As summer comes to a close, Worcester and its residents prepare to again welcome students enrolled at the city’s college campuses. The relationships between these institutions and the city can be challenging, but they also offer countless opportunities to benefit the Worcester community.
The state Legislature has recently begun to consider a new slate of bills designed to improve the higher education experience. Most of the bills address concerns in the classroom or the bursar’s office, but we cannot ignore issues within the broader college experience. As a city that plays host to nine colleges and universities educating 36,000 students every year, the Worcester community is a fundamental stakeholder in many of the problems facing these institutions.
This relationship is particularly important in regard to public safety, including issues surrounding sexual assault. According to the National Sexual Violence Resources Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. Despite those rates, more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault, according to the center’s statistics. These facts are a serious cause for concern and call for legislative action to improve how we prevent, address and educate our campus communities about sexual violence. For too long there has been a culture of silence and fear surrounding the issue of reporting incidents of sexual misconduct on campuses — that is an environment we must change. We as a community must ask ourselves, What additional support systems can we implement and what other resources can we make available to address this complex issue?
As public awareness regarding the severity of this problem continues to grow, it is imperative that we take significant action to promote the safety of our higher education communities. That is why we have filed legislation (H.1401/S.679) that establishes a framework of regulations to foster a safer, healthier environment on campuses. This includes educating students on recognizing what scenarios may constitute sexual violence, and what options and resources are available when such an incident occurs. In order to create such an environment, we must cultivate a support system that students and college staff can trust to engage with — this entails increased training, support and outreach efforts so that individuals feel comfortable coming forth to report their experiences.
The purpose of this legislation is both the prevention of future incidents and the improved handling of sexual assault complaints. Prevention must be precipitated by a cultural change, and these institutions provide direct access to an at-risk and impressionable population in an environment tailored to education and instruction. Training these students can introduce a change in how issues about sexual assault are handled for generations to come. The legislation also addresses the inherent complications posed by investigating sexual assault on a college campus. By connecting schools with policy experts and stakeholders to improve their procedures, we can protect against the perception that an individual or institution may act outside of the best interest of the victim.
The legislation includes student education, and faculty and administration training on preventing sexual assault and recognizing and responding to it when it occurs. It also seeks to clarify the relationships and options among the campus, rape crisis centers and law-enforcement agencies.
The bill is written to complement federal legislation like the Clery Act and Title XI, which aims to ensure all students can reap the benefits of education free from gender-based discrimination and harassment. Additional federal regulations may be forthcoming, but given the urgency of the issue and the realities of Washington D.C., enacting these protections at the state level is an important step. Existing school policies vary widely in their strategies and effectiveness, and this legislation seeks to codify the best programming and training practices available. It also enhances the relationships between the university students and staff, rape crisis centers and local law enforcement if that is the alleged victim’s avenue of choice. When addressing this nuanced issue, it is essential that we approach each case with the intent of implementing a fair, transparent process and a level playing field for all parties involved. This is not an easy task, but a necessary one nonetheless and we have gone to great lengths and collaborated with a variety of partners to put forward a policy that protects the rights of both parties.
A recent lawsuit regarding the policies at Clark University brings home how difficult it can be to implement fair and impartial procedures. Proper handling of sexual assault at our colleges and universities requires relationships and understanding that extends beyond the campus boundaries. Students and residents share essential city resources like the Worcester Police, city hospitals, and the rape crisis centers. Improving the ability of these institutions to respond to instances of sexual assault will advance the safety and security of the entire Worcester community.
State Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury, represents the Second Worcester District and is the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education; State Rep. Daniel M. Donahue, D-Worcester, represents the 16th Worcester District.
