Campus sexual assault makes up the greatest proportion (43%) of total on-campus crimes in the United States, resulting in approximately eight forcible sex offenses per 10,000 students. Women college students, ages 18-24, are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence. One (1) in 4 women will experience sexual violence as undergrad students, but only about 20% of cases are reported to officials.

College women who experienced sexual assault during their first semester of college were associated with elevated rates of clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and depression, putting them at increased risk of not completing their education.  Rape also significantly increases the odds of lifetime diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

The bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act (S.2990) was re-introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) earlier this month for the 2025-2026 Congressional Session. This bill directly mirrors the same-named act which was introduced in the previous session (S. 4962); in fact, this act has been reintroduced every session since 2014. Each of these bills only got as far as a committee review. Now, over a decade later, it is time this bipartisan act moves forward! 

The Campus Accountability and Safety Act would increase reporting requirements, create new resources and support services for survivors, ensure that individuals who report sexual misconduct in good faith are not punished for any physical violence or assault as a defense, and set new notification requirements for both survivors and accused students involved in the campus disciplinary process.   

“Sexual assault on college campuses remains a serious and persistent problem, and it is up to us in Congress to protect survivors and make sure these crimes are handled with fairness,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act would strengthen the support network for survivors and increase accountability for schools by creating a standardized process for investigating instances of sexual assault. This will help survivors get the justice they deserve and ensure a fair process for everyone involved.”

“Across America, inconsistent enforcement mechanisms are failing to treat sexual assault crimes with the seriousness they deserve,” said Senator Grassley. “We’re taking action to change that. Our legislation creates a coordinated approach to address incidents of sexual assault on college campuses. It would inform university protocols for handling reports, and it would strengthen recovery resources for survivors and empower them to know their rights.”

Please use our pre-drafted letters to urge your representative and senators to co-sponsor and support the Campus Accountability and Safety Act (S. 2990) bill. If they have already sponsored or co-sponsored the bill, you can send a message of thanks.