This post was written by Hatchet opinions writer Sarah Blugis.
Top universities have been under fire lately for lying dormant when the country needs action against a sexual assault epidemic. Dartmouth College, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Berkeley are all facing intense scrutiny over whether they mishandled rape cases.
Duke University, on the other hand, is taking a stand. The Durham, N.C. university announced this week that the “preferred sanction” for any student found guilty of a sexual assault violation would be expulsion.
The university’s prior rule was to impose a three-to-six-month suspension on violators – putting rapists back on campus with their victims soon after. Now, its zero-tolerance attitude is being embraced by students and women’s advocacy groups on campus, since the policy has the potential to lower sexual assault rates as well as encourage victims to come forward.
Duke saw the drastic need for change and prevention, and acted strongly in response. The change is refreshing considering the Center for Public Integrity found that those found guilty of rape by campus courts typically face few consequences.
Compared to a long-overdue policy like Duke’s, GW’s efforts to prevent and adjudicate sexual assault cases are meager.
GW should be applauded for stepping up sexual assault education and extending the statute of limitations for reporting sexual assaults. But it hasn’t sent the clearest possible message to perpetrators that if they are convicted of sexual assault, they will no longer be welcome at our university.
The sexual assault policy approved in May includes expulsion as a possible outcome, but is not as bold as as Duke’s stance. GW has looked to balance the interests of the accused and the accuser, but is taking a soft line.
The University’s revised sexual assault policy this year allows victims up to two years to report sexual assault. But GW is seemingly the odd one out: As many as 50 of the nation’s top universities do not impose any time limit on victims wishing to report these crimes.
Recent debates at colleges across the nation show that this debate on college campuses isn’t over.
Is GW going to wait for years, as sexual assault instances plague our campus and others across the nation, to take substantive, stronger action on the issue?
And with the alarming number of universities facing investigations over how they have dealt with sexual assault cases, GW should act proactively, rather than retroactively. It’s an opportunity to serve as an example for other schools who want to send a positive message to their students.
The work on how to handle sexual assaults at GW isn’t done.
The writer is a sophomore majoring in political communication.
This article was updated on July 11 at 1:12 p.m. to reflect the following:
Correction appended
The Hatchet mischaracterized Duke’s policy as expelling anyone guilty of sexual assault. That is the “preferred sanction” and tougher than its previous policy, but not a blanket rule.
