Posted: | April 30, 2021 02:37 PM |
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From: | Representative Carol Hill-Evans |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Campus Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence |
In 2016, Governor Tom Wolf introduced a package of bills to help combat sexual violence on college campuses as part of the national It’s On Us (IOU) campaign. Act 16 of 2019 included statutory requirements for addressing sexual assault at Pennsylvania colleges and universities, and, on January 5, 2021, more than $1 million in grants to combat campus sexual assault was awarded to 42 colleges and universities throughout the state. The mission of IOU is to “build the movement to combat campus sexual assault by engaging all students, including young men, and activating the largest student organizing program of its kind in grassroots awareness and prevention education programs.” Pennsylvania’s IOU initiative builds upon the national campaign by bringing together higher education staff, students, families, and members of the community to change the conversation around sexual violence and make a pledge to be part of the solution moving forward. Our part as a legislature is never done, and it is imperative that we have more and better data on what is going on across the state to fully understand where the gaps in information, services, and responses are. As part of the governor’s ongoing IOU initiative, my resolution would direct the Joint State Government Commission to study and report on the impacts of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking on students in grades 6-12 and at postsecondary institutions. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation so we can learn how to build better policies for Pennsylvania’s students. |
Introduced as HR108