Since 2011 when the Obama administration heightened requirements for college campuses’ handling of sexual misconduct under Title IX (the federal statute that prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational institutions), a national debate has raged between supporters of victims of sexual assault and those accused of sexual assault regarding the proper way to handle claims of sexual misconduct on college campuses.
The heightened requirements were designed to address underreporting of sexual assault on college campuses due to what’s commonly referred to as rape culture. Colleges were required to investigate any possible sexual misconduct and to create detailed procedures for handling complaints of sexual misconduct, including investigations, hearings and appeals.
