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Sexual Assault Task Force Headed to 14 Brooklyn Colleges, DA Says

By Gwynne Hogan | March 22, 2017 9:49am
 Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez speaks at  a press conference at his office on Jan. 12, 2017.
Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez speaks at a press conference at his office on Jan. 12, 2017.
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DNAinfo/Ben Fractenberg

BROOKLYN — The acting Brooklyn District Attorney will begin working with college campuses to raise awareness on sexual assault, better coordinate with faculty and bolster services for survivors of sexual violence, officials said.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez rolled out his Campus Sexual Assault Response Initiative, the first of its kind in New York City, last week. It will work with 14 Brooklyn colleges including CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY Medgar Evers College, Long Island University, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Pratt Institute and St. Francis College, he announced.

“Every student who enjoys our borough’s rich educational resources should learn and grow free from the threat of campus sexual assault and dating violence," Gonzalez said.

Members of the Brooklyn DA's office will intervene early in sexual assault cases, linking survivors of sexual assault to the DA's Victims Services Unit for support.

The task force will also will train college faculty and raise awareness for sexual assault on campuses among new students, according to the DA's office.

Dallas Reed, the Vice President of Student Development at Berkeley College, one of the 14 participating schools said they were eager to be a part of the DA's initiative.

“We welcome opportunities to collaborate with agencies and other community organizations to raise awareness about sexual assault, protect our students, and foster cooperation among schools and law enforcement," he said.

Other colleges participating in the program include: Brooklyn Law School, College of New Rochelle, CUNY Kingsborough, CUNY City College of Technology, Long Island University, St. Joseph’s College, SUNY Empire State College, SUNY Health Science Center – Downstate.