A delegation of visitors from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh visited campus to learn about protecting the rights of women and children through programs such as Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The group was invited to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. World Learning, a longtime partner of WSU, arranged the program in collaboration with Global Ties Detroit.

Objectives for their overall program included examining the role of law enforcement in cases of gender-based violence and forced marriage; exploring the range of social service agencies involved in prevention and treatment and assistance to victims; demonstrating public/private partnerships and cooperative efforts that can improve community welfare and prevent domestic abuse; and illustrating various types of public advocacy campaigns pertaining to gender-based violence.

The visitors came from police departments and organizations focused on human trafficking, forced marriage, child rights, sexual harassment and violence against women. They met with Brandy Banks, Title IX director, who outlined ways the university helps students during the process of a reported harassment, such as the Dean of Students contacting professors to inform them if a student must miss class due to complications from the investigation process.

"It's on us to create a culture of respect at this institution," Banks says, "and we all have each other's backs on this."

WSU Police Lt. Dave Scott discussed how cases are handled from a police standpoint and recommended all students, regardless of gender, participate in the department's Rape Aggression Defense program "It's not about what you can't do," Scott says, "it's about what you can do, and you don't know it."