Madigan Brings Sexual Assault Summit to SIUE Campus
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan continued a statewide tour with a stop today at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to generate support for more stringent efforts to prevent campus sexual assaults. The summit was titled “Strengthening Campus Responses to Sexual Violence.”
More than 100 representatives from regional universities and colleges, and law enforcement agencies filled the Hickory/Hackberry rooms in the Morris University Center.
Madigan is promoting the legislative proposal “Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act.” The bill would require Illinois higher education institutions to adopt comprehensive policies concerning sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.
The keynote speaker was Julie Dixon, a sexual assault survivor who represented Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE).
The audience also heard updates from Karen Mines, of the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Cindy Hora, from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, discussed crime victim services.
Three panel discussions included “Strategies and Best Practices for Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Responses;” Resources and Best Practices for Sexual Violence Services and College/University Responses;” and “Best Practices for Collaboration Among Colleges/Universities Campus Police and Local Law Enforcement.”
Madigan previously held sexual violence summits at the University of Chicago and Illinois State University.
