WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in his first directive since taking office, has given his senior leaders two weeks to send him reports on sexual assault prevention programs in the military, and an assessment of what has worked and what hasn t.
Austin s memo, which went out Saturday, fulfills a commitment he made to senators last week during confirmation hearings. He had vowed to immediately address the problems of sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. This is a leadership issue, Austin said in his two-page memo. We will lead.
Senator after senator demanded to know what Austin planned to do about the problem, which defense and military leaders have grappled with for years. Reports of sexual assaults have steadily gone up since 2006, according to department reports, including a 13% jump in 2018 and a 3% increase in 2019. The 2020 data is not yet available.
In early May 2020, former Secretary of Education Betsy D. DeVos released a controversial Title IX rule that drummed up controversy, criticism, and confusion since it was first proposed in November 2018. DeVos â who stepped down just days ago â gave universities until Aug. 14, 2020 to update their policies to comply with federal law.
DeVosâs changes required universities to implement a grievance process in the investigation of formal Title IX complaints. In this process, both complainants and respondents will be allowed to question each other during a live hearing. The new guidance also restricts the kinds of sexual misconduct universities can investigate.
Harvard designed an âInterim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policyâ to conform with the new rule, in addition to creating an âInterim Other Sexual Misconduct Policyâ in August 2020 to âaddress misconduct that falls outside the jurisdiction of the Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy.â
13 HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah Hill Air Force Base leadership held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 14 to celebrate the opening of a new “comfort room” at Hill’s Family Advocacy.
The room is a space designed to instill a sense of peace and tranquility, giving visitors “a break from everyday stressors” and “allowing the brain to recharge,” said Ashley Willey, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response coordinator. Having a safe space to process information enhances Team Hill’s to create a trauma-informed community.
“Initially, the room was intended for clients dealing with some sort of trauma, but really anyone can benefit from the room,” Willy said.