The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act, an amendment to the Clery Act, increases transparency on campus about incidents of sexual violence, guarantees victims enhanced rights, sets standards for disciplinary proceedings, and requires campus-wide prevention education programs. President Obama signed SaVE into law on March 7, 2013 as part of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization.
I. Transparency:
SaVE requires that incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking be disclosed in annual campus crime statistic reports. Additionally, students or employees reporting victimization will be provided with their written rights to:
- Be assisted by campus authorities if reporting a crime to law enforcement
- Change academic, living, transportation, or working situations to avoid a hostile environment
- Obtain, or enforcement of, a no contact directive or restraining order
- Have a clear description of the university’s disciplinary process and know the range of possible sanctions
- Receive contact information about existing counseling, health, mental health, victim advocacy, legal assistance, and other services available both on-campus and in the community
II. Accountability:
SaVE clarifies minimum standards for university disciplinary procedures covering domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking to ensure that:
- Proceedings shall provide a prompt, fair, and impartial investigation and resolution and are conducted by officials receiving annual training on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
- Both parties may have others present during the university’s disciplinary proceeding and any related meeting, including an advisor of their choice
- Both parties will receive written outcomes of all disciplinary proceedings at the same time
III. Education:
SaVE instructs universities to provide programming for students and employees addressing the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Education programs shall include:
- Primary prevention and awareness programs for all incoming students and new employees
- Safe and positive options for bystander intervention
- Information on risk reduction to recognize warning signs of abusive behavior
- Ongoing prevention and awareness programs for students and employees
IV. Collaboration:
SaVE establishes collaboration between the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services to collect and disseminate best practices for preventing and responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.