October 27, 2025
In the new Women’s Media Center (WMC) article, “When Title IX Is Weaponized, How Can We Protect Students?” Stop Sexual Assault in Schools Co-founder and Executive Director Esther Warkov examines the consequences of diminished federal Title IX enforcement, and what students, families, and advocates can do about it.
The article is especially timely as the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has sharply reduced its capacity to investigate student complaints. Warkov describes the closure of seven regional OCR offices, staff reductions, and the abandonment or delay of complaints involving students who have experienced sexual harassment and assault, while OCR continues to pursue investigations reflecting the administration’s priorities.
Warkov identifies practical avenues for accountability when federal Title IX remedies are unavailable or delayed. She urges families to learn their school district’s sexual-harassment policies and their state’s civil-rights protections, which in some states provide broader protections or additional enforcement mechanisms. She also encourages families to work with school Title IX or equity coordinators, state education and civil-rights agencies, and community-based sexual-assault organizations.
For those seeking legal remedies, Warkov points readers to resources on civil lawsuits involving school-based sexual abuse or harassment. She also highlights opportunities for students to become advocates through Students Against Sexual Harassment (SASH) Clubs and for schools and communities to address gender bias, misogyny, and sexual harassment through SSAIS’s #MisogynyFreeSchools resources.
When federal enforcement is weakened, understanding and leveraging state, local, and community-based protections is essential for families pursuing accountability.
Read the article here.