Sexual assault is no joke and unfortunately happens too often. The Safe Campus Act is being discussed in Congress right now, but UT has already taken steps to establish sexual assault clinic/exams on campus.
The University Health Services started offering post-assualt medical exams in the Student Services Building on November 16, 2015. The University Health Services brought in nurses from SafePlace Austin, you originally would have to go to the Riverside location but with a new location on UT it'll be more convenient for people to access closer to campus.
Its very important for sexual assault victims to feel the safety and take the pressure off from being assaulted. With the new location on campus, it'll not only benefit people with travel time, but will give some great benefits to students.
A lot of people and universities are against this new potential act, which would prevent universities from being able to investigate the sexual assault of a student. It would all be in the hands of the local police department. Many victims don't want to spend the money to get tested nor have to go out of their way. It's embarrassing enough, and will help take the anxiety off with the being able to walk right in and get it done, it also helps the universities since a wide majority of sexual assaults happen to students on campus. It's almost a no brainer- who wouldn't want the help and easy access to get through a difficult time?
1 comment:
In response to Callie C's blog posting titled, "Sexual Assault Exams at UT", she discusses the possibility of the Safe Campus Act actually becoming a law. I am just appalled at even the thought of this bill being passed. I think it is an amazing service that they are offering on the UT campus, as I completely agree that sexual assault is no joke and happens all too often, especially on campus. For them to even think that it is acceptable and a good idea to take this service away and or put ridiculous, tight stipulations behind getting any kind of sexual assault assistance for the victims is just unfathomable! It's not as if the victims that choose to use these services are being forced. They would be going at their own free will, and ad a more convenient location for them as many college students lack personal transportation. Who wants to go through more humiliation of asking for a ride to a clinic across town? Many sexual assault victims often don't want to talk about their trauma for quite some time, don't want to leave their houses, and often blame themselves, plunging them into a deep depression. Add all that up and it only makes sense to have services within reach for when the time comes that they want to reach out for help and relief to enable them to start healing mentally, emotionally and physically! What they are trying to do is unjust and completely out of line! They have no place in making the changes they are wanting to make! Above all else... these changes and restrictions that this bill would put into effect are completely uncalled for, out of line and 100% unnecessary! Callie, I love that you wrote about this, as I feel so ignorant for not knowing about this bill before this class! This was well though out and I found it to be informational, which caused me to do some independent digging of my own! So, I say thank you!
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