Harley Rouda: “As we seek to reauthorize this landmark piece of bipartisan legislation, it is important that we recognize we have a…”

“As we seek to reauthorize this landmark piece of bipartisan legislation, it is important that we recognize we have a long way to go to end rape, sexual violence, and sexual harassment on college campuses. Nearly one-quarter of American college women experience sexual violence. Let me repeat. Nearly one-quarter of college women experience sexual violence while attending school. We have failed the young people of our Nation who are tirelessly pursuing higher education and chasing the American Dream. The Violence Against Women Act supports hundreds of thousands of sexual assault survivors across the United States; however, we must do more to prevent these acts of sexual violence from occurring in the first place. My amendment would give colleges and universities the opportunity to use grant funding to offer or improve the delivery of primary prevention training. Primary prevention training is exactly what it sounds like. It seeks to educate and change the culture on college campuses. It promotes healthy relationships and addresses community and societal challenges. It teaches students consent and stops sexual assaults from occurring. Organizations like End Rape on Campus know that primary prevention training works, and they are in full support of this amendment. As I mentioned earlier, one-quarter of college women experience sexual violence while on campus. Today, we can begin to change that unacceptable statistic by adopting this amendment. Mr.…”