USF conference on Title IX addresses campus rape, gender equity

TAMPA — Experts from across the country will speak Thursday about campus rape and gender equity during a conference about Title IX at the University of South Florida.

The conference — titled Title IX: Moving Toward Diversity & Equity — is aimed at educating professionals and community members about Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits federally funded education programs from discriminating on the basis of sex. It will start at 8:30 a.m. and run through 5:30 p.m.

The sessions include a panel on addressing victims' needs and a keynote address by Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, the programs coordinator at Know Your IX, a survivor-run and student-driven organization working to end gender-based violence on college campuses.

For more information about the conference, go to tbtim.es/o9y.

Today's event is the culmination of a three-day initiative at USF on gender equity and sexual assault. USF held a screening this week of The Hunting Ground, a movie about sexual assault on U.S. college campuses as well as a rally highlighting Title IX awareness and education.

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Caitlin Johnston will live-tweet the panels. Follow @cljohnst on Twitter.