A while back now an article was published that talked about the Title IX law that effects people receiving an education. I was going to write about that article but honestly I felt it was a sticky situation without a clear cut side. Instead, with the help of Lander's Human Resource Title IX Coordinators, I thought it would be better to inform people of what Title IX is and what it means.
The Law:
"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 educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
So what does this mean? Well here are nine quick facts that can better help you understand this law.
Now let us break it down a bit further. For some this may be perfectly clear but the others may need a bit of an explanation.
Sexual Harassment is any form of unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. It is both verbal and non-verbal. Sexual touching, sexual comments, jokes, gestures, graffiti, drawings, pictures, and writing can all be examples of sexual harassment.
Sexual Assault is sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or that is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent.
Consent can be best described by this video about serving people tea. Tea?! you may say, just trust me and check out the video. Unless you don't want to then don't check out the video (this sentence will make better sense after the video).
Have you ever heard the saying that if people treated other the way that drunk girls do in the bathroom the world would be a better place? This is the way you should act towards someone that is at risk for sexual assault. Being an active bystander can help save someones life.
Here are 6 simple tips for intervening:
- Approach everyone as a friend.
-Be honest and direct.
-Don't be aggressive or use violence.
-Keep yourself safe.
-Get help from other bystanders, if necessary.
-Call the police if a situation becomes too serious.
You can learn more about Title IX at http://knowyourix.org/ but you can also access it through your schools website. Here at Lander simply go to http://www.lander.edu/sites/human-resources/titlei...
*A special thanks to Mrs. Jeannie McCallum and Mrs. Tracy Clifton for their time and information on Title IX and its policies.
