Activists and women across the nation are paying tribute this month to Bernice Sandler and her impact on equality for women in higher education.

With Sandler’s extraordinary persistence, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 was signed into law by President Richard Nixon and contained only 37 words: “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.”

At the time, few people understood the significance of this law. However, all educational institutions receiving federal funds quickly realized they had to comply with its regulations.

Sexual harassment can qualify as discrimination under Title IX if it is “so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively bars the victim’s access to an educational opportunity or benefit.”

Learn more here about how Title IX prohibits sexual abuse at Ohio colleges and universities.