Over the past year, UCLA, in response to new University of California policy, will have its sexual violence prevention to be more specific and preventative, officials said.
The changes were made following the creation of a UC task force on sexual violence and the state’s audit.
University President Janet Napolitano established the task force last June to address sexual violence on campuses. The task force released seven recommendations in September 2014 to help campuses combat sexual violence.
The California State Auditor found that UCLA failed to adequately educate their faculty and staff on responding to and reporting sexual assault incidents. Staff members, such as resident assistants or coaches, who are likely to be the first point of contact for victims of sexual assault, were not properly educated on how to handle these incidents, according to the audit.The audit also found that UCLA needed to do more to educate students about sexual harassment and violence.
A recommendation from the task force was to develop a comprehensive training and education plan. The UC will implement additional workshops to supplement the existing educational programs at each campus. The plan includes educational workshops for students and training for staff. An interim policy on sexual harassment and sexual violence for the UC system came into effect this June. It requires preventative education and training available to everyone in the UC community, which includes both employees and students. It designates employees who are responsible for reporting sexual harassment and provides education training to investigators and hearing officers.
One of the staff trainings, entitled “Train the Educator,” is an optional program that gives UCLA staff and graduate students the training to become CARE educators. CARE educators provide student workshops on campus about sexual violence prevention. The student program also covers information about consent, bystander intervention and how to respond to questions students often ask about sexual violence.
Kathleen Salvaty, the Title IX officer at UCLA, said she worked with the Bruin Consent Coalition to review the educational materials so students could have input on training.
Chrissy Keenan, a fourth-year human biology and society student and co-director of the Bruin Consent Coalition, said the curriculum for staff and faculty would have a heavier focus on being a first responder and who they need to tell if they are a mandated reporter. She she thinks one important aspect of training faculty and staff is to make sure people who are mandated reporters of assaults know they are required to report incidents brought to their attention.
“Sometimes the RAs will be told that someone is assaulted and they don’t know what to do,” Keenan said. “The staff must be confident in their knowledge of resources so they can make sure they get the help they need.”
Students will also receive more education about sexual violence by having more in-person training and an online component to education about sexual violence, Salvaty said.
Educational workshops for students will include a focus on the definition of consent, bystander intervention and resources for students who have been sexually assaulted.
Other programs will be tailored to more specific audiences. One workshop, “Men in the Movement against Sexual Violence,” will discuss male victims of sexual violence and how men can play a role in the movement against sexual assault, among other topics.
Keenan said she thinks there should be mandated consequences, such as a hold on student’s account, if they do not complete the education programs.
Another task force recommendation was the creation of a confidential advocacy office for sexual and gender based violence and sexual misconduct. Napolitano announced in January advocacy offices called CARE were implemented on every campus.
Victoria Molino, the CARE advocate at UCLA, said her main responsibility is to work with students who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. She said she provides support through the reporting process, helps with academic and living accommodations and refers students to additional resources. The CARE office also does outreach and education about sexual violence, Molinio said.
The UC wide program will begin implementation in July.
Compiled by Kat Bocanegra Speed, Bruin contributor.