UltraViolet: Betsy DeVos is a Threat to Campus Sexual Assault Survivors
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Contact: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com | 914-523-9145
UltraViolet: Betsy DeVos is a Threat to Campus Sexual Assault Survivors
Yesterday, at the Senate confirmation hearing for President-elect Trump’s pick for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos’ refused to say whether or not she would continue the Obama Administration’s policy of requiring uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses.
In response, Karin Roland, Chief Campaigns Officer at UltraViolet, a national women’s advocacy organization, released the following statement:
“With one-in-four sexually assaulted while in college, we are facing a national rape culture epidemic on college campuses.
“Betsy DeVos’ refusal to commit to continuing policies requiring uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on campuses makes it clear that DeVos’ cares little for the welfare of sexual assault survivors, their ability to seek justice for the crimes committed against them, or their ability to earn a college degree in a safe environment. In fact, DeVos has a record of contributing to organizations that seek to overturn policies that make it easier for colleges and universities to hold rapists accountable for their crimes. This is shameful.
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve justice for the crimes committed against them, and students deserve to know whether or not their tuition money goes to support schools that fail to address sexual assault on their campuses. If we are going to tackle or nation’s rape culture epidemic, it starts with having a Secretary of Education committed to her responsibilities of standing up for students and ensuring that Title IX protections are fully upheld.”
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