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Title IX: Next Steps as a Nation of Activists

As many of you might be aware, Betsy Devos rolled back portions of Title IX that were put into place under the Obama administration.

If you have not read up on it, please do so here before finishing this post.

In summary, DeVos would like even more evidence from survivors that they were sexually assaulted and thus, they should punish the perpetrator. You may think that is not problematic, but let me tell you why it is.
Yes, it definitely cuts down on wrongful prosecution of those being accused. The issue is, though, that wrongful prosecution barely happens. Only 2-8% of sexual assault cases are proved to be inaccurate. That leaves 92-98% of sexual assault cases to be proven to be correct. Why that means we should make the reporting process harder, I cannot say.


This is also problematic because it not only disrespects everything that the Obama Administration did prior, but it shows that Betsy DeVos is more concerned with protecting rapists than she is survivors.
It shows that DeVos also has no concern for all of the campaigns that have petitioned for her to not roll back this portion of Title IX, and that is not diplomacy. That is ignorance and closed-mindedness. That is not what our country stands for.

The other portion of why it's problematic, is the fact that many survivors will be wrongly disbelieved, due to how post traumatic stress disorder affects people. It is very common for those that have PTSD (which is common in up to 94% of sexual assault survivors 2 weeks after an assault), to suffer from memory loss, which also leads to a court system not believing a survivor, which also leads to rapists walking free.
 

If that is not clear enough as to what the problem is, then there's no other way I can say it. There are three important things to recognize as we go through this together:

1. Self-care. Learn to take care of yourself. Recognize when you need time to check out, and take care of who you are. Here are some tips for you to learn self care, for your mind, body, and soul. I use it often.


2. Plan activist techniques. Sign this petition from It's On Us to show that you need Title IX. Connect with your local activist team. Nobody can do it alone, and it's important to try to connect with people.

3. Read up on how to support survivors. We need to feel connected more than anything else, these days. Support each other. They need the support more than anybody else. 

Above all else, do your research, connect with friends, do self care, and try to remember that there are many people out there that are fighting for your right as a human and survivor. You are important, and you deserve to be believed. Never allow yourself to feel otherwise. And remember, Joe Biden loves you, and he's fighting for you, too.








Comments

Monica Laurette said…
Thank you for your powerful words Paige. It makes me so sick and worried with what DeVos is doing to our country and our protections under Title IX. Continue your fight, I know I will. We must all be together on this now, more and more each day we are shown why we must start to stand (or kneel) for what is right.

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