By Gloria Gutierrez |Staff Writer|
Sexual assault and violence on college campuses is now an issue that has caught the White House’s attention.
President Barack Obama has launched a task force in efforts to focus on these issues.
The task force is made up of White House administrative officials including, Attorney General Eric Holder, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Its purpose is to create proposals within a 90 day period that raise awareness as well as help prevent sexual assault and violence across the colleges of the United States.
Last Wednesday, the White House Council on Women and Girls released the report, “Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action.”
It reported startling statistics on how one in five students have been assaulted while being a student in college.
The highest percentage of rape occurs to women between the ages 18-24, which is essentially a woman’s college years.
There are several services that exist at CSUSB and are offered not only to students, but to faculty and staff as well.
The Office of Ombuds Services and Gender Equity, the Rape Aggression Defense Program (RAD), is an escort system provided by the CSUSB Police Department and the Woman’s Resource Center are all services accessible to students.
CSUSB made sure to apply Title IX to continue the efforts against sexual assault and violence occurring on college campuses.
Title IX is a section of the Education Amendments of 1972 that serves as a legislation to protect all people against sexual harassment, assault and violence.
Tera Bisbee, director of the Office of Ombuds Services and Gender Equity, was appointed as the Title IX Coordinator at CSUSB who oversees and monitors all instances that relate in Title IX.
Issues brought to the Ombuds Services and Gender Equity office are completely confidential and Bisbee assures the correct procedures and remedies are provided for victims.
Last year there was a total of 34 reported instances that Bisbee dealt with that ranged from stalking to dating violence and sexual harassment.
According to the CSUSB University Police Safety Report that is provided online, a total of four on campus sexual offenses were reported in 2012.
Lily Gutierrez, a junior studying biopsychology, says she was aware and impressed of all the services offered at CSUSB in efforts to prevent sexual assault and violence.
“I feel safe at CSUSB, no matter the time and day and I think it is incredibly useful to have all these resources available to us because you never know what can happen,” said Gutierrez.
CSUSB implements sexual assault awareness, prevention and procedures on the Resident Assistants (RAs) to pass onto the residents living in the dorms.
Jasmine Cardenas is currently an RA at the San Manuel dormitory building at CSUSB.
In her training to be an RA, the Ombuds Services and Gender Equity on campus provided a seminar for the RAs on Title IX.
It is important for students, staff and faculty at CSUSB to be aware of all of the resources that are offered, including the legalities and procedures they can take when dealing with sexual assault and violence.
For further information on contact Office of Ombuds Services and Gender Equity at (909) 537-5635 or visit them at the SMSU in room 103A.
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