Kaine Introduces Legislation to Support Survivors of Sexual Assault on Campus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, reintroduced legislation to support survivors of sexual assault on college campuses. The Survivor Outreach and Support on Campus Act, or S.O.S. Campus Act, would require that every college and university that receives federal funding have an independent advocate dedicated to campus sexual assault prevention and response.

“Students deserve to live and learn in healthy, safe environments. We must do everything we can to prevent sexual assault on college campuses and provide support to survivors,” said Kaine. “This bill is critical to ensuring that students who bravely speak out are connected with the medical treatment, counseling, and relevant legal information that they need.”

Sexual violence and harassment on college campus is heavily underreported, in part due to shortcomings in existing reporting structures. After a change to Title IX under the Trump administration, many universities experienced a drastic decrease in the number of sexual assaults being reported. The Association of Title IX Administrators estimated that upwards of 90% of sexual misconduct cases are handled “informally” and without formal protections and guidance for student victims. 

The S.O.S. Campus Act would require campuses to have an independent advocate to conduct public information campaigns on sexual assault prevention and ensure that survivors of sexual assault have access to:

• Emergency and follow-up medical care,
• Guidance on reporting assaults to law enforcement,
• Medical forensic or evidentiary exams,
• Crisis intervention, ongoing counseling, and assistance throughout the process, and
• Information on their legal rights.

Local rape crisis centers and other community-based organizations are currently providing many of these services in communities and on campuses around the nation. The legislation recognizes the importance of these partnerships by requiring that universities either consult with or partner with these organizations to ensure that survivors can access the services they need.

Last year, Kaine also introduced Support for Universities and Colleges to Champion the Educational Success of Survivors (SUCCESS) Act which would support student survivors of sexual assault and other violence. In 2015, Kaine introduced the Teach Safe Relationships Act following a conversation with University of Virginia students. Key provisions from Kaine’s Teach Safe Relationships Act, including allowing Title IV funding to be used for instruction and training on safe relationship behavior among students in elementary and secondary schools, were signed into law by President Barack Obama as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The S.O.S. Campus Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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