On the first day of classes each semester we go through syllabi with professors, many of which give caveats about plagiarism and cheating. As students, we know that these are not allowed and that there are serious consequences attached to them. What doesn’t seem to have serious consequences? Sexual assault on college campuses.
At many colleges and universities, perpetrators of sexual assault can transfer to a new school without anyone finding out about the crime they committed. An in-depth report by the Huffington Post notes that these types of offenses won’t necessarily show up on transcripts, and university administrators can get away with only vaguely mentioning that the student faced disciplinary action without getting into actual details.
Colleges and universities that accept transfer students aren’t even required to check those students’ records, and if they do, full disclosure by the previous school isn’t required, according to the report.
It scares me how accessible the possibility of getting out scot-free is, but a recent proposal by lawmaker Das Williams, D-Calif., might just help change this. Williams’ bill, which recently underwent review, pushes California colleges to punish students found guilty of committing a sexual assault with at least a two-year suspension.
Two years, if not more than that, sounds pretty good to me. Survivors of sexual assault face so many negative outcomes because of the crime and oftentimes have to work hard to feel safe and secure in their lives again. Their assailants deserve to have their lives disrupted as well, and they deserve a severe punishment.
An analysis of data by the Huffington Post collected from about three dozen colleges and universities states that only 30 percent of students found responsible for sexual assault cases are actually expelled, and only 47 percent are suspended. I want to see these numbers get as close to 100 percent as possible.
I was ecstatic to read a couple weeks ago that lawmakers in California, Virginia and Maryland are also trying to get colleges to note on a student’s transcript if he or she has been suspended or expelled for assaulting another person. While it would be easier and preferable to let the police deal with these types of students, many survivors of assault are not comfortable with pressing charges. Putting some power into the hands of colleges and universities to make perpetrators pay for their crimes, at least on some level, is incredibly important.
Paul Trible Jr. is a former Republican congressman from Virginia who lobbied for Virginia legislators to draft a bill requiring sexual misconduct notations on transcripts. He said in an interview with the Huffington Post that these changes could prevent sexual assaults from happening.
“The fact that a student will carry this information with them for the rest of their lives should act as a powerful deterrent to committing these acts,” Trible said.
In a perfect world, just the idea of violating another person’s body against his or her will would deter sexual assault. But because that isn’t the case, I hope that Trible is right. If nothing else will work, maybe academic disciplinary action will make would-be perpetrators think twice.
Sexual assault is common and it is rampant among college-aged students. One in five women and one in 71 men will experience a rape in his or her lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in 20 women and men will also experience a form of sexual assault other than rape.
People have to stop assaulting others, and they have to face serious punishments if they do.
Though highlighting Sexual Assault Awareness Month and having protests, marches, campaigns, discussions and crackdowns are slowly chipping away at the acceptance that surrounds sexual assault, perpetrator punishments may be our best bet for combatting the horrific crime.
Jamie Bernard can be reached at bern2479@stthomas.edu.
Sexual assault is too common, and even more likely for young people not in college. I completely support this piece, and agree that there need to be severe consequences for violating the trusted sanctity of another person’s body. This is especially applicable to adult – child sexual violence, as there is no question of consent or misunderstanding. Raping children is morally wrong, and this fine school should lead by example in calling for the punishment of sinful rapists with as much (if not more) police resources and legal consequence as is applied to stopping underage alcohol-drinking.
BRAVO.
The only other thing I’d say is that you diddn’t go far enough. If you take someone’s dignity away by raping them, or instill fear for their well being by stalking, assaulting them, or what have you, you don’t just get expelled from school. Do I think investigations are warranted to serve justice the best way possible? Of course. But if you rape someone, you go to prison. Theft, murder, and perjury can be justified as self defense, protection, and survival. There is NOTHING to justify taking someone’s right to feel safe in their own bodies and in their own surroundings. I think we just need to take every single claim seriously. If I cheat on an exam, I fail the class, and have a meeting with the dean of students. If I assault someone, IF there is an investigation at all, I might just get off scott free, or at most suspended and can go to a different school. Let’s just tighten everything up.