Title IX has been a statute for over 40 years, but recent Supreme Court guidance and directives under the Obama administration have changed the implementation and interpretation of the statute across the thousands of college campuses that receive federal funding.
Originally implemented in 1972, Title IX is a statute designed to prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, stating that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
While the statue was initially limited to a short statement on gender discrimination, and was used primarily to address equal funding of sporting teams and unequal educational requirements, it has been gradually expanded to cover harassment, violence, and sexual assault. Unfortunately, schools and universities carry differing capacities for addressing these issues, with both the accusers and the accused arguing that the current system is ineffective when it comes to providing justice to victims of sexual assault.
Due to the growing controversy surrounding Title IX, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has pledged to re-examine the policies enacted under Obama’s administration. Last week, DeVos held a meeting with hundreds of sexual assault victims, families of victims, those accused of assault, families of the accused, and higher education officials, to review the policies.
As government and education officials continue to debate policy solutions to physical and sexual harassment and assault on campus, it is important to remember that the government is not the only entity with power over your safety and autonomy. You don’t have to wait for the government to protect you when you have rights, yourself.
On hundreds of college campuses across the country, students involved with the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL,) have sought to raise awareness for the support of the right to self defense. YAL’s “Your Life, Your Right” initiative teaches that students have the right to defend themselves from violence and sexual assault, even while on college campuses.
Many colleges have implemented policies that put students at greater risk for violence or assault on campus, such as the banning of non-lethal weapons like pepper spray. “Your Life, Your Right” reinforces the founding principle of self-defense.
YAL believes that the ability to defend oneself is a human right. The easier it is for law-abiding citizens to access weapons – never to endanger others but to protect themselves – the more likely they are to prevent a violent crime from taking place.
Student activists nationwide participated in “Your Life, Your Right” events on their campuses, by illustrating the ineffectiveness of weapon bans in preventing violence and by passing out literature that reinforces the non-aggression principle. “Your Life, Your Right” seeks to educate students on the fundamental rights to life and private property. Time and time again we have seen that these rights are overlooked or violated by both campus officials through their non-lethal weapon bans, and by perpetrators of violent assault who ignore the rights of their victims.
While it’s applaudable that government officials want to craft policy which best protects students on campuses funded by taxpayers, the process is slow and has proven to be at least somewhat ineffective. It is up to individuals to take control of their own safety.
The “Your Life, Your Right” campaign provides an alternative to merely debating policy, and is a call for action. Through this initiative, students are advocating for the right to defend and protect themselves on college campuses across the country. It is the right of students and the obligation of administrators to empower students to look after their own safety in an increasingly violent world.
