Virginia sex assault case raises questions about school responsibility

Elizabeth Tang, senior counsel for education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center, said in an interview that she has fielded hundreds of complaints about students experiencing sexual harassment, assault and other sex discrimination in schools across the country. Those complaints frequently contain concerns that schools are mishandling these reports, though very few cases make it to trial.

“The standards for bringing a Title IX lawsuit against a school is very burdensome on plaintiffs, on victims, and so it’s very difficult to clear those hurdles,” Tang said.