Know Your IX is an American political advocacy group founded in 2013. It aims to inform students of their right to an education free from gender-based violence under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in institutions receiving federal government funding. The organization also seeks to influence legislation and policy to improve federal enforcement of Title IX and treatment of student victims.
Founding
editKnow Your IX was co-founded in 2013 by Amherst College student Dana Bolger and Yale Law School student Alexandra Brodsky, both of whom were sexually assaulted on college campuses, as a "survivor-run, student-driven campaign to end campus sexual violence."[1][2][3][4][5] Goals include clarifying misconceptions regarding Title IX, explaining statutory requirements, and documenting complaint filing protocols.[6] The organization's website explains:
Running on grassroots energy, we educate students across the country about their civil right to education free from sexual violence and harassment while also pushing policy and legislative change on the national level for better federal enforcement of that same right.[1]
In July 2016, Mahroh Jahangiri became Executive Director of Know Your IX. In fall of 2017, Sage Carson assumed leadership of the organization.
Legal education
editThe Know Your IX website hosts resources including "know your rights" materials on Title IX and the Clery Act. Know Your IX maintains an active social media presence through which it shares its educational resources,[7][8] The organization also encourages visitors to its website to share educational resources through social media or by printing posters.[9] In October 2013 Amy Poehler's Smart Girls project released an education video promoting the Know Your IX project[10] A number of schools promulgate the information Know Your IX publishes about Title IX, including the Smart Girls video.[11][12][13][14]
Audience
editKnow Your IX attempts to reach both students who don't know their Title IX rights and existing activists. It aims to be broad based to counter the historical trend that "Feminism and the movement against sexual violence has historically been a very white, upper-middle-class movement", according to Bolger.[6]
Policy advocacy
editKnow Your IX advocates for state and federal policy and legislative reform.[15] Through its "ED ACT NOW" campaign, the organization first focused on the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, from which it demanded increased transparency and Title IX enforcement.[16] Since ED ACT NOW's launch, OCR has released the list of schools under investigation for sexual assault-related violations of Title IX and begun finding schools officially out of compliance with the law.[15] Know Your IX also advocates for legislative change, including authorizing the OCR to fine schools for Title IX violations.[17] In June 2014, Brodsky, Bolger, and former Know Your IX members John Kelly and Laura Dunn participated in federal Senate roundtables regarding changes in Title IX enforcement.[5][18][19][20] Know Your IX has also vocally opposed state laws to require colleges and universities to refer sexual assault reports to law enforcement.[21]
Journalism guide
editIn fall of 2014, the organization published a guide for journalists writing about gender based campus violence. Reaction was mixed; the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault described it as a "comprehensive guide" for "accuracy and objectivity",[22] whereas in the Washington Examiner, Ashe Schow claimed that Know Your IX "cares less about actual justice and more about automatically believing every accuser and labeling the accused as rapists".[23]
References
edit- ^ a b "About Know Your IX". Know Your IX. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ Neel, Aly (2014-09-16). "Princeton is the final Ivy Leaguer to lower burden of proof for sexual assault". Washington Post.
- ^ "Sexual Assault Survivor Activists Launch 'Know Your IX' Campaign". Huffington Post. 2013-04-08.
- ^ Rosch, Amelia (8 August 2013). "Get to Know "Know Your IX"". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b Radelat, Ana (27 June 2014). "Connecticut advocates lobby Congress to tackle sexual crimes on campus". Connecticut Mirror. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b Lachman, Samantha (8 August 2013). "Know Your IX". The Nation. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "Know Your IX". Twitter. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Know Your IX Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "I Want to Spread the Word". Know Your IX. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "KNOW YOUR IX – YouTube". Amy Poehler's Smart Girls. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "Title IX: The Basics | Know Your IX" (PDF). Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "James Madison University – Do you know your IX?". Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "Texas A&M University School of Law > Current Students > Know Your IX". Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "Know Your IX – Learn about Title IX". Texas A&M University School of Law. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ a b "ED ACT NOW". knowyourix.org. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ Ramanathan, Kumar (July 16, 2013). "Student Activists Demand Stronger Punishment For Colleges That Fail To Address Sexual Assault". Think Progress. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ Culp-Ressler, Tara (July 28, 2014). "One Simple Solution To Make Sure Colleges Start Taking Rape Seriously". Think Progress. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Sexual Assault on College Campuses". C-SPAN.org. National Cable Satellite Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Campus Sexual Assault". C-SPAN.org. National Cable Satellite Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Sexual Assault on College Campuses". C-SPAN.org. National Cable Satellite Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ Bolger, Dana; Brodsky, Alexandra (February 12, 2015). "Victim's choice, not police involvement, should be lawmakers' priority". MSNBC. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ Sanchez, Crystal (7 Nov 2014). "A Guide for Journalists & Editors by Know Your IX". California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ Schow, Ashe (3 Nov 2014). "New guide for journalists reporting on campus sexual assault ignores accuracy, objectivity". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 7 March 2015.