By Raquel DeHerrera
If you have experienced sexual assault on a Tribal College or University campus, it is important to know your rights and the steps you can take to report the incident. Title IX is a Federal law that prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, in educational institutions that receive Federal funding. Here's how you can report a sexual assault on a college campus through Title IX:
Contact your school's Title IX coordinator: Each tribal college or university is required to have a designated Title IX coordinator who is responsible for overseeing the school's compliance with Title IX regulations. The coordinator can provide you with information about the reporting process and support resources available on campus 1.
Familiarize yourself with your school policies: Your school should have written policies and procedures in place for handling reports of sexual assault and harassment. Consult these policies to understand the specific procedures that apply to your campus. Schools are also required to provide an annual update on their policies and the number of incidents of sexual assault on campus, which is published by the Department of Education. Check your school’s policies to see if there is a deadline for filing a complaint. 1.
Report the incident to your school: Contactyourschool'sTitleIXcoordinator or another designated official to report the sexual assault. They will guide you through the reporting process and provide support resources. It is important to report the incident as soon as possible to ensure that appropriate action can be taken. Be sure to have a formal complaint filed and not an informal complaint. 1.
Seek medical attention: If you have been sexually assaulted, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your school's Title IX coordinator can provide information on available medical services and resources on campus or in the local community.
Understand your rights: Title IX provides certain rights and protections for survivors of sexual assault. These include the right to file a Title IX complaint with the school, the right to report the crime to campus or local law enforcement, and protection from retaliation for reporting sexual violence 2 3.
Contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR): If you believe that your school is violating federal law or not adequately addressing your report of sexual assault, you can contact the OCR for further assistance. They can be reached at (800) 421-3481 or ocr@ed.gov You may want to file a complaint against your school with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). An OCR complaint must be filed within 180 days of the date of the discrimination. 2.
Lawsuit: You can find resources to file a lawsuit against your school. 4. In general, the deadline for filing a Title IX lawsuit ranges from 1 to 6 years, depending on your state. 5. Some states have a longer deadline for sexual assault or for other legal claims. An attorney can help you determine whether you have a Title IX claim or another legal claim against your school and the deadlines. 4.
Remember, it is important to consult your school's specific policies and procedures for reporting sexual assault on campus through Title IX, as they may vary from institution to institution. The Title IX coordinator at your school will be able to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the reporting process.
If you need immediate assistance or support, consider reaching out to a local sexual assault hotline or a national helpline such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1- 800-656-HOPE (4673).
Resources
Know your rights: Sexual harassment and assault on campus.AAUW.(2020, March 31). https://www.aauw.org/resources/legal/laf/title-ix/
US Department of Education(ED. (2021, January) Know your rights: Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and sexual violence where you go to school. Home. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/title-ix-rights-201104.html
TitleIX.RAINN.(n.d.).https://www.rainn.org/articles/title-ix
Help for students facing sex discrimination or harassment at school. National
Women’s Law Center. (2022a, June 22). https://nwlc.org/legal-assistance/help-for-students-facing-sex-discrimination-or-harassment-at-school/
StatuteofLimitationsforSexualAssault,www.sakitta.org/toolkit/docs/Statutes-of-Limitations-for-Sexual-Assault-A-State-by-State-Comparison.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2024.
This project is supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-21-GK-02258-TRIB awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
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