Dive Brief:

• While Rolling Stone's now-questioned account of an on-campus gang rape is a setback for sexual violence survivors, it shouldn’t become an excuse by Congress not to address the campus sexual assault problem, U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said in a hearing Tuesday.
• The senators addressed the article while testifying at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing on law enforcement’s role regarding the campus sexual assault issue, Politico reported.
• McCaskill and Gillibrand are pushing for passage of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act to improve student safety and crime prevention by colleges and universities.

Dive Insight:

McCaskill plans to introduce the bill next year, and she asked legislators for their input on the proposal. Also speaking at the hearing were Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who said that it’s important that police are involved in cases of campus violence against women, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, who said that rape should always be treated as a crime, regardless of whether it’s committed on campus. Peg Langhammer, executive director of the Day One sexual assault and trauma center in Rhode Island, said that a team approach is needed, with police involvement.