CINCINNATI (AP) - A group led by survivors of sexual assault is pressing the University of Cincinnati to do more to support victims.
The student-led Students for Survivors sent a list of 10 demands to the university in November. The list included calls to update the policy on sex offenses with adequate and correct information, create an easily accessible website page that includes all of the resources available for survivors and is updated monthly and to hire a full-time Title IX Coordinator and staff, The Cincinnati Enquirer (https://cin.ci/2iJbJDK) reported.
Title IX is a federal law passed in 1972 that’s aimed at protecting people from discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities.
The school responded to the group in a letter on Dec. 5, saying it hired four new Title IX staff members in the fall. The school has updated its website to reflect the current support services UC offers to survivors, the newspaper reported.
Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Bleuzette Marshall said in the letter that the group’s “voice is an important part” of the process. Since the list was sent, the university has asked the group to be part of the search process for a new Title IX coordinator. Marshall and interim Title IX Coordinator Karla Phillips weren’t available for comment.
Grace Cunningham, a 20-year-old junior, said she founded Students for Survivors after she reported to UC officials that she was sexually assaulted off-campus in 2015 and didn’t feel supported or helped by the school.
“It was frustrating,” Cunningham said. “It felt like it didn’t matter to them.”
The group officially formed in August with about 50 members. It is not affiliated with the university. Cunningham said she hopes it can educate survivors of their rights and raise awareness of the issue on campus.
“There is no safe space on campus for survivors,” Cunningham said. “There is no place for them to feel supported on an institutional level.”
The federal Department of Education is investigating UC for allegations it failed “to properly and equitably respond” to incidents of sexual violence it knew about and has a “sexually hostile environment” on campus. The Enquirer reported that nearby Miami University is being investigated over Title IX reports.
Cincinnati’s on-campus support includes free and confidential counseling, along with psychological services for actively enrolled students. Students are offered an assessment and three follow-up counseling sessions per semester. Additional sessions must be paid for and are limited to 10 per academic year.
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