Norm Needleman, candidate for the State Senate in the 33rd District warned that recent actions by the federal government to roll back sexual assault policies on college campuses could also come to Connecticut if State Rep. Melissa Ziobron has her way.
In 2016, long before the #metoo movement, Rep. Ziobron was one of only 7 of her colleagues to oppose a bill that would require an affirmative consent policy on college campuses. The law defines consent as both parties involved in sexual activity affirmatively agreeing to it.
“Even when Melissa learned that 1 in 10 students at the University of Connecticut reported being sexually assaulted she still voted no,” Needleman said, “To be this out of touch is frightening, especially what we now know from the #metoo movement and a growing number of sexual assault scandals involving celebrities, public officials, and others in positions of power.”
Needleman warned that even more threats to women are coming in the wake of a recent order issued by the U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
The new DeVos policy will require higher education institutions receiving federal dollars to investigate assaults only if they take place on campuses - excluding other locations like fraternity houses and off campus housing. The administration will also reduce the legal liability higher education institutions have in cases of sexual assault, even those involving faculty members.
“Given her voting record there’s no doubt she’ll come down on the side of DeVos and Washington, D.C. as they continue to roll back hard fought protections for women. That just doesn’t make sense,” Needleman said, “I pledge to continue the progress Connecticut has made protecting women from assault and harassment.”