Amid campus sexual violence, activists champion Title IX enforcement

A version of this story appeared in the Nov 7-20, 2014 print issue under the headline: Amid campus sexual violence, activists champion Title IX enforcement.
From left, Shannon Thomas, Nicoletta Commins and Aryle Butler hold a news conference at the University of California, Berkeley, Feb. 26. The three were among 31 current and former students who filed a federal complaint claiming the university violated Title IX by failing to protect them against sexual harrassment and assault. (MCT/Bay Area News Group/Jane Tyska)
From left, Shannon Thomas, Nicoletta Commins and Aryle Butler hold a news conference at the University of California, Berkeley, Feb. 26. The three were among 31 current and former students who filed a federal complaint claiming the university violated Title IX by failing to protect them against sexual harrassment and assault. (MCT/Bay Area News Group/Jane Tyska)

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Results of a national survey about sexual violence on college campuses released July 9 show violations of federal law, and other failures in effectively responding to sexual assault cases by institutions of higher learning. The survey documents ongoing problems that have an advocacy group consisting of sexual assault survivors and their supporters pushing for legislative accountability for colleges and universities.

Know Your IX, a grassroots organization led by undergraduate students and recent alumni from colleges across the U.S., seeks to address sexual violence by connecting the gap between the law and what happens on college campuses. By educating students about their civil rights concerning sexual violence — outlined under Title IX — through social media and other forms of advocacy, Know Your IX hopes to empower students to hold their universities accountable, and end sexual violence on college campuses.

Though Title IX is commonly known for combatting sex-based discrimination in sports, it also covers issues of sexual harassment and sexual violence. 

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