Feminists Oppose Changing College Rape Investigation Guidelines

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently announced her Department is rescinding the 2011 Dear Colleague letter. This letter issued guidelines on how schools should handle sexual assault cases under Title IX law — or risk losing federal funds. The 2011 guidelines instructed colleges use the lowest standard of proof, “preponderance of the evidence,” when deciding whether a student is guilty of sexual assault.  That standard meant there was a 50.1% possibility a sexual assault occurred. Whether an assault actually occurred or the incident was a false accusation made no difference to college administrators. Accused male students were often expelled.

DeVos said colleges were free to abandon the 2011 standard and raise it to a higher standard known as “clear and convincing evidence.” Additionally, after a public input period lasting several months, DeVos will issue new investigation rules.

Feminists immediately voiced opposition against changing the 2011 standards.

Feminist Senator Patty Murry stated DeVos's decision "may cause survivors of sexual assault to go back into the shadows, allowing predators to continue to roam college campuses and the epidemic of college sexual assault to spread".  The Senator then recommended 6 steps which would provide support for campus sexual assault survivors. The steps include maintaining the 2011 standards.

Another feminist politician, Senator Dianne Feinstein stated "DeVos is putting rights of the accused above those of sexual assault victims. Absolutely unconscionable."

A Senator from New York, staunch feminist Kristen Gillbrand, said "This betrays students. Betsy DeVos should be doing everything she can to make Title IX enforcement stronger."  and ".Let’s fight back to make sure Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education do not turn their backs on survivors of campus sexual assault."  She then penned an extensive article  for Cosmopolitan Magazine defending the 2011  “preponderance of the evidence” standard claiming it already protects accused students’ rights.

The feminist organization 'The National Women's Law Center' issued a statement:  "This interim guidance will have a devastating impact on students and schools. It will discourage students from reporting assaults, create uncertainty for schools on how to follow the law, and make campuses less safe. This misguided directive is a huge step back to a time when sexual assault was a secret that was swept under the rug. Hundreds of thousands of parents, students, alumnae, and school officials know what’s at risk and have strongly urged the department to keep the [2011] guidance in place. It’s reckless to ignore these voices."

The National Organization of Women (NOW) categorized male students accused of rape as a "privileged" group. NOW also stated "Because of this callous decision, students are now at risk of losing tools that provided a path to justice–access to Title IX coordinators, and an Office of Civil Rights that listened."

Lastly, The Feminist Majority Foundation condemned Devos's proposed changes stating:
"The Feminist Majority Foundation condemns the heartless statements of Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education today that attack Title IX as we know it and threaten crucial guidelines that protect survivors of sexual violence. We’re calling on college administrators to oppose Secretary DeVos’ baseless approach to addressing campus sexual violence."

Feminists are strongly against changing the 2011 “preponderance of the evidence" standard. They have no problem with false rape accusations against male students. They are not interested in establishing guilt based on clear evidence. They aren't interested in being fair to everyone. Instead, feminist are interested in maintaining an investigation procedure requiring minimal evidence of guilt. They are interested in keeping a system where truth and fact are based on gender. Women are presumed truthful. Accused men are presumed liars.

Feminists are assuming accused male students are guilty of sexual assault. Feminists are judging students on the basis of their gender rather than their actions.

Feminism IS sexism.

It is hoped Betsy Devos can create an investigation procedure which judges students solely on the basis of their actions. Feminists, however, have other ideas. They plan on fighting Devos and any campus reforms she initiates.