Many have wondered what the rationalization could be when “survivor” advocates complain that the new Title IX rules make it too hard for “victims” to accuse male students of sexual misconduct. The answer isn’t hard to state: it’s that accusers feel burdened by the potential of being put to the test of proving the truthfulness of their claims. If they’re simply believed without question, they feel no such burden.
If they’re required to prove their accusation, or even worse, challenged by the accused, the trauma of their victimization will be multiplied, their pain re-inflicted, and so they will be more reluctant to come forward. Accordingly, their rationalization goes, the perpetrator of their sexual wrong will not be taken to task and will be free to inflict his maleness on other unaware women.
Brown University has come up with its solution.
The Title IX Office introduced a new method of reporting incidents of sexual harassment, sexual violence or gender-based discrimination on its website Dec. 10, 2020. The online Sexual Violence and Gender-Harassment Incident Reporting Form aims to provide an easy mechanism to report incidents, Title IX Program Officer Rene Davis wrote in an email to The Herald.
The form “adds an easily accessed and direct line of communication to the Title IX Office,” Davis wrote.
The form allows students to report descriptions of incidents, concerns and involved persons, such as alleged aggressors, harmed individuals and witnesses, as well as the desired response from the Title IX Office. Students can also opt to make their reports anonymous.
Anonymous? Sure. After all, how else can a “victim” feel safe from the harsh repercussions of accusing someone of being a rapist without any responsibility? It’s not that this notion of anonymous accusations is new, but if anyone thinks we’ve gone beyond such wildly irresponsible mechanisms that are so easily subject to abuse, think again.
Curiously, proponents of the online form applaud its ease of use and protection for accusers.
The option to anonymously report incidents through the online form “can feel liberating” for survivors, Cooper added.
Cooper said the online form streamlines the “dense” amount of information on reporting incidents of sexual harassment through the Title IX Office, in a way that facilitates students’ comfort disclosing their experiences with sexual violence.
Yet, the online form cannot, and does not, serve as a lawful substitute for a formal Title IX complaint.
The online form is not the same as a formal complaint to the Title IX Office, Davis noted. While a formal complaint requests engagement in a resolution process, the Sexual Violence and Gender-Harassment Incident Reporting Form does not require that an individual engages in this process — though they have the option to if they would like to request an investigation.
Essentially, this anonymous online complaint system is directed toward alleged “victims” obtaining benefits for themselves. As for the accused, it’s unclear what impact these complaints would mean. Will they be suspended? Will they be branded as rapists, but outside any system where they can defend themselves from the anonymous accusations? Or it this just about “survivors” receiving services?
The ability to use an online form may help in reducing barriers, like shame and confidentiality concerns, that exist for student survivors of harm, SHARE advocates Alana Sacks and Elliot Ruggles wrote in an email to The Herald.
They added that the online form may also better facilitate survivors’ access to physical and psychological assistance from medical and mental health professionals.
To what end will anonymous online accusations be put? Will they prove a facile means for false accusations, for people to take revenge when angry or upset, to brand innocent people as sex offenders without any recourse to challenge accusations or defend themselves? Who cares? As long as it makes “survivors” feel comfortable, isn’t that what really matters?
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