CHARLOTTESVILLE – Delegate David J. Toscano (D-57th District) today issued a call for a legislative hearing to examine the reporting practices of sexual assault at Virginia universities and colleges in the aftermath of the recent gang rape allegations at University of Virginia in the RollingStone article of November 19, 2014. The call came in a letter addressed to the Chairs of the House and Senate Courts of Justice Committees, Delegate Dave Albo, Senator Tommy Norment, and Senator Mark Obenshain, respectively.
“This is a serious problem at UVA, but it is larger than just one institution,” said Toscano. “We have a special role as legislators to do what we can to attack this problem. We fund public and private institutions of higher education in Virginia, both directly and indirectly through TAG grants. More importantly, it is our children and grandchildren who attend these institutions and who deserve our protection.”
Toscano suggested that the legislative panel hear first from the Governor’s Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence chaired by the Attorney General, and receive information on protocols that colleges and universities have in place to encourage reporting these crimes to law enforcement. Toscano requested the hearings take place during the first week of the 2015 General Assembly, scheduled to convene on January 14, 2015.
A copy of Delegate Toscano’s letter to the chairs is available here.
A copy of Delegate Toscano’s statement of November 21 is available here.
Delegate David J. Toscano represents the 57th District in Virginia’s House of Delegates, which consists of the City of Charlottesville and parts of Albemarle County. Since 2012, Delegate Toscano has also served as House Democratic Leader, elected by his fellow Democratic delegate peers.
###
Contact: Carmen Bingham, (434) 220-1660, carmen@davidtoscano.com
Office of Delegate David Toscano, 57th District
House Democratic Leader
211 East High Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
