LANSING — Today, a bipartisan group of representatives in the state House introduced a package of bills aimed at combating sexual assault in the state of Michigan. State Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor) sponsored a bill in the package that would prohibit schools from expelling or suspending students for reporting sexual assault. In response, Rep. Rabhi issued the following statement:
“When a school receives notice that a student has been sexually assaulted, their response should be to support the survivor, not to punish them by taking away their freedom to receive an education. Too many survivors are reluctant to report an assault due to a well-grounded fear that they will be blamed and punished by those in authority. My bill will ensure that schools cannot retaliate against survivors for having the courage to come forward and share what happened to them. Every young person deserves the opportunity to go to school, and learn and grow, without the fear of being sexually assaulted. This bill will guarantee that survivors are supported and protected in our state’s classrooms, rather than punished.”
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