As tensions rise between students and universities due to institutions’ inability to properly handle cases of sexual violence, the White House and the New York state government are taking initiative with a proposed law and a documentary film.

Syracuse University should follow state and federal examples and make sexual violence an important discussion that must be met with swift action.

On Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed a law that would extend the State University of New York policy for addressing sexual assault to all private colleges and universities across the state.

The SUNY policy put into effect last year most notably defined affirmative consent, granted students who report sexual assault immunity from related offenses, such as drug use, and provided victims with the option of reporting an assault to state police rather than campus authorities or local police forces.

With the same goal of shedding light on college sexual violence, the White House will be screening “It Happened Here” at universities across the United States as a part of the It’s On Us campaign, an awareness initiative to end sexual assault on college campuses.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the documentary film is the result of a collaboration between the White House and director Lisa Jackson. It follows five young women who were victims of sexual assault during their college experiences and their fights for justice which were impeded by university cover-ups.

From the trailer posted on indiewire.com, several women said that the lack of genuine effort for victims on behalf of the university was one of the most hurtful parts of the legal ordeal. One young woman said, “I had been hurt so much more by (Amherst College) than I was by him.”

As anti-sexual assault efforts are being made at federal and state levels, it is crucial that SU steps in as a key local organization in the fight against sexual assault.

At this time, the university administration must advocate on behalf of the students. The administration must be clear and vocal about the renewed efforts to make the campus environment one in which consent is necessary in all situations and victim-blaming is intolerable.

Cuomo’s proposed legislation and “It Happened Here” should serve as wake-up calls to SU. The time to address sexual assault and lay down the foundation for a safer academic and social campus atmosphere is now.

In a report published by the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy, the university’s administration outlined gaps in services for students and made recommendations regarding sexual assault. The report advocated for more visibility of sexual assault resources and more efficient training about the meanings of consent, rape culture and what it means to be an empowered bystander.

Most inclusively, the report noted that the discourse on campus about sexual assault typically focuses on male-on-female violence involving students who are full-time undergraduates, white and heterosexual. This conversation overlooks graduate and part-time students, students of color, queer and transgender students, those with disabilities, international students and others from marginalized identity groups.

However, recommendations are only recommendations. At this time, it is instrumental that policies formed to address these gaps are implemented in a timely manner and impact every level of campus life in a way that is visible for all students.

In working to create this atmosphere, the administration can foster a safer environment for victims to come forward and heal, survivors to thrive and offenders to be held accountable.

Alexa Diaz is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at adiaz02@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @AlexaLucina.

Published on January 21, 2015 at 1:46 am