CALCASA Statement on Campus Sexual Assault Legislation

July 31, 2014 |
Valor

CALCASA Statement on Campus Sexual Assault Legislation

Yesterday, two important pieces of federal legislation were announced – The Bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act and the Survivor Outreach and Support (“SOS”) Campus Act.
CALCASA applauds members of Congress and the dedication and leadership they have displayed in tackling campus sexual violence. Our response as a nation, as advocates, and as members of our community, is critical to support student survivors and develop improved systems for victims of campus sexual violence.
As the professional association representing the 84 rape crisis center programs that serve every county in the state of California, CALCASA has expanded its campus program and resources to help capture student voices and perspectives. CALCASA has served as a national technical assistance provider on campus violence (sexual, domestic, and stalking) to the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) since 2000.
In addition to our work as a technical assistance provider for college campuses, CALCASA provides extensive leadership for policy advocacy and prevention programming on a statewide and national level. CALCASA also coordinates with the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV) on their worked related to campus sexual violence. Click here to find the NAESV statement on campus sexual assault legislation.
In our work with universities and colleges, advocates and survivors over the past fifteen years, CALCASA has identified a 3-pronged approach to addressing sexual violence on college campuses that focuses on survivor centeredness, community collaboration and engagement, and comprehensive prevention. Using this framework to design responses, resources, policies and prevention programs can help colleges develop community specific models that effectively address and prevent sexual violence.
CALCASA has many resources available for campuses on responding to and preventing sexual violence.  Last May, CALCASA staff presented at a web conference on sexual violence prevention on college campuses for CALCASA’s national online project PreventConnect.
In early August, CALCASA will release a report from the Student Summit on Sexual Assault, an event in which CALCASA convened 50 students to help develop recommendations for universities, colleges, legislators, funders, and other stakeholders to meet the needs of students most effectively. We look forward to sharing this resource with our members and partners. Additionally, CALCASA will be hosting a series of web conferences to help members, colleges and universities, and legislators leverage the report for their specific needs.
CALCASA’s role as a long-standing technical assistance provider on campus violence, coupled with its relationship with community-based organizations who address the needs of sexual assault survivors, results in the organization being uniquely positioned to help lead the discussion around campus sexual violence. Our work is designed to keep the needs of survivors and students at the forefront of our advocacy, policy and prevention efforts.
Click here to download a PDF of CALCASA’s statement.