Gillibrand Joins 11 Other Senators in Introducing Campus Sexual Assault Legislation

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

WASHINGTON – Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is working with 11 other senators in introducing a strengthened version of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.

According to Gillibrand, the bill would flip the current incentives of a broken system to provide real accountability and transparency from higher education institutions. She says the legislation would professionalize the response to and reporting of sexual assaults that occur on campuses to better protect and empower students, while also protecting the rights of accused students.

The legislation incorporates feedback from key stakeholders – including survivors, students, colleges and universities, law enforcement and advocates – to strengthen how student surveys are conducted and strengthens newly required training standards.

Gillibrand says the provisions would safeguard both survivors and accused students. It extends the amount of time survivors have to file a case with the Department of Education, and sets new notification requirements for both survivors and accused students involved in the campus disciplinary process.

Those critical of the bill feel it does not due enough to uphold the due process rights of the accused and will add unnecessary costs to college operating budgets and thus tuition.

College campuses reported over 5,000 forcible sex offenses in 2013 – but a recent government study shows that the actual number of offenses is estimated to be at least six times that number.