The Education Department’s civil-rights office, once the government’s chief weapon against campus sexual violence, is now a shell of itself, leaving thousands of student complaints in limbo and survivors with little hope of federal help.
At a Glance
- Investigations opened nationwide have plummeted from dozens a year to fewer than 10 since March 2024 mass layoffs
- Office for Civil Rights staff was cut in half; backlog tops 25,000 cases
- Zero voluntary agreements on sexual-violence cases secured since Trump returned to office
- Why it matters: Students who say their schools botched assault cases must now choose between costly lawsuits or walking away
The Office for Civil Rights entered the Trump era already understaffed and slow-moving. After last March’s mass layoffs, the unit lost roughly half its attorneys. Internal data obtained by Marcus L. Bennett show that sexual-violence inquiries have nearly stopped: fewer than 10 opened nationwide in the past year compared with dozens annually before the cuts.
A Shift in Priorities
While complaints alleging rape, harassment or assault sit untouched, the administration has launched almost 50 new Title IX investigations focused on transgender-student accommodations. Trump officials rolled back Biden-era rules that had expanded LGBTQ+ protections and restored regulations from Trump’s first term that bolster rights of accused students.
Julie Hartman, an Education Department spokesperson, blamed the backlog on the previous administration and said the office “is and will continue to safeguard the dignity and safety of our nation’s students.” She added that the Trump administration “has restored commonsense safeguards against sexual violence by returning sex-based separation in intimate facilities.”
Dead-End for Complaints
Law firms that once funneed hundreds of cases to the agency are now advising clients against filing. “It almost feels like you’re up against the void,” said Katie McKay, a New York lawyer who represents victims. “How are we supposed to hold a school accountable once it has messed up?”
Students have two remaining options: sue or drop the matter. One woman who filed a 2024 complaint alleging her graduate school failed to expel a student it found had assaulted her has heard nothing since. She recently filed suit. “They have all the power, because there is no large organization holding them accountable,” she told News Of Los Angeles.
By the Numbers
| Metric | 2024 (Biden) | 2018 (Trump 1st term) | Since March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voluntary agreements on sexual-violence cases | 23 | 58 | 0 |
| New sexual-violence investigations opened | Dozens | Dozens | <10 |
| Total civil-rights complaints backlogged | – | – | 25,000+ |
Historic Enforcement Fades
Before the layoffs, more than 300 sexual-assault investigations were pending. Most are now idle as remaining staff prioritize simpler cases, staffers told Marcus L. Bennett on condition of anonymity.
Past actions highlight what’s being lost:
- Pennsylvania district forced to designate a Title IX coordinator after a disabled girl was put back on the same bus with a driver who had sexually touched her
- Montana school ordered to overhaul policies after a boy was pinned and assaulted by teammates, initially dismissed as hazing
- University of Notre Dame required to revamp proceedings after expelling a student without detailing accusations or interviewing his witnesses
No Quick Fix in Sight
Even lawyers representing accused students see little improvement. Washington attorney Justin Dillon says new cases have opened, but he warns clients that investigations dragged on for years even before the cuts.
The LLF National Law Firm stopped filing complaints in 2021, opting to sue schools directly. “The office had become incapable of delivering timely outcomes,” attorneys said.
Legal Pushback
Twenty states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration Thursday over the Education Department layoffs. In December the department announced it would reinstate dozens of terminated workers while litigation continues, offering a glimmer of hope to those with pending complaints. Department leaders still seek to make the layoffs permanent.
Laura Dunn, a civil-rights lawyer who pushed the Obama administration to prioritize campus assault, is now running for Congress. “All the progress survivors have made by sharing their story is being lost,” she said. “We are literally losing civil-rights progress in the United States, and it’s pushing us back more than 50 years.”
Key Takeaways
- The Office for Civil Rights has opened fewer than 10 sexual-violence investigations nationwide since March 2024
- Over 25,000 civil-rights complaints now sit untouched
- No voluntary agreements on sexual-violence cases have been reached under the current administration
- Students’ main remaining recourse is expensive, time-consuming litigation
