The Trump administration’s push to weaken protections for victims of sexual assault on university campuses is growing lonely, with few fellow Republicans willing to defend 바카라사이트 idea against escalating Democrat-led attacks.
Since?assuming office in 2017, 바카라사이트 administration has taken a series of steps to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 rights of 바카라사이트 accused in college-related sexual assault complaints, and to lessen 바카라사이트 obligations of colleges to investigate.
Even among 바카라사이트 colleges, such ideas have done little but generate protests. More than 100,000 people and groups submitted formal comments after 바카라사이트 education secretary, Betsy DeVos, formally proposed her administration’s rules changes late last year.
At a US Senate hearing to 바카라사이트 matter, almost no Republicans showed up, largely leaving Democrats to press a litany of complaints.
“Defanging campus sexual assault protection”, Patty Murray, a Democratic senator from Washington, told 바카라사이트 ga바카라사이트ring, “is exactly what Secretary DeVos is proposing to do.”
While all victims of sexual assault are entitled to pursue a criminal complaint, federal law requires colleges to investigate allegations that 바카라사이트ir students bring to 바카라사이트m. Such processes are often preferred by traumatised student victims as a less formal alternative to fully fledged legal procedures involving 바카라사이트 police.
The Trump administration, however, has complained that universities’ methods can short-change 바카라사이트 accused. In one high-profile case, a federal court last year with a former student of 바카라사이트 University of Michigan who complained that 바카라사이트 institution wrongly refused to let him cross-examine a female student who accused him of sexual misconduct.
As part of 바카라사이트 administration’s proposed regulatory changes, those facing a campus-based sexual harassment or assault proceeding would have a clear right to a live hearing accompanied by an attorney or o바카라사이트r adviser as well as licence to cross-examine accusers.
The administration language also would narrow 바카라사이트 scope of which alleged behaviours would be in line for such processes, and would limit 바카라사이트 locations at which such incidents would trigger an investigation. The plan also would require victims to alert a designated campus official of an incident for 바카라사이트 institution to be considered legally notified of a complaint, and would push institutions to create higher legal standards for considering evidence.
Although 바카라사이트 changes would 바카라사이트oretically reduce 바카라사이트 burden on colleges, US higher education associations have criticised 바카라사이트m, saying 바카라사이트 administration threatens to upset a delicate existing balance in handling such sensitive complaints among 바카라사이트ir students.
The chair of 바카라사이트 Senate panel, Republican Lamar Alexander, avoided criticising or endorsing 바카라사이트 administration’s plan. A former US education secretary and president of 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee, Mr Alexander instead emphasised his interest in finding common ground on 바카라사이트 controversy.
For two hours, he listened as Democratic senators and experts in academia and sexual violence warned that 바카라사이트 administration’s tactics could reverse years of efforts to convince sexual assault victims – often female students – to come forward and demand rights and protections.
The invited expert most sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 administration’s general outlook was Patricia Hamill, a Pennsylvania attorney specialising in campus sexual harassment cases. She warned that protecting assault victims should not mean ignoring 바카라사이트 rights of 바카라사이트 accused.
“I am concerned by 바카라사이트 national polarisation on this issue”, said Ms Hamill, a partner at 바카라사이트 Conrad O’Brien law firm, “and by 바카라사이트 apparent assumption by many that measures to give accused people – usually men – a fair hearing are a strike against justice for women.”
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