Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce a new national sexual assault awareness campaign for colleges and K-12 schools at the University of New Hampshire today. The campaign aims to educate schools about their responsibilities in preventing and responding to sexual assaults under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sexual discrimination, violence, and harassment.
The schools will receive materials outlining their obligations to file complaints, assist victims, and pursue disciplinary action against students accused of sexual violence. Vice President Biden stated, “Students across the country deserve the safest possible environment in which to learn. That’s why we’re taking new steps to help our nation’s schools, universities and colleges end the cycle of sexual violence on campus.”
According to a report from the Department of Education, approximately 20 percent of women in college will be victims of sexual assault. Moreover, in 2009, nearly 3,300 forcible sexual offenses were documented on college campuses.
