Senator McCaskill has wrapped up a series of study sessions with college and law enforcement leaders to find ways to deal with campus assaults.
McCaskill is one of a trio of Senators meeting with campus assault survivors, college administrators, law enforcement officials, and victim advocacy representatives. They’ve gotten a complicated picture of inconsistent policies and services dealings with victims and perpetrators. Â
She says the meetings will produce legislation focused on simplifying and streamlining policies and providing more victim support. ”
“We need to have people who are trained to deal with victims in terms of getting them the services they need, making sure they understand the choices they have–On so many of these college campuses, they just don’t have the trained personnel that are available to investigate these issues or provide the victims support necessary,” she says.                                     Â
The meetings have noted that many sexual assault victims don’t know where to get help. McCaskill says dormitory advisors, rape-crisis centers, campus healthcare facilities, campus police and city police often are not talking to one another. That’s why she says schools need to ask if their campus police are trained in investigation as well as they should be and work with local law enforcement, and if the schools have a process in place to protect victims’ confidentiality and protects them if they want to go forward with a complaint..
AUDIO: McCaskill interview 8:44
