[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 3, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mrs. McCaskill, and Mr. Blumenthal):
  S. 355. A bill to support the provision of safe relationship behavior 
education and training; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, it is widely recognized that relationship 
violence and campus sexual assault are major issues facing our Nation. 
According to the Department of Justice more than 290,000 Americans are 
victims of rape and sexual assault each year with young women between 
the ages of 16 and 24 consistently experiencing the highest rate of 
intimate partner violence. Secondary schools can play an important role 
in educating young people about relationship behavior and dating 
violence, but comprehensive health education courses are not required 
to include these topics, even though similar requirements for including 
age appropriate content and abstinence-only education already exist.
  Safe relationship behavior education is age-appropriate education 
that promotes safe relationships and teaches students to recognize and 
prevent physical and emotional relationship abuse, including teen and 
adolescent dating violence, domestic abuse, sexual violence and sexual 
harassment. This includes education regarding consent as well as 
emotional health and well-being in relationships. Currently there is no 
federal requirement that sex education courses cover topics like sexual 
assault prevention and discussions about communication in safe 
relationships.
  This is why I am proud to introduce with my colleagues, Senator 
McCaskill and Senator Blumenthal, the Teach Safe Relationships Act of 
2015, which would build upon the Violence Against Women Reauthorization 
Act to develop and implement prevention and intervention policies in 
middle and high schools, including appropriate procedures for students 
who are experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence, dating 
violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sex trafficking.
  The idea for this legislation developed as a result of a meeting at 
the University of Virginia with members of One Less, a sexual assault 
education group that advocates for survivors of rape and sexual 
assault. With the alarming statistics on the prevalence of sexual 
assault on college campuses and in communities across the country, 
secondary schools should play a role in promoting safe relationship 
behavior and teaching students about sexual assault and dating 
violence.
  Currently, it is not mandatory for schools to offer health education. 
But if they do, this proposal is consistent with existing requirements 
in current law. This bill will amend the Elementary and Secondary 
Schools Act, ESEA, to include safe relationship behavior education in 
comprehensive health education and assists State and local educational 
agencies and institutions to meet the Title IX requirements of the 
Educational Amendments of 1972. Additionally, this legislation 
authorizes grant programs to enable secondary schools to educate staff 
and administration, and provide age appropriate educational curricula 
for students regarding safe relationship behavior. In addition to being 
age-appropriate the training and education programs must also be 
culturally and linguistically appropriate, reflecting the diverse 
circumstances and realities of young people.
  I am hopeful the Teach Safe Relationships Act will be one part of the 
solution as lawmakers, parents, colleges and universities, and law 
enforcement continue working together to embrace comprehensive reforms 
to make our country safer. I strongly encourage my colleagues in the 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee to consider this 
legislation in any ESEA reauthorization.

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