Martin Advocates New Protections for Student Sexual Assault Victims

HARRISBURG – Senator Scott Martin (R-13) will introduce a bill soon that would mandate the expulsion of any student who is convicted or adjudicated delinquent of sexual assault against a student in the same K-12 school district, at the victim’s request.

The legislation is being introduced in response to a situation in one of the school districts Martin represents, in which a young woman was raped by her classmate. The assailant was charged and adjudicated for the crime, but when he returned from his sentence, the victim had to attend school with her attacker on a daily basis.

“No victim should have to face the choice between either attending school with their attacker, or transferring to a different school district in order to avoid contact,” Martin said. “Survivors of sexual assault often rely on their friends at school as a source of support when they are recovering from an assault. It is completely unfair for them to face the prospect of having to change schools and lose that critical source of support just to avoid attending school with the person who sexually victimized them.”

Martin’s bill would empower sexual assault survivors by having their abuser expelled upon request.

 

CONTACT: Terry Trego (717) 787-6535

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