Myths about sexual assault on campus from the Department of Education - WaPo Editorial Board
By Editorial Board July 14 at 7:51 PM
A TOP Education Department official has apologized for saying that “90 percent” of campus sexual assault claims result from both parties being drunk. In this case, though, apology isn’t enough. Having expressed her true opinion, she needs to resign. There are complex and arguable questions to be sorted out in the area of how sexual assaults on campus should be policed and punished. But someone who doesn’t think sexual assault on campus is a real problem in the first place is not qualified to do that sorting.
The controversial comments by acting assistant secretary for civil rights Candice Jackson, who has a record of questionable statements, came as the department considers whether to continue the Obama administration’s aggressive approach that forced colleges and universities to take seriously allegations of sexual assault. After a series of meetings Thursday with advocates for victims and those who have been accused, as well as subject-matter experts and representatives of educational institutions, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said there has been unfairness resulting from the current policy but gave no clue about possible changes.
Victims’ advocates fearing that protections will be rolled back were appropriately alarmed by what Ms. Jackson told the New York Times on the eve of Thursday’s meetings. In investigations brought under Title IX, Ms. Jackson said, there’s “not even an accusation that these accused students overrode the will of a young woman. . . . [They] fall into the category of ‘we were both drunk,’ ‘we broke up and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right.’ ” In the backlash, Ms. Jackson, pointing out she is a rape survivor, said she was sorry for being “flippant.”
What she should have apologized for is continuing the myth that women are prone to bringing false accusations of rape. Rape is an underreported crime, and the prevalence of false accusations has been estimated at between 2 and 10 percent. Victims often don’t step forward precisely because they don’t think they will be believed or they fear punishment and retaliation from the authorities who are supposed to protect them.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/myths-about-sexual-assault-on-campus-from-the-department-of-education/2017/07/14/6c0e5b4e-6808-11e7-8eb5-cbccc2e7bfbf_story.html