State Police host first ever seminar to combat sexual assault on college campuses

PRESS RELEASE

The New York State Police today announced as part of the “Enough is Enough” legislation, the NYSP Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit (CSAVU) is holding the first ever Campus Sexual Assault Seminar in Albany.

The week-long seminar, held December 5 – 9, 2016, includes more than 200 registered participants including law enforcement, campus administrators and staff, victim advocates and attorneys.

During the event, participants will hear from experts presenting on a number of topics including prosecuting sexual assault cases, victim trauma, and dating and domestic violence.

The seminar builds on outreach efforts underway by the State Police CSAVU, which has been attending college orientation sessions and providing training for stakeholders across the state.

State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, “The State Police continue to do all we can to prepare and protect our college students. Through the hard work of our CSAVU investigators and through seminars like this one, we are dedicated to reducing the number of sexual assaults on campus, bringing justice to victims and increasing awareness among students and staff.”

The State Police CSAVU was created by the landmark “Enough is Enough” legislation, which Governor Cuomo signed into law in July of 2015. The mission of the unit is to reduce the incidence of sexual assault through a prevention education program, which includes orientation for college students, faculty and support staff, and training for stakeholders. The unit will also investigate campus sexual crimes that are reported to the State Police, and provide investigative support as requested by campus and local law enforcement agencies.

Eleven State Police Senior Investigators assigned to the unit have been located regionally across the state, and serve as a resource for students, college and university staff, campus and local police, and victim advocates. The Senior Investigators have provided training for law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders, including the New York State Chiefs of Police, the SUNY Chiefs of Police, and SUNY Title IX coordinators.

The CSAVU has also held two regional training conferences in Syracuse and Buffalo, in addition to this week-long conference.

Since the unit became operational last fall, it has investigated or assisted in more than 50 campus sexual assault cases. The State Police have also established a statewide hotline for victims to request State Police assistance. That number is: 844-845-7269.