University of Kansas reached a $200,000 settlement in a Title IX complaint last year, wrapping up allegations that a professor sexually assaulted a student in 2015.

As a part of the settlement, the student agreed to dismiss his federal lawsuit. Details of the settlement were recently revealed by The Lawrence Journal-World following an open-records request.

The Title IX complaint was filed in March 2017 by a student identified as “John Doe” in court documents. According to the complaint, the student was sexually assaulted in 2015 by a professor who was not identified in the lawsuit. The professor reportedly no longer works at University of Kansas.

Under the Title IX complaint settlement, the student may not seek readmission to the University of Kansas and one of the university’s departments is required to undergo specialized Title IX training. Despite settling the Title IX complaint, University of Kansas has denied any wrongdoing.

This student’s Title IX complaint against University of Kansas is not the first of its kind. Two lawsuits were filed against the university by former varsity rowers. The complaints were dismissed in November 2017 and two months later it was reported that the university settled the lawsuits for a combined $400,000.

One of the rowers’ parents filed an additional lawsuit against the university after the settlement. The parent lawsuit claimed that the university violated Kansas’ consumer protection laws by claiming that dormitories were safe when in reality they are faced with a sexual assault problem.

Sexual assault encompasses a range of sexual violence, and each victims experience of sexual assault is unique. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) defines sexual assault as “sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim”. This includes attempted rape, unwanted sexual touching, forced sexual acts, coercion, and other forms of sexual violence. Other sources include sexual harassment under the blanket term of “sexual assault”.

Sexual assault is a growing problem across America, especially among college ages women. According to an article by the Huffington Post, “female college students ages 18-24 are three times more likely than women in the general population to experience sexual violence.” Data suggest that victims of sexual assault are often targeted by people they know in work, athletic, medical, and academic settings.

Victims of sexual assault have legal options to hold their perpetrators accountable for their actions. If sexual assault occurs in the academic environment, a Title IX complaint may allow victims to recover compensation or seek a settlement with their college or university. Victims of sexual assault in the workplace or medical settings may be able to file a civil lawsuit to hold their abusers accountable.

If you were a victim of sexual assault in academics, athletics, medical settings, or work settings, you may be eligible to file a Title IX complaint or civil lawsuit. These legal actions could potentially recover compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more.