual violence and harassment.
Once an institution becomes aware of an act of sexual misconduct in its campus, it must promptly adopt necessary measures for protecting the rights of the concerned student.
Here, in this discussion, you will get an idea of what Title IX actually holds and how Title IX attorney can help you.
What is Title IX?
Title IX act of the 1972 Education Amendments protects the students and the staff of the universities against on-campus sexual misconduct. This implies that Title IX mandates the institutions to immediately investigate a complaint of sexual assault as soon as it is made or they are notified of, and protect the rights of their students and staff on campus.
Title IX even covers assaults made on the basis of gender. This may involve non-verbal or verbal assault, hostility, physical aggression, and intimidation conducted towards a particular gender.
Title IX covers every staff member and student of every educational scheme or institution, which obtains federal funding, such as universities, independent colleges, local schools, museums, education centers, and libraries.
Advantages of Title IX
When Title IX law came into existence, it offered an assurance of safety to the students. The law offers a host of benefits, including the ones discussed below:
- The act provided an increased educational scope to the female students.
- The act created increased scope for women in various other fields of learning, such as sports.
- The act has even offered men equal access to opportunities
- It helped in eliminating student expulsions
- The act eliminated educational stereotypes
- Title IX has helped career education to flourish
- The act has proved to be beneficial for high school games and sports activities too.
Rights under Title IX
Title IX act entitles staff and students with many rights, such as rights prohibiting sexual assault, unlawful retaliation, and gender discrimination.
Potential illegal retaliation covered by Title IX involves any adverse treatment carried out against someone (student or a staff member), who reports potential illegal assault or discrimination. Some instances of unlawful retaliatory acts include:
- Unjustified reduction in academic grades
- Elimination or suspension from the university or an educational scheme.
- Mistreatment or assault in the lecture room or the playground.
- Denial to take part in on-campus activities and events.
The unlawful retaliatory acts experienced by the staff members include:
- An unjustified demotion
- Mistreatment from a higher authority
- Sudden, unjustified termination
- An unjustified cut in the salary
What Can You Do After On-Campus Sexual Harassment?
If and when you experience an on-campus sexual assault, you must first file a complaint in your institution. Your institute has to investigate the matter, safeguard your interests, and take the relevant steps for preventing potential future sexual misconduct on campus. You can also go ahead and file a police complaint. Furthermore, you can also take legal help and hire your private Title IX attorney from a reputed Title IX law firm to fight your claim on your behalf. A skilled and experienced lawyer can help you receive justice and make sure the accused wrong-doer gets the punishment he/she deserves.
How can a Title IX Attorney Help?
If you believe that your rights under the Title IX act have been compromised, you can take legal help by hiring a well-established and reputed Title IX lawyer. These lawyers can help:
- Staff members and employees: A Title IX lawyer can represent a faculty member who puts forward a claim of on-campus sexual misconduct against the management or authority. Students working in the position of assistant teachers or doing any related jobs are also considered to be staff members of the institution under the Title IX act.
- Student defendants: The Title IX defense lawyers can represent student defendants. They can fight on behalf of someone who has been charged with a claim of on-campus sexual misconduct. They can assist these students in navigating through the investigations carried out by their institution and further potential hearing procedures.
- Athletes and coaches: The Title IX lawyers can also represent athletes and sports coaches who complain against their institution from an athletic point of view.
- Student victims: Title IX lawyers are always ready to take up cases involving on-campus sexual misconduct and represent the students who have suffered a sexual assault.
The Final Words
It is advisable for a victim to file a complaint of on-campus sexual misconduct as soon as he/she experiences the same. A quick step can open doors for fast and proper investigation. An experienced Title IX lawyer can lend the right and timely help to get justice.
