Fighting Back Against Sexual Assault and Harassment in Schools

As we await the delayed release of the Education Department’s Title IX policy, legislators and pundits across the political spectrum are anxious about the potential fallout. The expected changes are intended to “strengthen protections for students from sexual harassment and for LGBTQI+ students,” according to the Education Department blog. Ever since President Nixon signed it in 1972, the anti-discrimination civil rights law known as Title IX has been a topic of much debate both in the public forum and within school communities. Despite a 2011 shift in the law’s interpretation during the Obama administration and drastic changes under Trump in 2020, school districts have been largely consistent in their tendency to avoid accountability for sexual harm toward and among their students. The unfortunate truth is that like its predecessors, the new Title IX policy is unlikely to be implemented successfully. It might cause a political ruckus. But it will not guarantee students safety from sexual assault or harassment at school.

Complaints of sexual violence filed against elementary and secondary schools increased by 208% between 2010 and 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is currently investigating thousands of school districts. To deflect liability for sexual violence, districts typically use a combination of five alliterative strategies: delay investigating, deny responsibility, distort the facts, disparage the victim, and devalue the victim’s right to an equal education. Children often find themselves further victimized by the very institutions legally charged with protecting them.

Despite the volume of reports — which represent only a fraction of incidents — it’s worth pointing out that most school administrators are not deliberately condoning sexual harm against their students. They are working long hours to balance many conflicting responsibilities; budgets and other resource restrictions are often blamed for the failure to prioritize student safety. No state-of-the-art gymnasium, after-school program, or extra Advanced Placement course matters, though, if students are too traumatized to learn.

As a sexual assault prevention activist, I spent years leading school workshops around North America and saw firsthand what studies have proven: Sexual assault and harassment are community problems. No one can thrive when they know they’re unsafe. Even students who aren’t victims suffer mental health consequences; they witness what happens to their classmates and realize they’re also at risk. In my current role as a director at Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS), I’ve concluded that unless a school’s administration prioritizes shifting campus culture to one that is intolerant of sexual harm, students cannot fully benefit from the district’s other investments.

Students know they have to advocate for themselves when it comes to addressing sexual harm at school, off campus, and online. Many have already done so through free, peer-based education initiatives like SASH Club (Students Against Sexual Harassment), a project of SSAIS. Anyone can start a SASH Club in their school or community, or simply use the free materials designed to inspire action. The website provides 17 downloadable presentations on topics including teen dating violence, sexual harassment of students of color, protecting LGBTQ students, sextortion, Title IX basics, and alcohol and “date rape” drugs. It also includes videos, interactive activities, guidance for adult advisors, and survivor support.

"[It’s] a blueprint for folks to use,” says Otis McGresham, Ed.D., an advisor at SSAIS. “The toolkits that are out there, the guiding principles of how to establish a club, how to talk to administrators, how to look for advisers, all of that is on the SASH Club website."

Jane Golonka and her older brother Daniel started a SASH Club at Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina, after Jane was sexually assaulted by a peer in her middle school classroom the year before. “After I reported it, the blowback I received from peers and adults made me realize how important it is to educate people about these issues,” says Jane. “If my peers had understood the definition of sexual assault and how to respond to survivors, this would have buffered the trauma. Instead, my trauma was both invalidated and exacerbated.” Daniel helped expand the club’s membership among upperclassmen, with targeted outreach to his male classmates. “We want to give all students and adults this knowledge so that together we can shift the culture in our community and hopefully in society,” he says. “Luckily, at our public high school we are able to work towards these goals with strong support so far.”

As we anticipate the new Title IX policy, we owe it to students to consider the national political context around school sexual misconduct. But we must not let the political landscape distract us from protecting students. Locally, peer education is a powerful and often overlooked tool for long-term change within our school communities. Student leaders need the support of adults who take them seriously as activists and prioritize their goals. Children and teenagers in grades K-12 are already doing the work of advocating for their own safety, every day, and they’re asking for our help. We need to listen to them. Visit Stop Sexual Assault in Schools to find out more about SASH Clubs and get involved.