Serious about campus assaults

If there were a medal of valor for members of Congress, Sens. Claire McCaskill and Kirsten Gillibrand would deserve it for their success in reforming the U.S. military. Thanks largely to their efforts, the armed services must radically change the way they investigate and prosecute sexual assault.

Now McCaskill and Gillibrand have turned their attention to a scene where sexual assault is just as egregious and indulged with similar laxity by officials: college campuses.

This time, the sacred cows are fraternity row, university athletics departments and institutional prestige. Also at play are the public's attitudes about young people, alcohol and sexual violence.

Much like the military, colleges and universities all too often react to sexual assault first and foremost to shield the institution, not to help the victims. A common complaint is that, when allegations are made, college officials hesitate to investigate or try to dissuade victims from filing criminal complaints. The senators aim to get campuses to increase reporting and change the ways they respond to sexual assault.

One in five women will be sexually assaulted while in college, according to 'The Campus Sexual Assault Study,” a 2007 study conducted for the Justice Department's National Institute of Justice. The statistic by itself is an argument starter. Cite it and you'll be accused of crusading against young men and of excusing the unladylike drinking of female coeds.

True, a drunk young woman is more gullible than a sober one. She can be counted on to make unwise choices. But that doesn't mean she's fair game to be assaulted.

What many don't realize is that colleges and universities receiving federal funding are required by law to provide a safe campus for everyone, regardless of gender. And when they allow an administrative process that is barely a scolding to suffice, they permit attacks to carry on.

Studies cited by The White House Council on Women and Girls indicate that college attacks are often by serial offenders who use alcohol as a weapon to incapacitate their female victims. A 2002 study found that 7 percent of college men admitted to committing rape or attempted rape and 63 percent of these men admitted to committing multiple offenses, averaging six rapes each.

Mandated reporting of incidents is lax, federal staff to force cooperation isn't sufficient, and too much confusion exists within university staff of their obligations under laws of equality such as the Title IX.

College should be the launching pad to a solid, successful adult life. But nearly adult is not adult. And the trauma of abuse, especially mishandled, can lead to depression, drugs and alcohol to cope, or to dropping out of school.

For decades, universities have been sloughing off the dusty old responsibility of 'in loco parentis.” Very well, but they will have to live up to real responsibility - legal liability - if they can't get the scourge of sexual assault under control.

' Comments: msanchezkcstar.com