Pennsylvania orders stronger sex assault campus reporting
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's colleges and universities have a year to develop online, anonymous reporting systems to receive complaints about sexual assault from students and employees.
That's a requirement of a new law signed by Gov. Tom Wolf, who with the law's backers say is the first law of its kind in the nation.
Tracey Vitchers of the It's On Us campaign says many schools already have online, anonymous reporting systems.
Still, Vitchers says victims typically report their assault more quickly when they can report anonymously online, compared to when they report it in person.
She says many victims are afraid to identify themselves to investigators. But Vitchers says anonymous reports also can help colleges and universities determine more quickly if there are problems on campus that they need to address.