Something Was Wrong

S25 Ep7: Rethinking Mandatory Reporting and Internal Processes in Higher Education with Dr. Katherine Holland

February 10, 2026

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  • Mandatory reporting policies in higher education are often ineffective and potentially harmful to survivors because they funnel individuals into Title IX systems that are designed to protect institutional compliance rather than center survivor autonomy and well-being. 
  • Institutional betrayal is particularly damaging because survivors' lives are deeply enmeshed with the institution, and the system they trusted to protect them often fails to provide adequate support or actively causes secondary trauma. 
  • The current Title IX formal grievance processes, especially since the 2020 regulations emphasizing adversarial cross-examination and requiring supportive measures for respondents, are overtly hostile to survivors and prioritize perpetrator due process over victim support. 

Segments

Introduction to Dr. Holland’s Work
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(00:02:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Dr. Holland researches how social environments influence well-being, focusing on sexual violence support systems in higher education.
  • Summary: The host introduces Dr. Katherine Holland, detailing her research focus on social environments, formal support systems, and interpersonal processes concerning sexual violence in higher education and the military.
Advocacy Roots and Trauma-Informed Response
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(00:08:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Advocacy training, centered on survivor autonomy and informed decision-making, forms the foundation of Dr. Holland’s research design.
  • Summary: Dr. Holland explains how her background as a victim advocate drives her research questions and methodology, emphasizing the importance of survivor autonomy and control.
Critique of Mandatory Reporting Policies
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(00:10:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Mandatory reporting is often ineffective because the Title IX system it reports into is not designed to prioritize survivor best interests.
  • Summary: Dr. Holland discusses her research against mandatory reporting, explaining that reporting into a system (like Title IX) that is not victim-centered can cause further trauma.
Institutional Betrayal and Title IX Failures
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(00:22:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Institutional betrayal is uniquely harmful because survivors trust the system designed to protect them, only to find it fails them.
  • Summary: The discussion covers institutional betrayal, noting that Title IX offices are often framed as support hubs (‘Report Equals Support!’) but fail to deliver, leading to profound disappointment.
Ineffectiveness of Current Title IX System
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(00:30:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The current Title IX system fails survivors at nearly every turn, with formal processes rarely resulting in findings of responsibility or meaningful sanctions.
  • Summary: Dr. Holland analyzes the ineffectiveness of the Title IX system, citing low responsibility findings and the hostile nature of the 2020 regulations, particularly regarding adversarial cross-examination.
Power Dynamics in Campus Sub-Communities
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(00:38:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Hegemonic masculinity and strict hierarchies in areas like athletics or Greek life create environments where sexual violence can flourish.
  • Summary: The host asks why certain departments see higher rates of violence; Dr. Holland attributes this to entrenched gendered power dynamics and strict hierarchies within those sub-communities.
Retaliation After Reporting
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(00:44:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Retaliation is a common fear that prevents reporting, and institutions are often hesitant to recognize or act upon the subtle forms retaliation frequently takes.
  • Summary: Dr. Holland discusses the difficulty survivors face in proving retaliation, which often leads to them altering their academic paths or leaving the institution entirely.
Nuances for Marginalized Survivors
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(00:49:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Institutional structures are often hostile to marginalized survivors, who face additional prejudice, stigma, and pressure from within their own communities.
  • Summary: The conversation explores how survivors from marginalized communities experience unique challenges, including microaggressions from investigators and pressure from community members if the respondent is connected to that group.
Advice for Students Considering Reporting
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(00:55:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Students must know who is confidential versus mandatory reporting, bring an advocate, and ask detailed questions about the process and desired outcomes.
  • Summary: Dr. Holland advises students to identify confidential resources, bring an advocate to Title IX meetings, and ask for creative supportive measures, noting that survivor needs are not one-size-fits-all.