PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has unveiled a four-bill package aimed at combatting sexual assaults on college campuses.
The first few weeks of the fall semester are commonly called the “Red Zone,” a period of time when sexual assaults rise, especially among first-year female students. And, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, more than 418,000 victims of sexual violence in Pennsylvania are under the age of 18.
To help curb the violence, one of Wolf’s bills would create a “yes means yes” law, requiring all postsecondary institutions to have clear standards about what is and is not consent. California, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota and New York already have similar laws.
Schools must have sexual violence awareness programs as well as agreements with local rape crisis centers and domestic violence programs, the governor’s office said.
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Another bill would require colleges to inform victims about their rights and offer them protective services.
A third bill is designed to teach middle and high school students about how to recognize and prevent dating violence, sexual assault and harassment. The fourth would create a task force to study student experiences on the topic and improve responses.
“We have made a lot of progress in combatting sexual violence and harassment in schools, but we need to do more to ensure all of our students are safe,” Wolf said in a statement.
Philadelphia state Rep. Brian Sims added, “Not only do we need to greatly increase the support for survivors of sexual assault, we need comprehensive and inclusive education on consent. Educating kids before they arrive on college campuses is the number one way that we can reduce the instances of sexual violence.”