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Zero-tolerance, 100 percent support

A zero-tolerance policy against sexual assault must not contradict the principles of victim advocacy

At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Board of Visitors unanimously passed a zero-tolerance motion on sexual assault. The resolution was reported by national media, including The Washington Post and Inside Higher Ed.

Passing the resolution is a first step in patching up the Board and the University’s image, which has been damaged by media reports of the way the University has handled sexual assault cases going back as many as 30 years. That is not to say the Board only passed this resolution to make themselves look better, but it remains to be seen whether the resolution will turn into action that actually improves the climate at the University.

It is unclear right now what a zero-tolerance policy against sexual assault will look like. Rector George Martin said efforts will be in place by the beginning of next semester.

The words “zero-tolerance” may conjure the assumption of mandatory expulsion for sexual assault, but we discussed in our previous editorial why such a policy will not improve the situation at the University, because victims may be less likely to file complaints with only one outcome available.

A term like “zero-tolerance” is emotive; it embodies a uniform conviction, which perhaps the University now needs. But within that conviction, there must be room for nuance to accommodate for the complexities of the problem of sexual violence. Whatever this zero-tolerance policy entails, it is vital that it not contradict the principles of victim advocacy which are so essential to forming a strong survivor support network.

Fourth-year College student and President of One Less Ashley Brown said she expects from the administration “The strongest support system for survivors.” The Board of Visitors has declared what they do not stand for — sexual violence. But student are also asking their administration to declare what (or rather who) they do stand for — survivors of sexual violence.

With the passage of this resolution, the Board is pushing back against the assumption that the University administration turns a blind eye to the problem of sexual violence, and is asserting that they want to achieve justice in these cases. But getting justice involves two major components — the infrastructure which facilitates fair adjudications, and the participation of a complainant. For some survivors, going through an adjudication is a component of the healing process. Others have to feel like they can stand on their own two feet before they can report. The best policy the Board of Visitors can adopt is twofold: zero-tolerance against offenders, and 100 percent commitment to helping the survivors regain their strength.

One potential administrative policy to support survivors we can borrow from the University’s Council of Chair and Directors, who suggest providing victim’s advocates and legal council to sexual assault survivors. Another policy, which we have already discussed, is mandating all faculty go through Survivor Support Network training to increase awareness about what needs their students might have if they have experienced trauma.

Sexual violence is a crime against the community, because it corrupts the community’s sense of safety. But it is first and foremost a crime against an individual, a violation of bodily autonomy and a denial of free will. It is easy for the leaders of an institution to identify what does not belong in the community and condemn it. It is more difficult for them to turn to the community members who have been violated and help to restore their internal senses of security. From our Board of Visitors, we need to ask for both.

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