For Immediate Release
Cindy Hoffman: 202 524 5330
CHoffman@ywca.org

Candice Jackson, the acting head of the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, questioned whether campus sexual assault was a legitimate issue in a New York Times article today saying, the majority of cases “fall into the category of ‘we were both drunk, we broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right.'”

STATEMENT BY YWCA USA INTERIM CEO CASEY HARDEN

“Victims of sexual assault have already faced incredible trauma. When they make the courageous decision to come forward, they deserve – at the very least – to be believed. Ms. Jackson has done considerable harm by continuing to legitimize the myth that the majority of sexual assault reports are lies. This illustrates once again how crucial it is that we have women in leadership who stand up for and with other women. We must continue to believe survivors and champion women leaders who do the same.”

About YWCA USA

YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. We are one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.

YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 150 years — from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, we combine programming and advocacy in order to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls. Learn more: www.ywca.org.

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