Newport Beach University/College Sexual Harassment Lawyer
Colleges and universities across the country are facing an epidemic of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Harassment involves unwanted sexual advances, stalking, obscene texts and sexting, inappropriate touching/groping, and other unwelcome sexual remarks and gestures. Sexual assault on campuses here in California and throughout the U.S. is so rampant that more than one in four female college undergraduates reports having been sexually assaulted. Nearly one in four gay, transgender, and nonbinary students has also been sexually assaulted. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are prohibited under Title IX, which offers an avenue for justice both for victims and those wrongly accused. The Newport Beach University/College sexual harassment lawyers at The Garza Firm can help you file a claim against the perpetrator, or defend you in your upcoming Title IX hearing if you have been wrongly accused of sexual harassment or violence.
Sexual Harassment
Title IX defines sexual harassment as:
- Unwelcome sexual advances
- Requests for sexual favors
- Other verbal, nonverbal, and physical conduct of a sexual nature
- Sexual violence
Examples include inappropriate touching or groping, stalking, whistles and catcalls, sexually suggestive jokes or names, requests or demands for sexual favors, offensive remarks about a person’s sex, sexting, intimidation, and harassment based on a person’s sex that interferes with their education or ability to perform/participate in a sport, activity, or program. Title IX also protects against gender harassment, as well as sexual violence, as defined below.
Sexual Assault/Violence
Sexual assault, as defined by Title IX, involves any “physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will” including when a person is incapable of giving consent. Sexual violence, which is also a felony offense in California, includes sexual assault, sexual battery, rape, sexual abuse, and sexual coercion. Examples include unwanted touching, attempted rape, aggressive sexual advances, any use of violence or force for sex, sexual assault of a minor, and sexual assault of a drunk or drugged person who is unable to give consent
Title IX Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Hearings
Sadly, sexual harassment has been normalized and accepted as “locker room talk” in recent years by politicians. While the #MeToo movement made some degree of progress, there is still a long way to go before sexual harassment and sexism in general is a thing of the past. Title IX enables victims to hold perpetrators accountable through hearings. A Title IX hearing is conducted by a panel made up of faculty members; this panel will ask both the victim and the accused person numerous personal questions about the incident and will review any pertinent evidence of wrongdoing. While the victim never has to come face-to-face with the accused, Title IX hearings are generally stressful and traumatic for sexual harassment and sexual assault victims. As such, having an attorney on your side increases the chances of the perpetrator facing punishment for their actions.
Call a Newport Beach College/University Sexual Harassment Lawyer Today
It is never easy for a victim of sexual harassment to face the perpetrator. The Garza Firm can help you take on this monumental endeavor. Call 949-570-8350 to schedule a free case evaluation with a Newport Beach college/university sexual harassment lawyer today.
