Newsradio 1020 KDKA Editorial: Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act

With college and university campuses filling up with students, this is the perfect time to remember some sobering statistics.

One in five women on a campus and one in twelve men will be sexually assaulted.

The problem was ignored for years until three years ago.

The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act forced everyone to confront it. But while schools now report cases of domestic and dating violence and colleges and universities have created policies to address sexual violence on campus, it still happens.

People like Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and US Senator Bob Casey think it's a systemic problem, that somehow sexual assault is still an acceptable part of college culture.

That's why the push now is for "bystander education," teaching men and women students that they not only have the ability, but the responsibility to prevent sexual abuse.

Laws and institutions can only do so much. Ultimately the culture will only change when individuals adopt the Homeland Security mantra, "See something – say something" and finally send the message that sexual abuse won't be tolerated on our nation's campuses.