Mussman: Secretary DeVos Wrong to Ignore Campus Sexual Assault

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – In an effort to prioritize the safety and well-being of college students in Illinois and across the country, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, has introduced a measure calling on U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to immediately stop her preparations to roll back important protections for survivors of sexual assault on college campuses.

“The safety of our children should always take precedence above all else, especially politics,” Mussman said. “By following orders from Washington politicians, Secretary DeVos is signaling to students across the country that her Department is not committed to taking action to end sexual violence on college campuses.”

Mussman recently filed House Resolution 550, which urges Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to keep in place Obama-era guidelines that obligate universities to combat sexual assault and harassment under Title IX. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics have found that, on average, 20 percent of college women have experienced sexual assault on campus, and Mussman is stressing the importance of ensuring that schools respond effectively and compassionately to the needs of survivors.

“College students should be focused on getting the best education possible, not worried about their personal safety,” said Mussman. “Serious issues like campus sexual assault do not have clear cut solutions. Therefore, we must treat discussions like this with the reverence and nuance that they deserve, listen to law enforcement, and trust survivors by keeping protections in place.”