Despite a new federal law requiring registered sex offenders to provide information about whether they are working at or attending universities nationwide, officials say the law does not necessarily guarantee students’ safety here at the University.
The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, which went into effect Oct. 28, requires the state to notify law enforcement agencies who have jurisdiction over that university if a registered sex offender is on campus.
And while Women Center’s Office Coordinator Lori Brown said the law is a tool for battling sexual assault, she worries it will give people a false sense of security.
“Just because a student gets a list of people, doesn’t mean they won’t be assaulted,” she said.
But in Oregon, students most likely will not see the results of the law until 2004, Department of Public Safety Director Tom Hicks said. Oregon, along with many other states nationwide, hasn’t been in compliance with the new law, Hicks said.
Because Oregon’s Legislature meets biannually, the law will not go into motion until the next session, and Hicks said he thinks the law won’t be in full-swing for another couple of years. Until Oregon complies with the law, the state stands to lose federal grant money for some of its programs, he added.
Brown said even when the law goes into effect, she hopes people will not see it as a solution to the problem.
“It gives the impression that there’s a monster out there, when, in fact, most sexual assaults are with acquaintances or date rape,” she said. “The law is a way of saying sex offenders exist on the outside.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2000 National Crime Victimization Survey, 66 percent of rape victims know their assailant. In addition, four out of every 10 sexual assaults take place at the victim’s home and two out of every 10 take place in the home of a friend, neighbor or relative.
Nancy Glines, executive director of the local Sexual Assault Support Services, said she thinks any law that strives to help protect people from sexual assault is a good law, but she does not see how this law will improve students’ overall safety.
Brown said another reason the law doesn’t guarantee safety is
because few sex offenders are reported to the criminal justice system.
According to the 2000 survey, only 39 percent of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement officials.
Brown said the best way for students to protect themselves from sexual assault is to become educated about it and to be proactive by interfering if they think someone is about to be assaulted.
“The law serves a purpose,” she said. “But it’s just not a guarantee.”