Incidents of sexual assaults on college campuses have increased over the past several years, and Ohio universities are no exception. Just last month, The Ohio State University posted a public safety advisory for its residence halls on the main campus area in Columbus after a female student reported a sexual assault in Busch House around 9 p.m. Tuesday night to the campus police.
If you’re a college student in Ohio who’s been charged with sexual assault on campus, you should understand the damage it can do to both your reputation and burgeoning career. Take the charges seriously from the beginning and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Columbus right away. And never try to explain things yourself.
At Luftman, Heck & Associates, our accomplished team of sexual assault defense lawyers has a long track record of success in cases involving college students, and we’re here to help you. Let us review the situation, explain your options, and tell you what comes next.
Call (614) 500-3836 24/7 for a free and confidential consultation.
Title IX: What It Is and How It Affects Students
The Title IX statute is part of the Education Amendments of 1972, enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). It states that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Title IX is meant to ensure that universities and other institutions that receive federal financial assistance comply with these laws. The OCR investigates, evaluates, and resolves alleged sex discrimination complaints. The OCR also conducts ongoing investigations, or compliance reviews, to look for potential systemic violations.
If you’re charged with a Title IX violation, you face some pretty serious and long-reaching academic and professional consequences, such as suspension, expulsion, difficulties while trying to transfer to another school or applying to graduate school, and finding post-graduation employment. Keep in mind, that hiring a lawyer with Title IX violation experience early on in the process can help mitigate the bulk of these risks.
What Kinds of Charges Can a Student Face?
Since each school handles these charges differently, there’s no one, cut-and-dry process for dealing with them. Below is a handy chart that shows the parallels between the student disciplinary process and the criminal justice process.
| Student Disciplinary Process | Criminal Justice Process |
|---|---|
| Before a hearing, colleges and universities may impose temporary measures, which include removing the accused from campus housing, removal of the accused from athletic teams and other extracurricular activities, withdrawal from classes, temporary school suspension, and no-contact orders. | Before a trial or other criminal hearing, a judge may order the accused to have no contact with the victim and impose bail or hold the accused in jail without bail or bond. |
| Possible punishments: suspension or expulsion with permanent remarks on your transcript. Those charged with a sexual misconduct violation may face a lot of trouble trying to transfer to other schools or get into graduate school, and finding future employment. | Possible punishments: probation, fines, and/or jail. |
So not only will you face academic repercussions, but if you are found responsible, you will most likely also face criminal sexual assault charges, too.
How Luftman, Heck & Associates Can Help You
At Luftman, Heck & Associates, we understand the long-reaching consequences sexual assault charges can have on the trajectory of your life path. At LHA, our team’s intimate understanding of Ohio sexual assault laws can help you tell your side of the story, dispel false accusation, and fight to achieve the best possible outcome.
Call us today at (614) 500-3836 to learn more about how we can help.
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