The recent #MeToo campaign, which encouraged men and women to post on social media about personal experiences with sexual harassment and assault, has illuminated the extent of sexual harassment and assault in everyday life.
It is a massive problem.
The truth is most women, and many men, have had such experiences. Utah’s college students are not immune.
Incidents of sexual assault and violence seem to be growing on Utah’s higher education campuses. Increased reporting is a good thing, as are safeguards to protect victims from punishment for ancillary misconduct, like drinking alcohol or violating honor code rules against arbitrary curfews.
Schools should be encouraging a safe and supportive environment for sexual assault reporting.
Which is why recent news out of Brigham Young University that changes in certain policies have resulted in students feeling a more supportive environment, rather than “a culture of fear,” is promising.
Last year more than 50 people who said they were sexually assaulted while attending BYU contacted the Salt Lake Tribune. More than a dozen students said the Honor Code Office investigated or punished them after reporting.
In response, BYU walled-off its Title IX office, which receives reports from students about sexual harassment and assault, from its Honor Code Office, which investigates and punishes students for violating honor code rules such as men’s facial hair, curfews in on- and off-campus housing, inviting persons of the opposite gender into bedrooms and consuming alcohol or drugs. The school now ensures amnesty for students who report incidents of sexual assault.
Since it instituted these changes, the Title IX office has received more sexual assault reports in the first month of classes than it saw during last year’s entire fall semester.
As we argued before, that’s a good sign, because it doesn’t mean that assaults have increased, it means that students are feeling comfortable enough to report.
Reports estimate 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in college, yet more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims do not report being assaulted. Part of the lack of reporting is attributable to education – many students do not know there is a Title IX office or what its purpose is. Slowly, that is changing.
The Title IX office at BYU has already conducted 60 trainings this semester for students and staff.
Prohibiting BYU’s Honor Code office from punishing victims of sexual assault who report peripheral violations was a good first step. Increasing efforts to educate and provide a supportive environment to help victims report is a good second step.
BYU, and other Utah colleges and universities, need to continue and increase these efforts to promote safe and honest reporting.
Because victims are victims. Full stop.