Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Ayotte Backs Bill To Give Public More Info On Campus Sexual Assault

Kelly Ayotte

  New Hampshire US Senator Kelly Ayotte is using the University of New Hampshire as a model for giving the public more information about sexual assaults on college campuses. 

Ayotte is a co-sponsor of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, which would require colleges and universities to participate in a national survey on sexual assault issues.

Each school's results would be made public for prospective students and parents to consider during admissions.

Ayotte says UNH already conducts such survey research "to get a sense of what the culture is on campus, what is the climate for victims coming forward. This is something we want to have not just at UNH, but some campuses are doing it and some aren't. We really [want to] have an understanding of how this issue is playing on campus, what the issues are, so we can address them and make sure we have the right policies in place."

Ayotte says the bill also calls for more consistent standards for who can investigate sexual assaults and additional resources for victims.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen also supports the bill, according to the website of another co-sponsor, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

Ayotte and Gillibrand recently wrote an op-ed piece on the legislation for Roll Call.

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.