Call to Reform Mandated-Reporter Policies on Assault

A new article in American Psychologist suggests that most colleges and universities require employees to report any student disclosure of sexual assault to campus officials, with or without the student's consent, and often with limited proof of such policies’ benefits or effectiveness. “Compelled Disclosure of College Sexual Assault,” led by Kathryn J. Holland, assistant professor of psychology and women’s and gender studies at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, is based on a study of 150 institutions’ policies and a survey of federal reporting laws. It ultimately recommends a survivor-centered approach to reforming reporting policies and procedures.