As the nation reckons with a steady stream of stories about high-profile men accused of sexual misconduct, women are sharing their own stories on social media using the hashtag #MeToo.
The movement toward reporting and confronting sexual misconduct has for years been gaining momentum on college campuses. Today, many students are comfortable reporting sexual violence, says Dylan Saake, Chico State’s coordinator for compliance with the federal gender-equity law known as Title IX. To be in compliance, colleges must provide students safe learning environments, free of gender-based discrimination, and respond promptly and equitably if sexual misconduct is reported.
At Chico State, the number of reported cases of alleged sexual misconduct has increased more than 23 percent since last year. Its second-ever Title IX Activity Reporting report, published in October, shows Chico State received 53 reports of various kinds of sexual misconduct from July 1, 2016, to June 30, in contrast to 43 reports over the same period a year prior.