SaveServices (Detroit News)
8.11.15
The Detroit News
August 11, 2015
A bill introduced last week in Congress has the right idea for addressing college sexual assaults. It would require universities to call the police when an allegation of sexual assault is received.
Rape is a very serious crime, and once university officials learn of a complaint, they should not have the option of handling the investigation internally, even if that’s what the victim requests.
The bill from Republican Reps. Matt Salmon of Arizona and Kay Granger and Pete Sessions, both of Texas, would remove the discretionary element of reporting college rapes and require university officials to bring in law enforcement immediately.
Rape is a felony charge, and should be treated seriously no matter where it happens. It is inconceivable that if a sexual assault occurred in, say, a factory that the owners of the facility would be able to bypass the police and handle the investigation internally, including the meting out of punishment.
But on many campuses, that’s what’s happening with sexual assaults. The policy differs from school to school, even within states. The University of Michigan lets victims decide whether to involve the police; Michigan State University calls the cops from the start.
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