How COVID-19 Has Changed the Way We Handle Sexual Assault

“Peeling Back the Silence” Graphic By Graciella Delgado

Less than a year ago, I wrote a piece for the Empire State Tribune about sexual assault awareness month that was published at the very beginning of the pandemic that would change our lives. One year later, I want to reexamine what has changed and how the pandemic has affected the handling of sexual assault and harassment cases–first, on a national level. 

Immediately upon entering office, President Joe Biden reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA is one of the very few anti-sexual harassment laws that has proven fruitful over almost two decades after its inception. Originally proposed by Bill Clinton on Sept. 13, 1994, VAWA passed with bipartisan support with an aim to prevent violent crimes against women. President Biden, who was one of the first senators to approve the original bill, promised $450 million in “supplemental funding for domestic violence and sexual assault services, including rape crisis centers… The American Rescue Plan (ARP) includes new funding to support community-based organizations to provide culturally-specific services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence,” in a statement released by the White House

On a state level, since the #MeToo Movement a plethora of prominent politicians have been accused of sexual assault and harassment, including New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo. This has inspired a new passion and focus in state legislatures, however, many litigators are skeptical of whether or not legislation will effectively reduce workplace harassment or if it is a play to satiate the American public. Either way, the landscape of sexual harassment in the workplace has changed. California, Delaware, Maine and New York have all enacted new training requirements concerning sexual harassment. In New York, these prevention techniques must be administered annually to all employers with 15 or more employees. 

“They somewhat missed the ball,” said Jeff Brodin, co-chair of the Section’s Employment & Labor Relations Law Committee. “Sexual harassment training has not worked. It is much more important for employers to teach respect in the workplace than it is to know how to report a harassment claim.” 

King’s has made some changes of their own as well, according to King’s Title IX Coordinator, Leticia Mosqueda. One of the ways King’s has prohibited sexual misconduct on campus is by partnering with the Center Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) to provide comprehensive training and information to the student body, which all students received from the college during New Student Orientation.

The college has been partnering with CVTC for the past three years and plans to continue doing so as Mosqueda believes it has produced positive results at King’s. Beyond transitioning these trainings to the Zoom platform, King’s has not changed the way they handle Title IX cases during the pandemic. The Title IX team offers accommodations and advocacy for any victims, although most instances brought to the team happen outside of the college and thus do not fall under their jurisdiction. 

“I would encourage students to do what is best for them, we will never push a student to do something they don’t feel comfortable doing. Whether they want to have one conversation or multiple, the ball is in their court, because we believe the ball is in their court,” Mosqueda said. “Something has already been taken from them and why would we insert ourselves into the situation. We want them to have full control on how a case moves forward or not.”

In 2020 with most Americans stuck at home, there was a decrease in violent crimes, including sexual violence. Now that things are returning to normalcy, the darker parts of America are beginning to return. 

According to The King’s College Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, the college had two reported cases of inappropriate sexual behavior in 2020. Though this pales in comparison to the number of Title IX cases at other secular institutions, it’s important to remember that 80% of sexual assault cases on college campuses go unreported. Two reported cases are two too many. 

Sexual violence can happen to anyone and is one of the most prevalent crimes on college campuses. To quote the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s (RANN), “Everyone has a role to play in preventing sexual assault. There are many different ways that you can step in or make a difference if you see someone at risk. This approach to preventing sexual assault is referred to as ‘bystander intervention.’” 

An easy acronym to remember when you see something that looks like sexual assault or harassment is CARE: Create a distraction, Ask directly, Refer to an authority and Enlist others. 

If you are a victim of sexual violence at King’s or off-campus, there are a plethora of resources available to help you—resources, I’m not ashamed to admit, I have had to use. But, for members of the King’s community who have not had to deal with sexual violence but know someone who has, you are in a position to offer compassion and support. For specific tips for talking to survivors of sexual violence, please refer to the RAINN page.