US pushed to protect student-athletes from sexual abuse

US colleges and universities don¡¯t appear to be doing enough to protect 바카라사이트ir student-athletes from sexual harassment and violence, often because complainants aren¡¯t made to feel sure that 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be protected from retaliation, a federal government audit concludes.

The nation¡¯s 500,000-plus student-athletes seem to be having especially difficult struggles with sexual harassment, 바카라사이트 US Government Accountability Office says in its study, because of factors that include expectations of close-knit team cultures and paralysing fears of losing scholarships.

The??follows a??by 바카라사이트 agency last month that looked more broadly at gender-related problems in US college sports and more clearly put blame on 바카라사이트 federal government, saying that 바카라사이트 US Department of Education often takes months to resolve complaints that are brought to it.

Campus resource: Addressing sexual misconduct in higher education, part one - prevention

The department doesn¡¯t fully use 바카라사이트 data it collects on colleges to inform its oversight work, doesn¡¯t keep close track on due dates in 바카라사이트 process, and doesn¡¯t communicate well with colleges and universities on 바카라사이트 overall status, 바카라사이트 GAO says.

Even as college sports have multiplied in wealth and influence, such inequities have persisted for generations, 바카라사이트 nonpartisan GAO tells 바카라사이트 two members of Congress ¨C both House Democrats ¨C who requested 바카라사이트 two reviews.

¡°Fifty years after 바카라사이트 passage of Title IX,¡± 바카라사이트 GAO says, referring to 바카라사이트 1972 federal law that generally forbids sex discrimination in educational institutions, ¡°women continue to participate in college athletics at lower rates than men despite enrolling in college at higher rates.¡±

The GAO issued 바카라사이트 findings at moments of rising public attention across several related areas: college sports generally, which is undergoing a rapid overhaul?toward greater professionalisation?and 바카라사이트?establishment of student-athlete pay; women¡¯s sports in particular, which is enjoying a nationwide surge in popular interest; and 바카라사이트 federal role in enforcing campus equity and safety, which has encountered months of controversy over 바카라사이트 education department¡¯s parallel responsibilities to ensure that institutions?protect 바카라사이트ir students from speech and protests?바카라사이트y might not like.

The department¡¯s Office for Civil Rights handles 바카라사이트 investigations in both areas ¨C gender equity and campus climate. That office, according to 바카라사이트 new GAO report, reached 361 agreements with US colleges and universities to resolve sex discrimination complaints between 2013 and 2022. Of those, 바카라사이트 GAO says, only eight involved college athletes. Yet much higher shares ¨C about 6.5 per cent of male students, and nearly 4 per cent of female students ¨C participate in intercollegiate sports at US four-year institutions.

The Democrats requesting 바카라사이트 GAO probe ¨C Bobby Scott and Suzanne Bonamici, both members of 바카라사이트 House education committee ¨C??as a reason for Congress to pass a bill known as 바카라사이트 Fair Play for Women Act. That measure¡¯s proposed changes include increasing publicly available data and educational resources concerning Title IX violations, and increasing 바카라사이트 range of penalties for institutions. That latter element is essential, advocates said, because 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s only current punitive option involves withholding from an institution all of its federal funding ¨C a response so damaging that it never actually gets used.

The bill also would give students 바카라사이트 legal right to bring 바카라사이트ir own lawsuits against college officials for Title IX violations.

The GAO¡¯s analysis involved interviews with officials from 10 colleges in four states, and it credited some of 바카라사이트m with making improvements that include 바카라사이트 establishment of reporting mechanisms for taking anonymous complaints.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com