Van Hollen, Bipartisan Coalition Introduce Bill to Combat Campus Sexual Violence

Press Release

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen joined Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA), Congressman Patrick Meehan (R-PA), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Hold Accountable and Lend Transparency (HALT) Campus Sexual Violence Act, which would strengthen prevention and enforcement efforts to combat campus sexual violence.

"College campuses should be safe havens where young Marylanders are empowered with knowledge and skills to build successful lives and careers, but the threat of sexual violence is still a troubling reality in our state and across the country," said Congressman Van Hollen. "This bipartisan bill will create safer learning environments by strengthening prevention efforts and increasing accountability by making sure laws already on the books are stringently adhered to."

Under federal law, students are entitled to a safe educational environment free of sexual harassment. But statistics show that 20 percent of young women and 6 percent of young men will be victims of attempted or actual sexual assault on campus, and the National Institute of Justice estimated that 63 percent of universities shirk their legal responsibilities to respond to these violent crimes.

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