Campus Sexual Violence

High School Youth Create Social Media Space to Share Stories of Sexual Violence: “Like an Unearthing Moment”

High School Youth Create Social Media Space to Share Stories of Sexual Violence

When Sarah created the Piedmont Protectors Instagram account in July 2020, the Bay Area high school student wanted a platform for students to share their stories of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment in their community.

Though Piedmont High School only has 840 students, the account gained over 1,500 within the first week. After three days of being live, there were already over 90 posts anonymously reporting and documenting sexual assault, harassment and rape in the Piedmont Unified School District student community. 

To Better Understand Sexual Violence on College Campuses, Congress Members Demand Education Department Changes

To Better Understand Sexual Violence on College Campuses, Congress Members Demand Education Department Changes

Up to 25 percent of undergraduate women will become victims of sexual violence—but because existing mechanisms for capturing and measuring this impact fail to capture the full scope of the issue, this number may be even higher. On Monday, members of Congress formally called this to the attention of the Biden administration.

In a letter signed by 77 members of Congress, signatories called on the Department of Education to update Campus Climate surveys, which assess campus culture including sexual violence.

A Devastating Supreme Court Decision on Sexual Assault Shows Why the U.S. Needs the ERA Now

When she was a college freshman in 1994, Christy Brzonkala was gang-raped by two students at Virginia Tech. Brzonkala turned to a law newly passed called the Violence Against Women Act—and her case made it to the Supreme Court, where women’s right to equal protection from violence ultimately died.

When passed, the Equal Rights Amendment would spark Congress to enact new laws on gender violence, including redrafting the Violence Against Women Act civil rights remedy, and chart a path to overturn Brzonkala’s devastating decision.

The Department of Education is Failing Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault

campus sexual assault

In March, President Biden issued an executive order asking the Department of Education to re-examine the harmful Title IX regulations put in place under Betsy DeVos. But, after months of empty platitudes about “urgency” and how the Department “takes these matters seriously,” they have failed to take any meaningful action and will delay any changes until May of 2022. 

No survivor should have to wait to have their most basic rights met.

Over Half of College Sexual Assaults Happen Between Orientation and Thanksgiving. Here’s How to Protect Survivors

Over Half of College Sexual Assaults Happen Between Orientation and Thanksgiving. Here's How to Protect Survivors

More than half of sexual assaults on campus occur between orientation and Thanksgiving—a period known as the “Red Zone.” And with the amount of new students on campus doubling as a result of COVID-19, these numbers risk being doubled as well.

With campus awareness and mental health support, we as students, faculty, family and community can reclaim Red Zones.

Every Voice Coalition Amplifies Student Survivor Experiences

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Every Voice Coalition, founded in December 2016, is a college student-run organization with goals to implement preventative and legislative measures to eliminate sexual violence on college campuses. In order to empower students to tackle policy-related issues, they stress that the legislation is student-written to center the needs of those most directly affected.

The Overhaul of Title IX Must Be Trauma-Informed and Inclusive of All Survivors

The Overhaul of Title IX Must Be Trauma-Informed and Inclusive of All Survivors

Earlier this month, I testified at the Department of Education’s hearings to re-examine Title IX. But as a thriving survivor of campus sexual assault and coercion, child sexual misconduct, and organizational trauma, I was jarred and disappointed by the process of testifying. As the administration works to overhaul Title IX, we want results that are trauma-informed—and the process to get there should be as well.