The Law

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

The Basics of Title IX

• Title IX is a federal civil right that prohibits sex discrimination in education.
• It does not apply to female students or athletic programs only. It prohibits sex or gender discrimination in all educational activities or programs.
• A school must be proactive in ensuring that its campus is free from sexual-based discrimination, harassment or violence.
• Title IX protects students from facing retaliation, from any source, as a result of involvement with Title IX.
• Title IX applies to institutions that receive federal financial assistance from ED, including state and local educational agencies.
• The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) enforces institutions’ compliance with Title IX standards.

Non-Consensual Sexual Contact (or Attempts to Commit)

Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse (or Attempts to Commit)

Sexual Exploitation

Other Misconduct Offenses When Based on Sex or Gender

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Information about Sexual Discrimination, Harassment and Violence

Sex Discrimination

Sex discrimination is a form of harassment that involves treating someone unfavorably because of that person’s sex. Sex discrimination also can involve treating someone less favorably because of their connection with an organization or group that is generally associated with people of a certain sex, or because of the person’s non-conformance with sex stereotypes.

Sexual Harassment

• 67 percent of students reported experiencing harassment on campus.
• 61 percent witnessed another student being harassed on campus.
• Only 17 percent of students said that they reported harassment to a person of authority.
• 46 percent of students indicated that harassment was the source of disappointment with their college experience.
• 20 percent reported that harassment limited their ability to concentrate in class.
• 23 percent said that harassment prevented them from attending class or other social activities on campus.

Sexual Violence

• It is estimated that the percentage of completed or attempted rape victimization among women in higher educational institutions may be between 20 percent and 25 percent over the course of a college career.
• Nine out of 10 victims of rape and sexual assault in college know their offender.
• Off-campus sexual victimization is much more common among college women than on-campus victimization. Of victims of completed rape, 33.7 percent were victimized on campus and 66.3 percent off campus.
• Freshmen and sophomores are at greater risk for victimization than juniors and seniors.