Federal Laws

Several federal laws govern how institutions of higher education, including Butler, address sexual misconduct. These laws include:

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving financial assistance.”

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in all schools that receive federal financial assistance. It requires schools to take steps to prevent such discrimination and to appropriately address incidents of discrimination that occur on their campuses. Sexual harassment and sexual assault are considered to be forms of discrimination on the basis of sex under Title IX.

Questions about Title IX’s application to Butler University can be directed to the Title IX Coordinator and/or the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on and enforces Title IX. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX page.

The Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (commonly referred to as the Clery Act) requires institutions of higher education that receive federal funding to report annual statistics related to certain crimes that occur within a specific geographic area around campus. These crimes include sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.

For more information on how Butler works to comply with the Clery Act, please visit our Clery Information page.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA)

The reauthorization of VAWA, passed in 2013, includes amendments to the Clery Act. It places certain requirements on institutions of higher education for (1) reporting statistics related to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, (2) implementing prevention programs related to these areas, and (3) implementing disciplinary procedures for addressing sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.