THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	36
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, sexual violence and sexual harassment are growing concerns on public school campuses; and

 

     WHEREAS, sexual violence and sexual harassment impair students' ability to concentrate on educational objectives and compromise students' sense of safety and overall well-being; and

 

WHEREAS, under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, all forms of sexual harassment and sexual violence are prohibited in any education program or activity that receives federal funding; and

 

WHEREAS, according to a survey conducted by the American Association of University Women, fifty-eight percent of students in grades seven to twelve report experiencing sexual harassment; and

 

WHEREAS, according to the nonprofit organization Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, thirty-two percent of students who experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment reported not wanting to go back to school after being assaulted or harassed; and

 

WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Education, nearly half of teens who experience teen dating violence, including sexual violence, experience abuse on campus; and

 

WHEREAS, according to the anti-abuse organization Break the Cycle, eighty percent of high school counselors feel unprepared to provide trauma-informed care to students who report being abused; and

WHEREAS, trauma-informed care involves providing school staff and students with the skills and support necessary to manage reactions to traumatic stress and build a positive school climate; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, that the Department of Education is urged to increase access to trauma-informed care for public school students who experience sexual violence; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to offer training in trauma-informed care to teachers, administrators, and school staff to improve reporting, preventing, and intervening in cases of sexual violence throughout the Department; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is urged to collaborate with victim service providers that assist survivors of sexual violence in the development of school-based programs and protocols to help identify and support students who are victims of sexual violence; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at least twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2021, the Department of Education is requested to submit to the Legislature a report of its progress in implementing trauma-informed care practices throughout the Department, including any proposed legislation; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Education.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Urging the Department of Education to increase access to trauma-informed care for public school student who experience sexual violence.