The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) is proud to co-sponsor AB 381 (Reyes) which expands outreach and orientation program standards for college campuses to include intimate partner violence prevention training and resources.
After the rescinding of the Dear Colleague Letter by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, there exists much uncertainty on the future of required training and prevention surrounding sexual assault. This uncertainty continues to grow as U.S. Education Secretary, Betsy Devos, work towards rolling back Title IX protections and regulations as it relates to college campuses.
According to the California Women’s Health Survey, approximately 40% of California women experience physical intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. Traditional college aged women (18-24) are 11% more likely to experience physical intimate partner violence or dating violence. The Red Flag Campaign and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence have surveys which both conclude that between 21%-33% of college students report having experienced some form of abusive dating behavior.
Current California State law requires that all college campuses, as a part of their outreach and orientation programming, discuss issues relating to sexual misconduct. These include the campus sexual assault policy, the affirmative consent standard, the rights and responsibilities of the student, and the variety of resources available to students.
With the passage of AB 381, students at college campuses will become increasingly more aware of how to pinpoint important warning signs of intimate partner violence, how to utilize preventative strategies of being in an abusive relationships, and what resources are available to survivors of intimate partner violence. This combination of key information can save students from experiencing intimate partnership violence.
If California is serious about leading the way to end domestic violence and combat issues relating to sexual misconduct, the passage of AB 381 is critical to ensure that young adults are being protected and educated on the topic.
For these reasons, The SSCCC is pleased to Co-Sponsor AB 381.
