Chapter 8: Title IX and Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention: Implications for Higher Education

The last 40 years have brought about considerable changes in the manner in which educational institutions address issues of sexual harassment and misconduct on their campuses. While Title IX was once viewed as a “women’s sports access” issue on college campuses, it has now morphed into the vehicle by which millions of students rely on holding schools accountable to keeping them safe from sexual misconduct and harassment on collegiate and K–12 campuses alike. The costs of Title IX enforcement have come in a variety of ways, including human capital and programmatic investments in both prevention and adjudication. It is undeniable that fiscal resources are a significant means to enforcement of the mandate that all students be permitted access to educational opportunities free of sexual violence and gender based harassment.