[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SEXUAL ASSAULT ON OUR CAMPUSES

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                               speech of

                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2018

  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from 
Texas, Judge Ted Poe, for hosting this special order, and for calling 
needed attention to sexual abuses occurring on college campuses and in 
many cases, off-campus events.
  As with many of our fellow colleagues, I have constituents who are 
victims of sexual abuse and have come forward to share their tragic 
stories. One of them is the Bailey family of Ft. Worth, Texas, in 
support of their daughter Kendra.
  Last December, a classmate assaulted Kendra Bailey, who recently 
completed her senior year at Texas A&M University. In addition to the 
trauma suffered by all victims in the days and weeks after an attack, 
being forced to still see and potentially interact with their alleged 
attackers only delays and makes the healing process more difficult. 
Such was sadly the case with Kendra. I call upon college administrators 
to do more to ensure proper separation for victims, especially during 
the immediate aftermath of an alleged assault, until a proper 
investigation can be concluded. After an investigation, Kendra's 
classmate who attacked her was found responsible for twenty-one charges 
by a university conduct panel of three faculty members. He was 
subsequently expelled from the university.
  Most tragically, the full total of sexual abuse victims on college 
campus will never be known, as many are afraid to come forward for a 
variety of reasons. I call upon colleges across the country to 
demonstrate a commitment to supporting victims and to take appropriate 
and swift punishments against those who would commit such horrible 
abuses. Students should know the very first day they arrive on campus 
that sexual harassment and violence will not be tolerated and that 
victims have a wide array of support. Many sexual abusers count on 
their victims not coming forward---only emboldening them to commit 
further sexual abuses.
  It is my understanding that Texas A&M University has commissioned two 
reviews of the school's handling of sexual assault cases. I look 
forward to reading both of the reviews, and I hope they will be both 
comprehensive in their scope and thorough in making significant 
recommendations.
  I appreciate the Bailey family coming forward and sharing Kendra's 
story; they should be commended for their courage. I hope that their 
actions will help reduce the number of would-be victims of sexual abuse 
on college campuses across our country in the future. I thank Judge Poe 
for his continued work in supporting victims of abuse and for hosting 
this special order.

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