Act mandates UC, colleges to make changes to better respond to, prevent sexual violence

A provision of the newly renewed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act will soon mandate the University of California and colleges nationwide to take a series of steps to better respond to and prevent sexual violence.

The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act was not present in the 1994 original Violence Against Women Act. The reauthorized act was signed by President Barack Obama this month and will take effect next March.

The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act has three main aspects.

One part will require colleges to publicly report all incidences of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking that are reported to university police.

The act will also require college campuses to have specific procedures and programs in place that aim to prevent sexual violence from occurring on campus and help any campus victims of sexual violence, according to the bill.

Additionally, campuses will be required to offer a change in housing or work environment to student or employee victims of sexual abuse, under the act.

Backers of the act have said it aims to make students more aware of the dangers they may face while on campus.

University police already release the statistics associated with the crimes, through the Clery Act Task Force Report, an annual report about crime on public university campuses, which is available to the public, said Nancy Greenstein, a spokeswoman for UCPD.

Although the new act will not change how UCPD reports crimes, it will require the police department to further clarify the categories of violence in order to comply with the new act, Greenstein said, as well as prove that they go through the steps outlined to help victims.

Students can submit complaints about alleged misconduct by students, including sexual assault, to the UCLA Office of the Dean of Students.

The dean’s office investigates the incident, and if it determines there is sufficient evidence, may refer the case to the Student Conduct Committee for a hearing. If the accused party is found responsible, the university can impose sanctions such as suspension.

The Office of the Dean of Students declined to comment on how the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act will affect these standard processes.

UCLA currently offers many programs for victims of violent crimes, like the Campus Assault Resources and Education center, which acts as a safe place for support and guidance to survivors and is within UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services.  Other programs local to UCLA include educational programs in the residence halls and the Rape Treatment Center at the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, Greenstein said.

Christine Littleton, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, said the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act will help the resources and facilities at UCLA by enabling them to continue providing multiple treatment options.

The new laws will expand the 1994 Violence Against Women Act to include protection for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, undocumented workers and American Indian women.

“In many states, you can discriminate against (members of the LGBT community), so police may refuse to take information for same-sex couples about dating violence or sexual assault and rape,” Littleton said. “In those states, this is very significant to the LGBT community.”

Karen Zamora, a second-year psychology student, said she has mixed feelings about some of the new stipulations required of college campuses.

“Releasing more statistics doesn’t necessarily make me feel any safer, but I think it’s good for students to know the actual numbers of what is happening around campus,” Zamora said.

Zamora said she thinks there need to be more programs to educate and encourage people not to commit sexual, domestic or dating violence.

Other students said they think the new act will open up opportunities for other universities that are less prepared to help victims of violence.

“This can show everyone that (campus violence) is a huge problem college campuses face, and this act is a huge benefit because of the changes it will make at some universities,” said Sha’Vonna Amey, a third-year sociology student.

When the bill goes into effect in 2014, Greenstein said UCPD will take the appropriate steps to become more transparent to be in line with the new requirements.