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Education Department’s Civil Rights Office Crippled Under Trump, Sexual Violence Cases Languish
Before President Donald Trump’s administration began dismantling the Education Department, the agency’s Office for Civil Rights served as a powerful enforcer in cases of sexual violence at schools and universities, bringing government authority against institutions that mishandled sexual assault complaints. Today, that critical work has largely ground to a halt.
The office was severely impacted by Trump’s mass layoffs last year, which cut the legal staff by half. Those remaining face a staggering backlog of more than 25,000 discrimination cases based on race, sex, or disability in schools. Sexual violence investigations have plummeted dramatically – while the office previously opened dozens of such cases annually, it has initiated fewer than 10 nationwide since the March layoffs, according to internal data obtained by The Associated Press.
In a striking shift of priorities, the Trump administration has instead directed resources toward a different type of Title IX enforcement. Officials have opened nearly 50 investigations against schools making accommodations for transgender students and athletes since Trump returned to office, signaling a clear policy redirection under the 1972 gender equality law.
“It almost feels like you’re up against the void,” said Katie McKay, a lawyer at the New York firm C.A. Goldberg. “It feels like a big question mark right now. How are we supposed to hold a school accountable once it has messed up?”
Education Department spokesperson Julie Hartman defended the administration’s approach, blaming President Biden’s Democratic administration for the backlog and for rewriting Title IX rules to protect LGBTQ+ students – policies Trump officials have rolled back. “The Trump Administration has restored commonsense safeguards against sexual violence by returning sex-based separation in intimate facilities,” Hartman stated.
The impact on sexual violence cases has been particularly severe as students have limited alternatives for seeking justice. Many complainants now face only two options: pursue an expensive lawsuit or abandon their case altogether.
One graduate student who filed a complaint in 2024 described losing hope after months without contact from investigators. Her complaint alleged her school failed to follow its policies when it merely suspended rather than expelled a student found to have sexually assaulted her. Having recently filed a lawsuit as a last resort, she described feeling overwhelmed: “They have all the power, because there is no large organization holding them accountable. It’s just me, just this one individual who’s filing this simple suit.”
The civil rights office historically provided a free alternative to litigation where anyone could file a complaint triggering an investigation and potential sanctions for schools violating federal law. In 2024 alone, the agency received more than 1,000 complaints involving sexual violence or sexual harassment.
Current figures remain unclear as the Trump administration hasn’t released newer data. Staff members speaking anonymously described cases accumulating so rapidly they can’t track how many involve sexual violence. In December, the department acknowledged the backlog and announced dozens of downsized workers would return amid legal challenges to their layoffs, though officials continue pushing for the reductions.
Before Trump’s second term, the office had more than 300 pending sexual assault investigations according to public data. Most cases are reportedly inactive while investigators prioritize simpler complaints.
Past cases demonstrate the office’s critical role. In 2024, it took action against a Pennsylvania school system after a girl with a disability reported being sexually touched by a bus driver, yet was placed back on his bus for three days. In Montana, the office demanded changes at a school where officials treated a sexual assault after wrestling practice as mere hazing, suspending the perpetrators for just three days.
The office also protected due process, siding with a University of Notre Dame student who was expelled without being informed of specific accusations or allowed to present witnesses.
Justin Dillon, a Washington lawyer representing accused students, said while some of his recent complaints have been opened for investigation, he advises clients not to expect timely resolution. The LLF National Law Firm stopped filing complaints in 2021, preferring to sue schools directly due to the office’s inefficiency – a situation further deteriorated by the layoffs.
In 2024, under President Biden, the office secured 23 voluntary agreements from educational institutions in sexual violence cases. In 2018, during Trump’s first term, there were 58. Since Trump’s return to office, there have been none.
Laura Dunn, a civil rights lawyer instrumental in making campus sexual assault a priority during the Obama administration, expressed dismay at the dismantling of the office. Now a Democratic congressional candidate in New York, she warned: “All the progress survivors have made by sharing their story is being lost. We are literally losing civil rights progress in the United States, and it’s pushing us back more than 50 years.”
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12 Comments
This is very concerning. Sexual violence cases should be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated, not neglected. The administration needs to make this a priority and provide the necessary resources.
Agreed, these cases cannot be allowed to languish. The department should be strengthening enforcement, not weakening it.
It’s alarming to see the sharp decline in sexual violence investigations under the current administration. This sends the wrong message and puts vulnerable students at risk. More must be done to protect them.
Absolutely. Prioritizing transgender issues over sexual assault cases is a misguided shift in focus that fails to address critical issues facing students.
The dramatic decline in sexual violence investigations is very worrying. The Education Department should be bolstering its efforts to address this critical issue, not dismantling its ability to do so. This needs to change.
I agree, the administration’s apparent shift in priorities is highly concerning. Vulnerable students deserve robust protections, not a weakened enforcement regime.
The Education Department’s Civil Rights Office should be a safeguard for victims of sexual violence, not an institution that allows these cases to be neglected. This is a disappointing development.
Agreed, the administration must restore the office’s capacity to handle these sensitive investigations properly. Reducing staff and resources is unacceptable.
This is a deeply troubling development. The Education Department must prioritize investigations into sexual violence on campuses and provide the necessary resources to address this critical issue effectively.
Absolutely. Protecting students from sexual assault should be the top priority, not sidelining these cases in favor of other enforcement actions. This needs to be urgently addressed.
This is a deeply troubling trend. Sexual violence on campuses is a serious problem that demands a strong, dedicated response from the federal government. The administration needs to reverse this concerning shift in priorities.
Absolutely. Protecting vulnerable students should be the top priority, not diverting resources to other issues. The department must act urgently to address this backlog of cases.