Drexel University Professor Unveils New Program Aimed at Simplifying Campus Sexual Assault Reporting
ByThanks to a Drexel University professor's new program, sexual assault victims will have a website where they can efficiently report their complaints.
According to USA Today, Candace Wannamaker has been developing the Sexual Assault and Victim Empowerment Suite (SAVES) with other experts and advocates for the past decade. The program is an automated system that allows victims to report their complaint and remain anonymous if they so wish.
"The thing that is different about SAVES is that we are not collecting data on other people's data - we are hoping to get the real numbers from the victims themselves," Wannamaker, an adjunct at Drexel, told USA Today.
SAVES acts as a record-keeping device for students who report their complaints to their school that will also keep the various departments updated on any recent activity pertaining to the case.
Steve Webb and Gail Lloyd both contributed to an algorithm for SAVES that will record patterns in order to eventually identify more easily repeat offenders. Wannamaker said she would like the White House to take notice of the program.
"Our short-term goal is to be included on the NotAlone.gov website," she told USA Toady. "Our long-term goals include implementing a SAVES portal on every college campus that would include a 'TITLE IX Wise Suite' to help administrators communicate with each other when handling cases of sexual assault and rape on campus."
After re-authorizing the Violence Against Women Act in Jan., President Obama formed a task force to make recommendations to curb campus sexual assault. On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate unveiled legislation with the goal of doing just that and the bipartisan bill co-sponsors took some of the task force's recommendations into account.
Not Alone was the name of the report that the White House released along with the task force's formation and it serves as a website to support those affected by sexual assault.
"Many companies have contacted us over the years about various products and services they offer to supplement our public safety and support systems related to sexual assaults," Lori Doyle, senior vice president of communications at Drexel, told USA Today. "Mr. Webb approached several people at Drexel last year about his project and was told that we were satisfied with the systems we currently have in place and were not interested."