Dear Betsy,
Congratulations on such a large job promotion. I know this is probably a very exciting time for you, and with a big job comes big responsibilities. As you should already know, education itself is only a small part of what your job entails. Included in your job are important aspects to education, such as Title IX.
Betsy, I invite you to watch the documentary The Hunting Ground (if you have not watched it already). This film details many, many stories of sexual assault on college campuses and the realities of how they have been handled. Spoiler alert: it's not an encouraging film; our education system has a lot of room for improvement. And this is important because 1 in 5 women experience sexual assault during her college years.
Luckily, our out-going Vice President, Joe Biden, helped trail-blaze a renewed effort to combat sexual violence on school campuses through Title IX. One major highlight of his and President Obama's work includes the It's On Us campaign. This is helpful in bringing attention to bystander intervention, or even bystander prevention.
So, Betsy, here is where you come in. If you are not as into Twitter as the President-elect, you may not have noticed this: there was a social media hashtag trending over the past week or so (#DearBetsy). End Rape On Campus, which was founded by many of the brave ladies featured in The Hunting Ground, was created to call further attention to college campuses' response to sexual assault reported by students. They partnered with another organization called Know Your IX to bring this campus sexual assault to the forefront of your mind as you take over this office.
Betsy, we need you to hear us. As an advocate and a therapist for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, I have worked with many college students after they experienced such trauma. The Title IX process is messy and not predictable and schools are learning how to get it right. I have seen firsthand the pain felt by students who feel let down by their institutions - the very institution who promised a safe campus and enjoyable learning experience when they enrolled. Every student deserves to feel safe in his or her learning environment.
Betsy, we are ready to see you succeed in this position. Those of us who feel passionate about this work are supportive of women in prestigious roles such as this one. We want to see you do well, because then everyone can do well. Please, all we ask is for you to take this seriously and make decisions accordingly. The safety of all students depends on you as you enforce Title IX and sexual assault protocol. We would love for you to speak with colleges and universities, students, and advocates in surrounding non-profits to learn more about where improvements can be made. We would love to see this become less of an issue, and you now hold the baton to make change.
In solidarity,
A Sexual Violence Advocate
Betsy DeVos is scheduled to be confirmed in a hearing on Tuesday, January 17. If you would like to sign this petition to help ensure Title IX is a priority for her, please do. Also, use the hashtag #DearBetsy to spread the word about why Title IX protection is important to you.
