Proposed Bill: The Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASAct)

Last week eight senators, led by Senators Gillibrand and McCaskill, proposed new legislation, referred to as the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The proposed legislation seeks to combat sexual violence on campus through the use of public information and penalties. A few of the key components of the bill would require institutions of higher education to designate a confidential adviser to support victims, have a uniform campus-wide process for disciplinary proceedings relating to claims of sexual violence and administer an annual, standardized, online survey of students regarding their experiences with sexual violence and harassment. In addition, institutions will face penalties of up to 1% of the institution's operating budget if they are found to be out of compliance with certain requirements.

To download the proposed legislation in full or a one-page summary, click here.

FREE Online Training in Sexual Assault Investigations

End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) has developed the OnLine Training Institute (OLTI) to bring state-of-the art training to anyone who is interested, on the topic of criminal justice response to sexual assault. OLTI was created by a multidisciplinary team of experts for professionals in law enforcement, prosecution, health care, victim advocacy, and other criminal justice agencies and social services. All of the training modules in the OLTI were developed with funding provided by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), U.S. Department of Justice and has been approved by OVW. OLTI modules are also peer-reviewed by experts in a range of professional disciplines, including law enforcement, prosecution, health care, victim advocacy, and related fields. The OnLine Training Institute is FREE and there is no cost to register, enroll, or complete any of the modules. To view the list of available courses, visit the EVAWI website.