Further Discussion on Title IX
Title IX is an important tool being used by young women during the fourth wave of feminism to fight back against sexual assault and harassment on college campuses. The first section of this portion of the exhibit defined Title IX, described how colleges hold the authority when it comes to enforcing it, explained the influence of the criminal justice system on Title IX, explained some of the criticisms of the amendment, and concluded with data that showed most colleges and universities in the United States do follow Title IX procedures. The next part of the exhibit described the different ways in which schools are choosing to educate their students about Title IX protections such as sexual assault and consent policies and definitions. From this section, it was found that many schools are listening to how their students want to be trained on these topics and implementing mandatory training based on this. It was also found that many schools do give clearly accessible sexual assault policies and consent definitions on their websites. The final portion of this section explored the opinion of students and faculty since Title IX has been implemented and during the time of movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp. What was found was that many student and faculty members may actually be discouraged by mandatory reporting requirements of Title IX when deciding whether to disclose victimization. Also, there seems to be many discrepancies about the definition of consent among higher-level education institutions. However, faculty agree that new reforms brought on by Title IX and undoubtedly affected by the fourth wave of feminism are improving college campuses and should continue to be implemented. Further, students are now of the opinion that colleges need to teach affirmative consent definitions and move away from teaching women how to protect themselves towards teaching men not to assault women.
The sexual violence culture that exists on college campuses across the United States needs to change, and it is the young women on these campuses that are going to bring this change. Title IX, while not perfect, has been an effective tool for holding abusers accountable and allowing victims to come forward, no doubt assisted by the widespread representation featured in social media campaigns today. The implementation of Title IX and the current conversation about sexual violence on college campuses has also led to greater education to students by their colleges and universities about sexual assault policies and consent definitions. This education will help young people to understand how to navigate sexual encounters and have a greater understanding of sexual assault and consent. The opinions of those who matter are changing. With new reforms and continued action, young women are reclaiming the dialogue around sex on their campuses and working to make them safer for all.
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The Impact of Consciousness-Raising
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