There have been conversations at colleges nationwide, including Bradley, about sexual assault on campus and how to handle it appropriately.
Student senators addressed issues surrounding the Safe Campus Act 2015, which is a bill currently being presented to the House of Representatives, at the Nov. 2 general assembly meeting.
The Safe Campus Act is intended to aid in dealing with sexual assault on college campuses, but student senators, as well as advocacy groups working with sexual assault survivors and colleges across the U.S., see issues with the bill.
The act requires victims to report sexual misconduct to the police and takes away the ability of university officials to discipline the accused until the incident is officially reported.
Student senators discussed during Monday’s general assembly how this can discourage survivors from speaking up, as they may feel uncomfortable with going to the police.
The bill eliminates the decision-making process from someone whose choices were already taken away from them.
It also takes away the power of university authorities to create a more comfortable environment (e.g. requiring the accused to avoid seeing the victim).
Title IX, which requires school officials to respond to reported incidents of sexual harassment, would become meaningless under the Safe Campus Act.
Supporters of the act argue Title IX is not efficient, as university officials don’t have the knowledge or skillset to deal with sexual misconduct. If this is true, training needs to equip officials with the skills to help students.
Supporters also explain there is a need for due process and a fair trial for the accused.
While we agree the accused deserve to be heard, we also believe society should not be so worried about the false reporting rate, as it is two percent, but instead should focus on the incidents that go unreported, which are about 68 percent, according to the Justice Department survey on National Crime Victimization conducted from 2008 to 2012.
The idea of addressing sexual assault on campus has merit, but the Safe Campus Act is a poorly thought-out plan.
We commend Student Senate for joining the opposition of the bill, and we ask other campus faculty, staff and students to do the same. Additionally, we urge our campus community to stand up for the rights of survivors.
