University Of Pennsylvania Makes New Efforts To Curb Sexual Violence
By Matt Rivers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – More and more colleges are ramping up efforts to break the cycle of sexual violence on campus.
In Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania is taking new action to protect students and hold perpetrators accountable.
Two former Vanderbilt football players convicted of rape in a Tennessee courtroom on Wednesday. It's just the latest campus sexual assault to receive national attention.
Here at the University of Pennsylvania, administrators have taken notice and taken action.
Starting Feb. 1st, a Sexual Violence Investigative Officer will begin his sole job, to investigate allegations of sexual assault on campus.
"Penn is clearly trying to get out in front of the issue," says Dennis McAndrews, an attorney.
He, along with attorney Joe McGettigan, deal specifically with legal issues surround campus sexual assault. They say Penn's actions fall in line with new guidelines regarding sexual assault laid out by the Department of Education last year, which forced many campuses to confront issues they hadn't before.
"They're concerned that they even may not have the information they need to go and do what has to be done," McAndrews adds.
On Thursday, a Penn State task force announced new sexual assault reporting and investigating rules, more stringent guidelines, experts say, that not enough smaller schools in the area follow.
"Many of the other schools are lagging behind, not for lack of will, but for lack of resources, for lack of clear guidance and for lack of personnel," explains McGettigan.
The Department of Education is aware of new regulations adding cost, but it says public safety is worth the expense.
"Just knowing there is someone out there just trying to help me is very helpful," says student Anasdasiya Kravchuk.
Even if concerns remain over whether the actions will spark change or are just for looks.
"It feels very much like, 'Look, we're doing something,' without much of an explanation on how they're going to improve the process," says junior Kaustubh Deo.
So, all the time, money and energy spent on implementing those changes – do they actually work? It's a question we posed to a local campus security expert.
Alison Kiss is Executive Director of the Clery Center, a non profit dedicated to promoting safer campuses. She says the cost is well worth the return and adds that when changes are made, more students report assault.
"More people are going to come forward. If you build it, they will come," she says.