Ohio Congresswomen Urge Increased Attention To Sexual Assault on College Campuses

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 21, 2014) In a letter to Ohio college administrators, Congresswoman Kaptur and two House colleagues urged increased attention to the issue of sexual assault on campus. Kaptur, along with Congresswomen Marcia Fudge and Joyce Beatty, encouraged administrators to partner with local, state and national organizations that work against sexual violence.

“It is exciting for students to begin college, but entering campus life has risks that for too long have been swept under the rug and are not discussed amongst students or administrators,” Congresswoman Kaptur said.

“One in five college students will experience some type of sexual violence. That is unacceptable. The safety of Ohio’s students must be our top priority.”
Kaptur, Fudge and Beatty focused on three pieces of federal legislation: Title IX, the Clery Act, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (Campus SAVE) Act, which is part of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, builds on provisions of the Clery Act that require colleges and universities to provide annual statistics on crime on and around campus.

Congresswoman Fudge said: “I firmly believe we can significantly reduce if not eliminate sexual violence on college campuses in Ohio through greater transparency, stronger links between universities and community agencies that work with survivors of sexual violence and improved policies that encourage reporting of sexual assault.”

Congresswoman Beatty said, “Our universities and colleges should be leaders in this effort and I commend them for their efforts to help eliminate campus assaults. Our judicial system, educational institutions, other stakeholders must work together to end these brutal acts and create a safe learning environment for every student.”

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