STAR-ADVERTISER / 2021
The mall at the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus is shown here.
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House Bill 554 (“Relating to Campus Safety”) recently passed the Legislature. It would work to ensure student safety on University of Hawaii campuses.
This bill provides resources on campus to prevent sexual violence as well as help students who have experienced sexual violence, ensuring that school staff are trained on how to respond to incidents in trauma-informed ways.
The 2021 University of Hawaii Student Campus Climate Survey reported that 5 in 6 students who experienced sexual assault did not access school resources, showing the great need for HB 554 to address this gap.
Student survivors should be able to feel safe and protected by their educational program. As a UH student who helped advocate for this legislation, I am so grateful to the Legislature for listening to students. Students at UH need this change, and I urge Gov. Josh Green to sign HB 554 into law to ensure students get the resources and support they deserve.
Jessie Gunderman
Hilo
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