Month: November 2014

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PR: Public Opposition to Campus Sex Assault Policies is Widespread, Polls Show

Contact: Gina Lauterio

Telephone: 301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

Public Opposition to Campus Sex Assault Policies is Widespread, Polls Show

WASHINGTON / November 18, 2014 – Three national polls reveal widespread disapproval of campus sexual assault policies implemented in recent years. The polls point to a need to re-think current federal and state mandates designed to curb campus rape, according to Stop Abusive and Violent Environments.

In 2011 the Obama Administration’s Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter requiring campus disciplinary committees to take the lead in resolving sexual assault allegations. This year, controversial Affirmative Consent policies were implemented at colleges in California, New York, and elsewhere.

In 2014, three national opinion polls gauged the level of public support for these new policies.

In January, a YouGov/Huffington post survey of 1,000 adults found only 17% placed “a lot” of confidence in the ability of colleges to “properly handle someone reporting rape, sexual assault, or harassment.” Far greater percentages of respondents trusted law enforcement (37%) and non-profit organizations (51%): https://today.yougov.com/news/2014/02/03/poll-results-sexual-assault/

In July, Fox News-affiliated Gretawire conducted an online poll asking how campus rape cases should be handled. Among the nearly 3,000 respondents, 94.3% said all allegations should be sent to police and prosecutors. Only 5.7% believed colleges should first review the allegation: http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/poll/rape-allegations-where-should-it-go-click-to-read/

In October, Stop Abusive and Violent Environments commissioned a national telephone poll on Affirmative Consent. When asked whether the government should have the “authority to determine how partners give their consent to sex,” 85% of respondents answered ‘No.’ http://www.saveservices.org/camp/affirmative-confusion/survey/findings/

“The message comes through loud and clear — Americans place little faith in the ability of campus disciplinary committees to handle complicated sex assault cases,” explains SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “We need to reform the current system which is shortchanging  both victims and the accused.”

Nearly 700 editorials have criticized the Department of Education mandate and Affirmative Consent proposals on grounds of being unworkable, ineffective, and unfair: www.accusingu.org

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is working to promote effective solutions to campus sexual assault: http://www.saveservices.org/

Categories
Affirmative Consent Campus Sexual Assault

PR: Bureaucrats in the Bedroom: Most Say ‘No’ to Government Mandates for Consent to Sex

Contact: Gina Lauterio

Telephone: 301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

Bureaucrats in the Bedroom: Most Say ‘No’ to Government Mandates for Consent to Sex

WASHINGTON / November 12, 2014 – A national opinion poll has revealed the vast majority of persons are opposed to laws that seek to mandate how persons give consent to sexual relations. When asked whether the government should have the “authority to determine how partners give their consent to sex,” 85% of respondents answered ‘No.

In late September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a controversial Affirmative Consent bill requiring that all California college students give their ongoing “affirmative, conscious, and voluntary” consent during the course of having sex. Similar laws are being considered in other states.

The survey was conducted October 27 – 28. Over 600 persons participated in the telephone poll. The respondents consisted of 55.6% males and 44.4% females. Detailed findings can be viewed here: http://www.saveservices.org/sexual-assault/affirmative-consent/survey-overview/

Many respondents agreed that consent to sex should be conscious, voluntary, and ongoing. But 6 out of 7 respondents had not heard of the California Affirmative Consent law, so it is unlikely these persons held an opinion whether or not consent should be “affirmative.”

Affirmative Consent policies have proven to be contentious. Many have criticized the approach as being unlikely to deter a rapist intent on assaulting a woman, and for removing the presumption of innocence from the accused.

“Hopefully lawmakers will get the message that Americans don’t want ‘Big Sister’ government dictating the most intimate details of their private lives,” explains SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “Instead, lawmakers should be considering proven approaches to the problem of sexual assault.”

SAVE has developed a bill that would require that campus sexual assault cases be handled by local law enforcement authorities, not untrained campus disciplinary panels: http://www.saveservices.org/camp/campus-rape-courts/

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is working to promote effective solutions to campus sexual assault: http://www.saveservices.org/