Written By Jennifer Reynolds
Staff Writer
To help investigate reported cases of sexual and domestic assault, California State University, Bakersfield is hiring a sexual assault advocate.
According to Claudia Catota, CSUB’s Title IX coordinator, the university has to hire an advocate by June 2015. Catota said the school is still waiting to hear from the CSU Chancellor’s Office for guidance on how to implement the job on campus.
She added that the advocate’s job will be to work with victims on options and counseling. The sexual assault advocate will be an anonymous and confidential resource, unlike Title IX coordinators who are required to investigate any accusations.
California governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation popularly known as “Yes Means Yes” into law. According to www.npr.org writer Bill Chappell, “The new law seeks both to improve how universities handle rape and sexual assault accusations and to clarify the standards, requiring an ‘affirmative consent’ and stating that consent can’t be given if someone is asleep or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol.” The law also requires that state colleges that receive state funds for financial aid have to meet requirements to help victims of sexual assault and domestic violence cases.
“California’s Legislature approved the measure last month, with broad support. But while victims’ rights advocates have welcomed the new standard, the law also has its critics, who say its requirements place too much burden on the accused,” Chappell said.
The National Coalition for Men has spoken out against the “Yes Means Yes” bill. NCFM believes that false accusations will ruin men’s futures and men will automatically be seen as guilty because of the passage of this bill.
According to CSUB’s Annual Security Report, there have been no reported incidents of sexual assault (forcible or non-forcible), domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking since 2011. However, these incidents may have occurred, but were not reported.
The sexual assault advocate will be a confidential source for students who do not know how to proceed after an assault.
“Once students get more confidential support, we will see more people reporting incidents,” Catota said. The counseling and health center are already confidential sources, but the sexual assault advocate will give the victim more options for if they want to wait to report an incident.
Studio Art freshman Alfredo Zavala agrees with the “Yes Means Yes” bill but feels that it has some faults.
“The policy needs more defining to know what the absolute consent is,” Zavala said. “Someone could lie, and it depends on the morality of oneself and others.”
Sophomore PEAK major Nancy Robles agrees with the bill and feels the sexual assault advocate will helpful. “The bill is good because it gives victims more power,” Robles said.
She feels that the sexual assault advocate will help victims get through their trauma.
CSUB has a history of supporting sexual assault and domestic violence victims. “The Consent Project is aimed to educate students, staff, and faculty about sexual and domestic violence,” said Savannah Andrews who started the Consent Project with counselor Janet Millar. The Consent Project is a program that is open to anyone who wants to be educated about sexual and domestic violence. The program also helps create safe spaces for survivors to talk about their experiences in confidentiality.
Title IX was created in 1972 to provide students with assistance and support and to monitor and oversee overall compliance with laws and policies related to sexual violence. As the Title IX coordinator, Catota is works with students, faculty and staff who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual violence or sexual discrimination. She concentrates on what the victim needs in order for support.
Catota said Title IX started with gender discrimination in athletics at universities. “Funds went more to male sports” said Catota.
Now Title IX coordinators are in the process of training to define what sexual violence is to athletics teams, residential hall advisors, students at orientation, or anyone who seeks education on what the rights are steps are.
There are two Deputy Title IX coordinators at CSUB. Ruby Alvarez is the deputy for Student Conduct and works students. Cindy Goodman is the deputy for Athletics and monitors gender equity in athletic programs.
Andrews said the Title IX coordinator was also someone whom students could report assaults to.
“If a student doesn’t want to press charges they can go to the Title IX coordinator to do a write up and have documentation for future reference,” Andrews said. It is also acceptable to go to the Title IX coordinator if the student was under age and drinking at the time of the incident.
“CSUB is starting an online training on sexual violence, called ‘Not Anymore’ that is coming later this year,” said Catota. The training will explain stalking, rape, sexual violence, and other crimes and help walk students through the definitions.
