Title IX- Let’s Talk About It.
TW: Mentions Sexual Assault and Rape
With every start to the school year, a sense of apprehension surrounding classes and social life consumes many new students as they navigate college life. Unfortunately, here at The Edge, we know the anxiety surrounding rape, sexual assault and gender-based discrimination is a real fear for many students. We know the concern is not without reason, with one in five women experiencing sexual assault in college.
The Edge understands this is the bleak reality of college (and life). However, we want to do what we can to educate our readers about the resources available at Elon University. Knowing the rights you hold as a student can make a significant difference for both survivors and witnesses—Here’s what you need to know.
What is Title IX?
Title IX is an article of the 1972 Education Amendments. Under Title IX, schools must intervene in sex discrimination, stop the recurrence of the issue and provide resources for survivors. Essentially, Title IX forces institutions to take active steps to stop the harassment and prohibit the repetition. Although the amendment is the same across every university in the United States, each institution has its own way of managing sexual assault and discrimination on campus. The Edge sat down with Title IX coordinator Molly Zlock to discuss Elon’s Title IX process, support and resources.
What does the Title IX amendment cover?
The Title IX federal law only covers certain behaviors and reports of sexual discrimination and assault. However, Elon’s Title IX office responds to any & all reports of sexual misconduct.
What does the process of submitting a report look like?
A student can file a Title IX report online here or by emailing the Title IX director directly at mzlock@elon.edu. When the Title IX Office at Elon receives a report, the student reporting will receive an email within the following days. The email will include information about Elon’s policies, resources and supportive measures. After the email is sent, the process falls completely under the student’s control. The student can choose to engage further, delete the email or use one or more of the resources in the email.
What post- submission resources are available to students here at Elon?
The coordinator for violence response: well trained in guiding someone through dealing with the trauma of sexual misconduct or violence.
Safeline: 24-hour hotline to report an incident of sexual misconduct.
After reporting an incident to the Title IX office, a student is eligible to receive academic accommodations. Additionally, the school can enact a cease contact directive that purposely keeps the impacted students away from each other.
What is the difference between submitting anonymously and not?
The process is completely controlled by the student. You can submit a report with as much or as little detail as you are comfortable with. You do not have to include names or follow through with an investigation. The Title IX office will respond to all reports, no matter how much detail is included. The Title IX office responds to reports that are less detailed by giving the students resources to guide them through this difficult time. The Title IX office responds to students struggling with incidents that occur both on-campus and off-campus. The school responds to more detailed reports by working with the students on how they wish to proceed. The student can choose to continue with further investigation or submit a report anonymously and use the resources that Elon provides.
What happens if a student has more than one report of an assault against them?
If a student has received 2 or more reports of related sexual misconduct against them, the school can pursue an investigation that can result in temporary or permanent removal from Elon University.
How do you think Elon can improve with the prevention of sexual assault on campus?
Zlock believes that Elon is doing a great job providing resources and support in order to prevent sexual assault on campus. Zlock states that she believes it is essential to push resources and information regarding healthy sexual relationships during the first six to eight weeks of first-year experiences. Additionally, Zlock says that ongoing training regarding sexual misconduct throughout a person's college experience could be an area in which Elon can improve.
If you or someone you know may benefit from learning more about the Title IX office, we encourage you to share this article and the included resources with them. The aftermath of experiencing sexual assault can be traumatizing, but it is important to know that there are resources on Elon’s campus to support students. Whether you seek out resources days, months or years later, your timeline for healing and seeking justice is completely your own, so do what is right for you.