Throughout the last few months, SAFER has had the privilege of working closely with members of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s and Senator Claire McCaskill’s staff to develop survivor-centric legislation aimed at reducing campus sexual assault and holding colleges and universities accountable to federal laws designed to regulate institutional treatment of survivors.
Yesterday, Senator Gillibrand, Senator McCaskill, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Heller, Senator Rubio, Senator Grassley and Senator Ayotte announced The Campus Accountability and Safety Act, (the CASAct) a bipartisan bill to combat campus sexual violence, support survivors, and hold colleges and universities accountable to their students and to federal law.
The bill, if passed, will mandate national climate surveys of college students on their experiences with campus sexual assault, increase fines for violating the Clery Act, change penalties for Title IX violations, require more disclosure on the part of the Department of Education on investigations it conducts under Title IX, establish mandatory confidential advisor positions for all institutions, and require institutions to form memorandums of understanding with local law enforcement. Throughout the bill, a focus on establishing trauma-informed systems at institutions of higher education remains prominent. Additionally, the language and content of the bill reinforces Senator Gillibrand and Senator McCaskill’s commitment to centering survivor needs.
SAFER was pleased see to see that the CASAct did not include mandatory reporting of campus sexual assaults to local law enforcement. Mandatory notification to law enforcement would have a chilling effect on reporting, which would reduce the identification of offenders, create barriers for survivors to access support services, and prevent survivors from achieving justice in ways most comfortable for them.
It is clear that SAFER’s input was heard and integrated into the CASAct, a bill that we believe is an important and positive step forward in the movement to combat campus sexual violence and to support survivors.
It is our hope that the CASAct will become law and require colleges and universities to adopt survivor-centric policies and procedures that reduce campus sexual violence and support those students who have been affected by sexual assault. At the same time, SAFER knows there is more reform work to be done, and believes the bill will inspire the continued work of the already empowered community of student sexual violence prevention activists returning to campus this fall.
SAFER looks forward to our continued involvement in the legislative process surrounding The Campus Accountability and Safety Act and will remain vigilant in our support of campus sexual assault survivors and their allies.
