> Putting employers and schools at the center seems like the wrong approach. If there is a victim and a perpetrator, why can't it be handled in court between them?

Employers and schools are at the center because sexual harassment is sex discrimination in employment or education, and thus rightfully creates liability for the employer and school under anti-discrimination laws.

The individual acts by which that discrimination is carried out may also be crimes or torts, aside from being a component of institutionalized discrimination, and when they are, that is absolutely addressable in legal action between the parties (for torts) or between the State and the criminal aggressor (for crimes).