If you are a student of any level, another option is to file a Title IX Complaint. Title IX under the Education Amendments of 1972 states:
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 education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
In fewer words, Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. The statement is short, but Supreme Court decisions, and guidance from the U.S. Department of Education have given it broad scope covering sexual harassment and sexual violence. Under Title IX, schools are required to respond to, remedy, and prevent hostile educational environments. Failure to do so could result in loss of their federal funding.
The Clery Act, another federal law that intersects with Title IX, is a bill of rights for survivors of campus sexual assaults and requires colleges and universities (but not K-12 schools) to do the following:
Notify survivors of counseling resources
Notify survivors of the option to report a case to either the school, law enforcement, or both
Provide academic or living accommodations, such as changing dorms, classes etc. Schools are discouraged from burdening the survivor, intead of the perpetrator, with the responsibility to change their circumstances
To be notified of the final outcome of a disciplinary hearing.
Learn more here.
We are not lawyers, and the information on this website does not constitute legal advice. We encourage you to contact a lawyer to discuss your complaint or suit.