Frankel Hosts Roundtable on Sexual Assault Epidemic on College Campuses
West Palm Beach, FL — This morning, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) will convene a panel of state legislators, law enforcement officers, advocates, and students for a roundtable discussion on policies to combat rape on college campuses.
“Date rape and sexual assault on college campuses have for far too long been met with efforts to protect the educational institution and not the victim. Through we can learn how the various stakeholders can work together for safer environments and fairer accountability,” said Frankel.
Nationally, one in five women will be sexually assaulted while in college. It often happens during her freshman or sophomore year – and in a majority of cases the attacker is someone she knows. Many women are survivors of “incapacitated assault” where they are sexually abused while drugged, drunk, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated.
Despite the prevalence of the crime, only 2% of “incapacitated assault” survivors and 13% of forcible rape survivors report the crime to campus or local law enforcement, according to the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.
Joining 19 colleagues in the House, Frankel is a sponsor of the Campus Safety and Accountability Act. The proposed legislation aimed at colleges and universities includes provisions that establish new campus resources and support services for student victims; ensure minimum training standards for campus personnel; and create a standardized, annual survey taken by students regarding their experience with sexual assault.
In April, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault also announced a series of actions to identify the scope of the problem on college campuses, help schools respond effectively when a student is assaulted, and improve, and make more transparent, the federal government’s enforcement efforts.
Frankel would like to thank Florida Atlantic University for hosting this discussion and for raising awareness about sexual assault.