International Consulting
Navigating the challenges of responding to sexual harassment abroad.
Unique Title IX Challenges for Study Abroad
Unclear Protocols
Many students experience sexual assault or harassment while studying abroad whether it’s for a summer, semester, or year. International institutions are not required to adhere to U.S. federal Title IX guidelines and oftentimes lack clear or comprehensive sexual misconduct policies and protocols.
Higher risk factor
One study indicates that the risk of sexual harassment or assault is 3 to 5 times higher while abroad. This is influenced by many factors, including: lack of familiarity with the local culture, lack of strong social networks of friends or family, legal access to alcohol, and perception of vulnerability by predators.
Risk of Lawsuits
While non-U.S. universities are not required to follow Title IX guidelines, failing to respond to an incident of sexual harassment or assault can damage a partnership with a U.S. institution. U.S. students have even brought lawsuits against international universities for failing to adequately respond to reports of sexual violence on campus.
CASE STUDY:
Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
USFQ wanted to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring a safe environment for our international students, especially regarding sexual harassment. Title IX Solutions worked closely with our Dean of Students, Ombudsman, International Programs Office, and legal counsel to assist us in expanding our existing sexual misconduct policies and protocols to better align with Title IX regulations, while still recognizing Ecuadorian legal frameworks. Their Director of Investigations even came to Quito to train our staff to be First Responders and campus-based investigators and utilized his expertise to investigate a complicated case here on campus. As a result, we now feel even more confident in our ability to respond appropriately to incidents of sexual misconduct on campus that are reported not only by international students, but by all USFQ students.
International Consulting Services for U.S. Institutions:
- Review sexual misconduct policy and protocols for international partner institutions to identify gaps in current policies which create confusion for victims of sexual assault. We can review policies and protocols of all international partner institutions or select international institutions of interest to the U.S. university.
- Recommend revisions or changes for international universities’ policies and protocols.
- Design a sexual misconduct response protocol for your Study Abroad Office and/or Title IX Office that includes: Details of local and national law regarding sexual assault, including legal procedures, Details of international university policies and protocols, A list of international university contacts for reporting and supportm A list of local resources for physical, legal, and/or emotional support
- Investigate alleged incidents of sexual assault on international soil, as needed. alleged incidents of sexual assault on international soil, as needed.
Title IX Consulting Services for International Institutions:
- Review sexual misconduct policies and protocols currently in place at the university.
- Revise current sexual misconduct policies and protocols to more closely align with U.S. federal Title IX guidelines while still adhering to national laws and considering local culture. The revised policy may be applicable to the entire student body, not just international students.
- Create a list of university contacts, including campus authorities and counseling services, along with a list of local resources such as legal, healthcare, or psychological support services for victims and alleged assailants to utilize in country.
- Train campus faculty and staff to become First Responders and/or campus-based Investigators.
- Consult remotely with trained campus-based investigators to aid in investigation design, witness evaluation, and overall assessment of the alleged incident.
- Investigate alleged incidents of sexual assault, upon request.
Proven Expertise in International Consulting
ADRIENNE MATHIS
Executive Director, Title IX Solutions
Adrienne Mathis works one-on-one with Title IX Coordinators at client universities to interpret federal and state sexual harassment statutes and advises universities on best practices for implementing the Regulations. As a partner of TIXS, Adrienne collaborates with company co-founders to identify barriers to proper implementation of Title IX and expand service offerings to further establish best practices in a way that is attainable for institutions and trauma-informed for parties.
Prior to TIXS, she worked as a policy consultant at Universidad San Francisco de Quito –USFQ, the top university in Ecuador. Alongside the university’s International Programs Office, legal counsel, Dean of Students, and Ombudsman, Adrienne drafted the institution’s sexual misconduct policies and protocols, which were approved in mid-2019. Adrienne is also a training instructor for TIXS, specializing in the implementation of Title IX, investigation planning, Title IX determinations, and strategies for responding to incidents of sexual assault of U.S. students abroad.
Get in Touch!
Complete the form below to learn more about our Title IX International Consulting Services.
We help U.S. and international institutions in preparing for and responding to sexual harassment on campus.
Our Title IX experts include a network of investigators, hearing officers (or decision-makers), informal resolution facilitators, advisors, and policy consultants – all of whom are dedicated to supporting schools promptly and equitably throughout the Title IX grievance process.
We also offer virtual and on-campus expert-led Title IX trainings and certifications for all Title IX roles.