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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today, on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, renewed her call for Congress to pass her legislation with Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) to hold educational institutions accountable for any mishandling of sexual assault reports and strengthen efforts to prevent further assaults. 
 
“Fifty years ago, women like Michigan’s own Martha Griffith spoke out against discrimination in education, stood up in the face adversity, and enacted Title IX. Since then, more women have graduated from college, advanced their careers, succeeded in sports, and so much more,” said Dingell. “As we mark this historic occasion, we must recommit our ourselves to ensuring Title IX remains strong and vibrant. To this day, many survivors of sexual assault suffer in silence, afraid to come forward for fear of retribution, attack on their character, physical fear, or lack of action. We see too much of it at our universities in Michigan and at universities across the country. There is a serious responsibility on educational institutions to understand the culture of sexual assault at their schools and protect students. The Title IX Take Responsibility Act takes an important first step in holding institutions accountable for mishandling these cases.”

The Title IX Take Responsibility Act would establish notice and reasonable care standards to hold educational institutions liable for sex discrimination, further defining criteria for how schools must exercise action to prevent and correct the impacts of sexual assault. The bill also would provide an individual private right of action for any institution’s failure to enforce these rights under the established standards and allows for equitable relief for the victim