While the disappearance of UVa student Hannah Graham is not the reason why Governor McAuliffe has created a Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence, the ongoing search for her puts a name and face on the issue of student safety.
The task force chairman, Attorney General Mark Herring, says national statistics on the problem are appalling, and addressing it is long overdue.
Both the Governor and Herring spoke during the first meeting of the task force and emphasized that campus sexual violence must end.
Herring says although colleges are actively working to address it, there's no excuse for inaction from those on the state level. He adds that in addition to being a top state official, he's also a parent.
The 30-member task force includes stakeholders who represent many facets of the health, education, law enforcement, and student communities. The task force and its three subcommittees on Prevention, Response, and Law Enforcement will meet three times before January.
The panel's urgency is underscored by the federal government’s investigation of the handling of sexual violence reports by James Madison, UVa, the University of Richmond, and the College of William and Mary.
