On April 29 the White House released a report by the Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault which received widespread coverage in the national news media. The report, Not Alone, included a number of very specific recommendations. In addition, a new government website, NotAlone.gov, provides information how to respond to and prevent sexual assaults on campus and on finding a crisis service, finding out about your rights and how to file a complaint.
Thank you for this posting, Hans. I am very glad to see this issue raising consciousness on every U.S. campus. Bringing this topic out in the open will benefit all of us, but especially all victims. It is about time, long overdue, but great to see it finally addressed in the media and now at the White House. The reported facts are stunning: one in five college women are sexually assaulted. 95% of cases are not reported. We need to change those drastic numbers.
Thanks, LIS colleagues, for your attention to this important issue. I and Sue Ritter would be more than happy to meet with LIS staff to provide an overview of Middlebury’s work preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and to answer questions. Let’s put something together so we can keep you up to date?
It may also be helpful to know that with the passage of Campus SaVE act in March 2014, we will be adding new policies and education and prevention efforts re: dating violence, domestic violence and stalking. As you may be aware, many of these behaviors involve using technology to manipulate, stalk and control another individual, so it will be important for LIS staff to be able to partner with us in preventing and responding to this conduct.
Looking forward to more discussion.