Over the past few years, universities across the U.S. have seen a spike in sexual assault cases that have caused an uproar amongst students. As investigations rage on, it is becoming clear that the universities themselves are increasingly at fault. Faculty trained in handling such cases are often at the center of allegations regarding their approach to victims — neglecting them, giving poor advice and even going so far as punishing them.
For many at John Brown University, this poses a bigger question: If this is happening at their schools, will it happen at ours? In general, sexual assault cases are on the rise in America. With new revelations regarding broken support systems, this opens a window for many more transgressions in the future.
Sexual assault and other Title IX offenses are often difficult to manage. With federal funding and student livelihoods on the line, there are a lot of areas for misstep, and recent events would even show that those areas are easier to reach than previously thought.
What is Title IX?
While Title IX is a commonplace term on college campuses, few may actually know what it means and what it affects. By definition, Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sexual discrimination in any school or educational program that receives federal money. While this may manifest itself into different policies and practices on a school-by-school basis, the foundational law remains the same.
These rules primarily aim to protect students from sexual assault, stalking, exploitation and harassment. JBU’s Chief Human Resources Officer Amy Fisher commented on these policies. “Our office takes Title IX very seriously, and we want to work with our students who have experienced trauma to help all parties get the help and resources they need to move through these very difficult situations,” she said.
The rules have a tendency to be viewed as confusing or complex and have even seen some changes in the past few years under former president Trump’s administration that have made it harder to report and receive relief after sexual violence. A leading issue not only on college campuses but in cities across the nation, the sexual assault epidemic has directly affected up to 47% of women in the U.S.
Title IX Issues at Christian Schools
While sexual assault has become a massive issue on most college campuses, new light is being shed on a particularly interesting subsect of this phenomenon: Christian colleges and universities.
One of these schools currently in trouble is Liberty University, one of the largest evangelical colleges in the U.S. In late October, ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative newsroom, released a report detailing the stories of the failures of the Title IX officers on campus in dealing with assaults. One of the main stories focuses on a student who was assaulted and then threatened with punishment due to the fact that during the assault she was intoxicated, a violation of the school’s special code of conduct, dubbed the “Liberty Way.”
The report says, “Universities across the country have long faced scrutiny for their handling, and mishandling, of sexual assault cases. But Liberty University’s responses to such cases stand out. Interviews with more than 50 former Liberty students and staffers, as well as records from more than a dozen cases, show how an ethos of sexual purity, as embodied by the Liberty Way, has led to school officials discouraging, dismissing and even blaming female students who have tried to come forward with claims of sexual assault.”
It continues, saying, “Three students … recalled being made to sign forms acknowledging possible violations of the Liberty Way after they sought to file complaints about sexual assaults. Others say they were also warned against reporting what had happened to them. Students say that even Liberty University police officers discouraged victims from pursuing charges after reporting assaults.”
JBU has its own version of the Liberty Way, often referred to as the Community Covenant, or simply the Covenant. In the wake of this report, it left many at other Christian colleges asking, “What if this is happening here?”
Fisher addressed these concerns. “Our policy specifically addresses amnesty for individuals participating in a Title IX investigation/process,” she said. “But, in general, I would say that even if we become aware of an issue during an investigation, Residence Life may address it in a developmental, not punitive way. For example, if we became aware that a student had an issue with heavy alcohol use, we might work with them to get counseling and help for that problem.”
Fisher maintains that the number of investigations has remained low and that keeping students safe and healthy is a top priority. Regardless, the past few months of turmoil on college campuses show just how dangerous this issue is getting and how each university is at risk.
Illustration by Anna Butler