This week the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and other women’s rights advocates commandeered a hearing held by the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) in order to express grievance over the Department’s rescinding of Title IX guidance documents that served to protect victims of sexual assault on college campuses.
Temple University Feminists Protest Board of Trustees Chairman
In September, the Temple University group Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) announced their campaign to try to remove the name Patrick O’Connor, lawyer for Bill Cosby, from one of the university plazas as well as oust him from his role as chairman of the Board of Trustees. FMLA is affiliated with the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Feminist Campus program.
Deadline Extended to Submit Comments to Department of Education
In June, the Department of Education opened a comment period for the public to provide input on whether the Department of Education should keep, modify, or eliminate rules that protect the civil rights of students of color, women, students with disabilities, pregnant or parenting students, immigrant students, LGBTQ students, and other groups affected by civil […]
DeVos Attacks Title IX Campus Sexual Assault Guidelines
In an announcement at the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that she is working to replace Title IX protections for survivors of gender based violence and sexual assault. In her speech, DeVos criticized the guidance put in place under the Obama administration in the Dear […]
DeVos Meets with Men’s Rights Activists Trying to Dismantle Title IX
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos met for 90 minutes with survivors of campus sexual assault last week, and then went on to a meeting with men’s rights activists to discuss dismantling Title IX enforcement guidelines that combat campus sexual assault. The men meeting with DeVos claim to be victims of false accusations of campus assault.
Advocates Demand DeVos Respect Title IX
On Friday, advocates and survivors of sexual assault went to the Department of Education to demand that Secretary DeVos listen to their concerns about the continuation and enforcement of Title IX, which promises freedom from sex discrimination in order to achieve equal access to education.
Sexual Assault Survivors Protest Jeff Sessions
This morning a group of sexual assault survivors, advocates and activists, led by national women’s advocacy group UltraViolet, went to Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Capitol Hill Senate Office to present him with the Department of Justice’s definition of sexual assault and demand that he take violence against women seriously.
Bill to Protect Military Sexual Assault Survivors from Retaliation Heads to President’s Desk
On Thursday the Senate approved a bipartisan bill that seeks to address retaliation against service members who report sexual assault.
Bill Cosby’s Deposition Permitted as Evidence in Sexual Assault Case
On Monday, the judge presiding over Bill Cosby’s criminal case in Pennsylvania ruled that Cosby’s 2005 deposition testimony in which he admitted to drugging and taking advantage of young women can be used against him at trial.
BYU Adopts Honor Code Amnesty Clause for Sexual Assault Victims
Brigham Young University announced on Wednesday that it will no longer investigate the student-victims who report sexual assault for breaches of the honor code.
Students Fee Might Be Issued to Cover Costs of University of Maryland Title IX Office
The University of Maryland could potentially begin issuing an annual fee of $34 to their students in order to cover the costs of the University’s struggling Title IX office.
Feminist Majority Foundation Releases Report on Title IX Coordinators
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) released a multi-year report entitled Reinvigorating the Role of Title IX Coordinator: A Requirement and Resource.
Department of Justice Allocates $38 Million to Untested Rape Kits
The Department of Justice announced last month that it would allocate $38 million to state and local law enforcement agencies in an effort to address the extensive backlog of over 400,000 untested rape kits across the country.
President Signs Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights
Today, President Obama signed into law the Sexual Assault Survivors Rights Act, establishing a set of guidelines for the federal government handles forensic evidence gathered after a person reports a sexual assault, otherwise known as a rape kit.
California Terminates Statute of Limitations in Wake of Cosby Allegations
Last week California Gov. Jerry Brown approved the Justice for Victims Act, which will eliminate the state’s statute of limitations for prosecuting rape and other felony sex crimes.
Obama Administration Issues Title IX Guidance to K-12 Schools
Today the Obama administration released notices to K-12 schools concerning their obligations to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault under Title IX.
Stanford’s Ban on Hard Alcohol Sends the Wrong Message About Sexual Assault
This past Monday, Stanford University banned hard alcohol from undergraduate parties and residences in the wake of the national outrage following the Brock Turner sexual assault case.
Baltimore Police Completely Neglected Rape Victims According to Department of Justice Report
The scathing report on the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) issued by the Department of Justice last week highlights victims of police misconduct not typically discussed: sexual assault survivors.
New Report Finds Doctors Who Sexually Abuse Patients Receive Little Punishment
The Atlantic Journal-Constitution released a year-long investigative report on Tuesday documenting the minimal punishments doctors who have been found guilty of sexual abuse receive.
Supreme Court Upholds Tribal Sovereignty in Split Decision
The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed that non-Tribal businesses and individuals can legally face civil suit in Tribal courts.
